Hows your riding, are you "BRAVE" or just Damn Good???

I used to be 'one of those people' that would ride anything. I would get on any horse and was brave enough and confident enough to ride it through anything.
I would ride and/or jump other people's horses that they were too scared to ride, and I never ever fell off!!!!
I showjumped my own 5 year old to newcomers level and hunted him etc.
I then gave up riding for a while and when I went back to it again I got a job in a dressage yard and it became pretty apparent that although brave, I couldn't actually ride very well
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It took me 9 months of daily lessons before I could ride properly. And I then was considered a 'good' rider
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However....... I then didn't ride regularly for a number of years, and had a baby ect and when I got back into riding again I had a nasty fall which broke my elbow, and 9 months later I had another fall and broke my leg.

So now, I'm not particulary brave anymore and don't consider myself a very good rider now either (compared to what I used to be like) although my bravery is coming back slowly.

Sam x
 
i am a bit too brave for my own good, i am happy to get on anything & will jump anything, not by any means a really good rider though
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I'm brave in that I've never been scared of a horse and when I was younger I used to be stuck on anything that gave trouble. But I'm more cautious now I'm older and wouldn't do some of the things I used to do - and am more fussy about what I agree to ride.

But I don't think I'm a 'very good' rider in the sense of being able to achieve an advanced dressage movement - I wouldn't know where to start. I prefer to think of myself as a horsewoman with stickability!
 
I'm neither lol. Self preservation kicks in pretty quickly, so I'm definitely not brave, and having never had lessons I don't know the technical aspect of riding, like schooling.
 
My instructor rode my horse for the first time last night and said I was brave for riding him!!! and taking him XC. Certinaly (sp) not good but would not have said I was brave either.
 
I used to be pretty brave (or was it stupid...) I would ride anything, and attempt crazy jumps etc I was a pretty useful person on the yard - we'd get a lorry full of horses from the sales, and emma would then proceed to see a) if they were broken b) if they were schooled c) if they could jump - and if so, how high, and d) if they would hack out alone. Through doing all this, I got to ride an amazing variety of horses, and I guess it made me an ok rider too - I very rarely came off. It also taught me to be a quiet rider with soft hands. However in recent years I have lost my confidence - firstly through a couple of nasty falls that landed me in hospital, and secondly through a non riding related accident, that left me permanantly injured - now my brain thinks 'heck emma, you don't bounce anymore - you have a proper job, mortgage etc and some things just aren't worth compromising those'. In addition, I stopped riding every day when I got a non horse job, and then stopped riding pretty much altogether when I moved to Canada. Now I KNOW my reactions aren't as good, and my muscles aren't as strong and willing, I have less confidence. I'd love to get back to the point where I am pretty happy doing most things, riding 'normal' horses, going XC and SJing, and get the finesse back for some dressage. However to do that I need at least 45 hours in a day to make the time, and probably need to get a horse of my own as I am not finding much equine inspiration around me. Oh and a super trainer who knows how to bully me in just the right way. I don't want much do I? Actually, above all I would love to get back into some part time teaching - I really do miss that.
 
I am neither.

I am a passable pleasure rider, reasonable, nothing special and lack the ability/bravery and desire to be more. I have regular lessons and now a half decent seat and some balance (not sure where it came from as it wasn't there before)

I am comfortable on Bert but he is all I am comfortable on and only because I "know" him and what to expect and when he strops I know how far he will take it, when he will buck, spook etc. I truely dislike riding other horses and would not do so out of choice, this I suspect is half the problem!
 
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