Freckly Update (long) - Solo Hacking and Scared S**tless!!

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Winklepoker

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Well it has been a week of ups and downs for us this week so I thought I would post this as not all people you believe to have balls of steal actually do have when it all boils down to it!!

I had a lesson Weds eve, our first flat lesson with new lady (very highly recommended and brilliant in previous jump lesson) and she made it very obvious that pony was NOT at all, in the slightest, whatsoever, off my leg! Yes, he was stretchy, light into my hand and covering the school but he was not off my aids which was making for poor transitions and a pony on the forehand. Not good when training young baby horse. So Upwards it was! Forwards and Upwards into a firm but praising hand and MY GOD - what a difference! The movement through the shoulder greatly increased, as did the over track as did the ATTITUDE!! He found it a challenge and got a strop on but I ignored the bad and praised the good and he soon got the idea. He then had a huge tantrum when we moved onto flexion and launched across the school running backwards into the mounting step and generally being a teenager. I have no idea what came over me... :( I got all wobbly lipped and said I wanted to get off (maybe wrong time of the month or I dont know!!) - I felt utterly stupid when instructor got on and made it look like nothing! She then did another 10 minutes to end on installing correctness and lots of praise and he was a happy boy. IDIOT IDIOT IDIOT.. I AM AN UTTER IDIOT!!

I then found myself avoiding riding for the whole weekend :( Did do some loading practice Sunday which went well but nothing in the way of work - entirely my nerves related :(

I lunged Monday, and again didnt fancy riding yesterday and again got cross with myself for avoiding it. So this morning I got up extra early and did the one thing that is the most challenging for us...the dreaded Solo Hack!! It was the first time he has left the yard on his own (excluding long reining) in the 7 months of having him, he is a nervous nelly on his own but I thought B**llocks- I am not going to be a big fat wimp about everything forever! Nothing like jumping in the deep end after a crap week! But we did it! I feel confident and back in control, we did lots of trotting, singing, whooping and 'good boying'. Stupid spooks but nothing to write home about - honestly - I dont what on earth came over me but I hope to God it never happens again!!

I have houmous, bagels and some rancid coffee that my boss made me if you have made it this far!!
 
*takes a bagel, politely declines the coffee :cool:*

Well done lass :D

We all have days when we think 'Eek!' and 'Argh!' and 'I want to get off!'.

The point is though, you got back on and went for it :D :D

Loving the singing - either you're an operatic star and horse was lulled into good behaviour; or you're so awful that he thought he'd better not do anything to make it worse :D :D. Either way, very well done the pair of you :D
 
Thanks Mrs M - Couldnt sing anything other that 'oh I do like to be beside the seaside' that fitted in with the trotting so on it went in high pitched tones... on and on and on! :D So I think the latter rather than operatic stars here ;) Thanks Again! x
 
martlin said:
I'll have the coffee, I'll drink anything :o
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Great for you, lovely to hear from someone prepared to be realistic about nerves (which we all get) and tackled the problem. Really, well done, to get stroppy with yourself is the only way,.
 
PD - here here! I was sh**ing myself riding out the yard! Tucked my iphone down my pants just incase :D I dont think there is any need to hide your fears better to confront them than battle with pretending they dont exist! I would happily do the same hack again tonight :D

K - Thanks for that - Feels well deserved today :D
 
Winklepoker said:
Thanks Mrs M - Couldnt sing anything other that 'oh I do like to be beside the seaside' that fitted in with the trotting so on it went in high pitched tones... on and on and on! :D So I think the latter rather than operatic stars here ;) Thanks Again! x
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hehe i sing that song too:D well done for just making your mind up and doing it, I find not giving yourself time to wibble out of it is the best way of overcoming something;)
 
Hey V
As you know when I had him he hacked all the time on his own as none of the others ever hacked out. Just be confident and assertive with the little beggar like you were today and you'll be fine :-) xx
 
Very well done, with extra huge pats on the back :-))

I had one of those moments today, I knew as soon as I got on B he was going to be a tit, quarter of the way into lesson he took off, head down, bucking. I so nearly pulled him up and got off but my instructor is fab and talks me through it and after that no shire x sized strops!! I think ours must be related because with B it's all tantrums too! Just be determined and say no you little (insert any swear words you like!!) and try to stay relaxed, very hard but my instructor says don't ride with the brakes on even though that is what you want to do. Also do loads of changes of rein, transitions etc to keep him thinking, I find the less time he has to the think of naughty things the better ;-)

I'm nervous of riding him in field on my own so always ride with someone there xx

Good luck, it sounds like you're doing well xx
 
I like 'the teddy bears picnic' ;), sometimes I can't remember the words so I just sing 'if you go down to the woods today your sure to get a surprise... teddy bears, teddy bears, teddddddy
beeeears' :p
 
Well done you!! In the past I have done exactly the same thing, kept chickening out then suddenly just 'gone for broke' and again like you it always worked :D

Don't be surprised if you still have a wibble about going in the school as it sounds like you may have actually avoided doing it today:p and the hacking was somehow the least of the demons

BUT you will get another mood like today and just do it

Again well done

I find telling them they are 'a big brave boy' actually works too, I thought my friend was nuts when she said it worked, but it does :rolleyes:
 
Thanks everyone :) got a flat lesson tonight so will update tomorrow. He honestly doesnt do anything that bad, nothing like horses Ive sat on in the past (polo ponies/fit comp horses/NH and the like) just huge spooks which is not naughtiness really. In the school, he has been asked a lot of questions and up until now has come up with the goods very willingly, like my instructor says - he would be nothing without a bit of 'sparkle' !! :D Thanks Again

(G - thanks for the support, you know exactly how the monkey works!! :D )
 
Oh very well done! Once again Freckles is channeling his alter ego Kal . . . we're working on the very same thing with him - forwards, forwards, forwards into the contact - Kal throws his toys out of the pram when we challenge him like that too . . . now I just laugh. And a great big frilly for doing the solo hack.

P
 
As there is no food left on offer I will take your nerves stick and firmly beat myself with it !! :(

Fell off last night for the first time in about 3 years feeling stupid and bruised and like I want to sell her, feeling like a truely crap rider - I need to man up and have a lesson I think. but at least I got back on and made her work (although she did have another go)
Now I've got a puffy ankle and have to hop down the stairs and I'm I go on a yoga holiday in 10 days ...and I want to cry ...snifff


Well done though - pushing yourself is good, we all have our wobbles and it's a new horse remember things can't be perfect all the time but you can do your best to make them that way. Worrying is NOT constructive


.... couldn't I have just had a bagel instead
 
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