Figuring horses out

[toppedoff]

Okay need a bit of help or advice with regards to riding,

Now we are riding every day or so, we will be having a different horse each day or lot and today I was struggling with figuring out my horse I had for the lesson and made myself look stupid. He is quite forward but you need to be able to properly ride him and then he's a rocket pocket for the rest of the lesson and now I don't actually know if I know how to ride

I'm struggling to figure out the horse during rhe lesson and I made a right fool of myself today (can confirm that as I had people tell me I looked like a mess compared to yesterday ) My horse yesterday was very forward but I already got a gist of what he's like as I watched him a few weeks ago being ridden so I knew expect from him

Just seeing if anyone has anything, I felt pretty rubbish after that ride especially since I was in front

 

[Jenko109]

So I have been riding some 20 years.

I went to try a mare out once. The mare went sweet as a nut for the owner and perfectly for a friend who came with me.

For me, I could not get a tune out of the horse whatsoever. It was literally a train wreck. I couldn't get her to pick up canter. She just rushed along in trot and it was just a complete shambles. I looked like I had only just started having riding lessons

To be clear, I have point to pointed, i have hunted in Ireland, I've ridden plenty of youngsters and a few loose screws. I should be able to get a horse to pick up a canter!

Moral of the story. It doesnt always go right. It's okay for a certain horse to just not be a suitable horse for you. It takes a really, really good rider to be able to get a tune out of every horse they sit on, especially if it's the first time they have ridden them.

 

[Dasher66]

They are all different and sometimes it will work and sometimes it won’t. Tomorrow someone else will look atit. By the end of the course everyone will have looked stupid at some point. Pay attention to how others cope with their horses and file away the advice they're given.
if you carry on trying you will find a way to succeed.

 

[nagblagger]

You might not have 'looked the best', but you didn't fall off. That's always a win in my book.

 

[SEL]

I think even the most experienced riders have horses they don't click with.

I would always just make sure it's relaxed, going off my leg and listening to me in general. If you're working as a ride though it isn't always easy to sort all of that out. My old warmblood just needed to trot circles on a loose rein when he was wound up, but current youngster needs to be sent forward and have his brain occupied.

It'll come - don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[Gloi]

If you know who is the horse's usual rider talk to them about him ,or to your instructor.
Don't let yourself feel stupid, you are all there to learn.

 

[Clodagh]

I’m pretty sure the racing school is not aimed at the AP McCoy’s out there, it’s aimed at people who want to learn. You’ll learn. I always err on the side of quiet on a new horse but Elf will be more help than me as I’ve never ridden a racehorse. Good luck. Don’t overthink it.

 

[Boughtabay]

.

 

[ihatework]

A) we all have off days
B) we all have some horses that suit us better than others
C) we are always learning
D) we are always too hard on ourselves
E) you are at racing school to LEARN - if you were the perfect racehorse rider you’d be lining up in a grade 1.

It’s fine to be frustrated, but don’t make it into something it probably isn’t.

 

[humblepie]

A) we all have off days
B) we all have some horses that suit us better than others
C) we are always learning
D) we are always too hard on ourselves
E) you are at racing school to LEARN - if you were the perfect racehorse rider you’d be lining up in a grade 1.

It’s fine to be frustrated, but don’t make it into something it probably isn’t.

Spot on. It sounds like it is generally going well and I can assure you those of us who have been riding for years and such days particularly when I see how my horse goes for my instructor. Hope you are enjoying it.

 

[toppedoff]

Thank you all, glad I'm not the only one I was feeling frustrated all day because of it and the comments I got from my course mates didn't help at all, I absolutely loved the horse and he gave me a brilliant trot for 3 laps around the school and I only lost rhythm once in a corner but I was being heavy on my hands during that corner

Hopefully I can find a horse I can gel with, I think I would like to ask other courses about the horses and how they ride them. Hopefully I can look back at this in a few weeks time and see how much I've improved

 

[Arzada]

As you say this was a lesson I guess that there was a teacher? What advice did they give you to help you ride this horse?

 

[toppedoff]

As you say this was a lesson I guess that there was a teacher? What advice did they give you to help you ride this horse?

She said pretty much to give him a kick from the hips rather than foot if that makes sense, which she said around the last 10 mins of the lesson as he was slowing down whilst we were changing rein. I had my leg on but it wasn't doing anything for the whole time, I had him forward walking at the start but kept dying down. My horse yesterday was pretty much one small tap and he knows his job

Others here can be sensitive and will do the honours of telling you that you messed up by dropping you

 

[Irish Sally]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Happens to us all. I'd ask the instructor though what she actually means and to explain it to you better.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Your at the very beginning of your riding career, you have absolutely tons to learn, and you will only keep getting better and better
You will come off, youll have rubbish days and youll have great days.
We have all been there
You are doing amazing!!

 

[SEL]

She said pretty much to give him a kick from the hips rather than foot if that makes sense, which she said around the last 10 mins of the lesson as he was slowing down whilst we were changing rein. I had my leg on but it wasn't doing anything for the whole time, I had him forward walking at the start but kept dying down. My horse yesterday was pretty much one small tap and he knows his job

Others here can be sensitive and will do the honours of telling you that you messed up by dropping you

Some horses back off if you constantly have your leg on. Difficult balance!

 

[toppedoff]

Some horses back off if you constantly have your leg on. Difficult balance!

It really is, he was probably ignoring the leg now that I look back, but he responds well to asking him to turn. I didn't have to use reins at all I am hoping I can get there but I think I would like to ask my tutor more questions about the horses and what they're like but I appreciate sometimes they want you to figure em out yourself

 

[Bonnie Allie]

If it’s any consolation to you, we all have those days. I am fortunate to have the rides of my husbands beautifully schooled advanced dressage horses for my unaffiliated dressage efforts at the local riding club at the lowest level.

I regularly cant click with them - in public, despite having practiced at home. We do the best we can and just smile a lot.

 

[blitznbobs]

Do you get on with absolutely every one you meet? If you do you are unusual.. horses are the same, you will have horses you don’t get on with (or maybe they don’t get on with you) I like to ride from my seat rather than my leg per se and some horses really don’t like that - and some are fine with it. Yes you have to adapt but the ones that become your true partner are those that you just get on with… and not change who you are to suit them … we are all different and so are our steeds!

 

[Lois Lame]

She said pretty much to give him a kick from the hips rather than foot if that makes sense, which she said around the last 10 mins of the lesson as he was slowing down whilst we were changing rein. I had my leg on but it wasn't doing anything for the whole time, I had him forward walking at the start but kept dying down. My horse yesterday was pretty much one small tap and he knows his job

Others here can be sensitive and will do the honours of telling you that you messed up by dropping you

That's interesting. I've never heard such a thing. Anyone care to elaborate on this?

 

[Lois Lame]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Happens to us all. I'd ask the instructor though what she actually means and to explain it to you better.

Yes please

 

[LEC]

If you want to cheer yourself up watch Ellie Frederick’s on insta. This is a serious rider whose parents have been to the Olympics and she has represented GB. She has some videos of her riding in a uni competition where you ride strange horses and I think she has never ridden anything average before as she looks terrible.

As long as you want to get better you will be fine.

 

[toppedoff]

That's interesting. I've never heard such a thing. Anyone care to elaborate on this?

From what I gathered you're pretty much swinging your whole leg back, you'd hit just above and a bit further back rather than banging against the sides.. they do a bit of pony club kicking here

 

[Cloball]

Uni riding comps were terrifying I never got past the training, trying to get a strange dead to the leg riding school pony over 3ft

If you want to cheer yourself up watch Ellie Frederick’s on insta. This is a serious rider whose parents have been to the Olympics and she has represented GB. She has some videos of her riding in a uni competition where you ride strange horses and I think she has never ridden anything average before as she looks terrible.

As long as you want to get better you will be fine.

If you're asking the questions and open to learning I think you're in the right place (mentally)

 

[Ratface]

Some horses back off if you constantly have your leg on. Difficult balance!

I think that it would benefit you if you could ask your instructor to show you what s/he wants you to do by manually putting your leg and heel where s/he wants it to be. Also, ask her/him to explain how that position is the best one to utilise.
Good luck, you're still in the game!

 

[Kunoichi73]

If you want to cheer yourself up watch Ellie Frederick’s on insta. This is a serious rider whose parents have been to the Olympics and she has represented GB. She has some videos of her riding in a uni competition where you ride strange horses and I think she has never ridden anything average before as she looks terrible.

As long as you want to get better you will be fine.

Thank you for sharing that. As a RS rider it makes me feel better about my struggles with average ponies!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Tomorrow is another day. I have some rubbish rides on my horse and can get off feeling really terrible. I force myself to not hold into that.
The following day can be 100% different.

I’m sure your class mates aren’t meaning to upset you. There is a lot of banter in racing yards and riding dodgily one day can provide great ammunition, smile it off.

My first time riding a horse In training we flew off the end of the gallops after over taking the others
One day you’ll look back at this and laugh as you’ve just had your first win

 

[toppedoff]

Tomorrow is another day. I have some rubbish rides on my horse and can get off feeling really terrible. I force myself to not hold into that.
The following day can be 100% different.

I’m sure your class mates aren’t meaning to upset you. There is a lot of banter in racing yards and riding dodgily one day can provide great ammunition, smile it off.

My first time riding a horse In training we flew off the end of the gallops after over taking the others
One day you’ll look back at this and laugh as you’ve just had your first win

Yeah I get banter, I think I just didn't want to hear anything about that ride as I just didn't come off feeling good about riding despite last times I felt amazing plus the one who said it I've had some issues with that have been sorted and being handled

It is really hard and I've never really properly rode aside from happy hacking and everyone here seems to know what they're doing

Think I'm a bit insecure about my riding

 

[toppedoff]

I think that it would benefit you if you could ask your instructor to show you what s/he wants you to do by manually putting your leg and heel where s/he wants it to be. Also, ask her/him to explain how that position is the best one to utilise.
Good luck, you're still in the game!

That's a good idea!

 

[Kunoichi73]

Yeah I get banter, I think I just didn't want to hear anything about that ride as I just didn't come off feeling good about riding despite last times I felt amazing plus the one who said it I've had some issues with that have been sorted and being handled

It is really hard and I've never really properly rode aside from happy hacking and everyone here seems to know what they're doing

Think I'm a bit insecure about my riding

In all sports you'll have good days and bad days. There are lessons that I come away from feeling awesome and lessons that I come away from feeling like I'm a rubbish rider. I try to look at the rubbish sessions and see what the issue was and how I could improve. It can be difficult riding a variety of horses as you are constantly having to adjust to what suits them. You'll get better with time, but you will have good and bad days.