How do you feel about the level of your riding?

[PapaFrita]

I was thinking about this today, because all neddies went well and was quite pleased with myself, BUT went through an awful patch not so long ago of self-doubt; I felt I couldn't do a thing right.
Sooo, I was wondering how you lot feel about your riding??

 

[allijudd]

i tend to think my riding crap as i ride for safety not for style but having somene wathing me has helped me enormously and my confidence has increased alot...

 

[vicijp]

I clicked on the smug one.

 

[Josh_craney]

i clicked on the smug one too

 

[Tia]

LOL!! Me too.

 

[Weezy]

Smug when it comes to jumping - pretty dire at dressage - so I said quietly confident!

 

[PinkFairy]

i said mostly self doubt but sometimes feel good about my riding. This is because im hearing impaired i feel really terrible as my instructors constantly lose their rag with me and i end up feeling terrible!

 

[Twinkle Twinkle]

I can suffer badly from nerves so l think my riding is crap lol, but im working on it with my fantastic new instructor.

 

[teapot]

Suffer very very badly with lack of confidence and I keep being told this too by my instructor

It's something I'm working on though

 

[sojeph]

Smug..LOL!!!

 

[Joya]

Nearly always suffer from self-doubt

 

[WishfulThinker]

I KNOW I have gone seriously downhill in the past 5 years!! Was on track for a good dressage career, then it went tits up when they cannyed on I was 13 NOT 16 - poop! Am going to get back on track though!! I WILL do flying changes again!

 

[Governor]

I don't think i've ever been able to think let alone say i'm a good rider. I just don't.

But im reasonably confident on the flat - in that i'll hop on most things. I've lost my confidence over fences through being out of practice.

Saying that my horse doesn't have any major issues and he goes pretty nicely and i've been his sole rider since I bought him so I suppose i'm not doing anything too dire.

 

[PinkFairy]

i sometimes hate riding, because im scared of missing things or looking stupid etc so i have started to hate riding although there are days when i love what i get to do

 

[princesskelly]

clicked the equal measure. some days i'm fine and feel like i'm riding ok (like today) the stroppy one went really nice for once but tomorrow it will feel terrible. have lost nerves big time when jumping! going to local show on sunday and half of me cant wait but other half is feeling sick with nerves. having lesson's which is helping. how do all you jumpers deal with nerves?

 

[Clodagh]

I don't ruin horses but I don't improve them either!! Hunting I'm a star, schooling a nightmare!

 

[S_N]

Other - I KNOW my riding is shocking!! I didn't used to be - flat work had to be at Stage 4 level and jumping Stage 3 to get a Merit for my final year of riding at college. I know I could be good and one day I will be, as I WILL be thin and fit enough to do any horse justice!!!

 

[Blackhawk]

Total self doubt. I hate the way I ride and I get depressed about it. However I know it's all in my mind as my instructor and friends tell me otherwise, and I know I've made positive improvements on J where others couldn't.

I think it stems from an accident I had a few years ago. I was a bit of a speed demon and would jump anything, and it all caught up with me. One nasty fall later and no self confidence for years to come. I did think about giving up altogether.

 

[Bossanova]

Pretty happy with my riding in general, got weak points as everyone does but I *try* to work on them whilst trying not to p*ss my horse off in the process!!

I did however score a 5 for my riding in an intro test last week, therefore I must assume I have a LOT of weaknesses

 

[piaffe]

I checked nearly always has self doubt.

I do not believe, in any way, that i am a good rider, never have done.

I have a weak right side so my right leg is dire and I find (used to, not tried it for years) sitting trot difficult due to my back problem. I think i am ungainly when i ride.

 

[Munchie]

Feel confident and suffer self-doubt in equal measure

I ticked that box....

Depends what sort of a day I'm having!!

I'm not a complete novice - I at least know which way I'm supposed to be facing

But I'm a long way off being any good!!

 

[Bex7]

I clicked "my riding sucks" Not because i want people to say other wise or because I think I am good but put myself down but because it actually does!!!

I ride because I love it, I don't lack confidence particularly (although I did before my first of anything ie gallop/jmp etc) I love hacking and jumping and flat work and trust my boy 110% (which is probably why I don't lack confidence

) however my seat is crap and my balance is crap and my co-ordination is crap! (naturally don't have any)

I have no plans to affiliate in anything and have no interest in dressage. I would love to get into SJ (local stuff and clear rounds) and cross country next year at a whopping 2'6 and it will all be for fun

x

 

[Blackhawk]

I also suffer from a lot of back pain while riding, so have to concentrate on my keeping my balance in tune with the horse which hurts my back more. No win situation.

 

[sunflower]

My riding sucks. When I had started having lessons it was very much 'kick to go faster and pull to slow down' then all I had a long break from any kind of lessons and just hacked and went on riding holidays. When I started having lessons again (about a year ago now) it was much more dressagey then I'd ever done before. I really enjoy my lessons and I'm getting there but the more I do the more I realise I still have to learn. Plus now I'm much more aware of my position I realise how bad it is

 

[Becky101]

I think my riding sucks!! too much work taking rides out across exmoor! confident enough, capable enough but no style and v rusty in the school! lessons on new horsey with new instructor helping lots tho! and mayb soon i will be able to claim to sometimes feel good about my riding!! wooo! lol

 

[Tierra]

I clicked the "nearly always have self doubt" one.

We bought my horsey from my trainer, who's an ex young rider and my horsey has stayed on livery with her since. Hes a complete school master who works to PSG level and he's my first dressage horse. While it sounds an ideal way to learn, it infuriates me that all fellow liveries are more than aware of what level he can work at and this makes me feel i need him perfect.. all the time..

Aside from my trainer, there is another livery on the yard who is riding at PSG level and she is insanely good (is attending a viewing day for the world start program shortly). If i ride with either of them, I spent so much time focussing on the fact that their horses were doing x,y and z and mine wasnt that Id start to get angry with myself.. which made my riding worse

I now pretty much wont ride with either of them. Its a shame because both of them are lovely people but I just get myself so wound up that its not fun

I try so so so hard with my riding but get very infuriated with myself (not the horse mind!) when things just dont come together.

 

[LauraBR]

Ticked other.

Funny thing about riding is when you are a kid desperate to sit on a pony then you think your friends who have a lesson once a week are AMAZING. Then you start lessons and think those in the more advanced lesson are AMAZING etc etc.

And so it carries on... my perception of a good rider moves with my perception of my riding ability. So, people going round open local xc to me look fantastic and I aspire to be as good as them- when I get there the next level up will look good and I'll feel the same lol! The way my crazy mind works...

Right now I'm thrilled with how my riding is going- I'm no way near as good as my fellow liveries or people on here but I try and compete against myself and I've improved loads recently as has my new horse so I'm pleased!

 

[TGM]

Hmmmm ... difficult one. I opted for equal measure of self doubt and confidence. I'm pretty confident that I know HOW to ride well, but I'm not always capable of doing it

. My motivation, determination and confidence seems to have huge fluctuations. Last week I had a bad schooling session and was ready to give up all ideas of competing, and then today I had a fab one and am all fired up with enthusiasm and confidence again. I blame it all on my hormones ...

 

[Weezy]

BOSSANOVA!!!!!!!!! I cannot BELIEVE you got a 5 for riding!!! You are a fantastic rider, quite and reassure your horses VERY competently - I only wish I was half as intuitive as you are on the flat

MUNCHIE!!!!!!!! As for you, good God woman, you are WAY better than you believe!

 

[Onyxia]

Other.
Im content that Im good enough to handle anything out hacking, butknow Im not the best rider in the world- and never will be!
I would like to imporve, but on the whole happy as I am.