you're really looking good TG....hang in there, and it'll all sort itself out. I always tell myself that falling off makes me a better rider!!! sm x
Or, if you have a willing lift and are a willingn volunteer sweeping yards and mucking out stables is also good for those stomach and back muscles (not before you've recovered properly from the fall though)!PS if you usually ride just the once a week, there are lots of other, non-horsey exercises that can help your core strength. Swimming, for example, or an exercise class
It looks like you're really trying and the results are showing. Riding takes a life time to learn.
Don't get too stressed about all the advice you're getting. It's almost impossible in a riding school situation to "go your own way" and it doesn't do to second guess your instructor too much or to deviate from what the horses are used to.
Do you read much? it might be an idea to ask your instructor if she could recommend a book that compliments her instructions so you can absorb the background information and fine details on your own time. The trick with lessons can be that sometimes, since you reasonably want to spend the hour riding, there's not always enough time to discuss the theory.
I've found riding school students often benefit very much from that sort of information because it's sort of "diy" in that you can think about how you're doing something while you're going along, doing what you're supposed to be doing in the lesson. Sure, it would be great to ride more often or have more opportunities, but that will have to wait a bit and in the mean time, you can store up knowledge so when the time comes and you can do more, you'll know how you want to spend your time and money. ) Good for you for taking it all in. That's a good basic book but there are also some very interesting ones that are a bit less "dry" and go more into not just the position you should be in etc. but how, exactly to get your body to do what you want.
Of course, any information is good, but it can be tricky at the beginning because there are different schools of thought and they're all valid, but it's hard to make sense of it all before you get a wider perspective. Hence asking what your school, with it's practices, would recommend.
Again, don't stress. Every lesson you take, you're learning. But that also applies when you can watch, read, and ask questions, which it seems like you're doing well at.
You'll soon learn that horse people have an opinion on EVERYTHING. (And they're often late and aren't often great with money.
This thread has 2,710 views!!
!!!