Lessons - do you take the positive or the negative away with you?

[Gingerwitch]

Just wondering - I am the forever focussing on the negative how about you guys? I can hear 10 good things and 1 bad thing about my riding - what do I dwell on ?? Yep you got it the negative. The other half goes mental - I come home in a mood - OH"Whats up" - Me - "Cant ride" - OH "sell the horses then" Me "no" OH " well whats up?" Me "Instructor says I am too far forward when I jump, or Ime riding off my hands". OH "are you?". Me "yes". OH "well learn from it thats what your paying for". Me "but ive been riding for years and I am not good enough for my horses and everyone thinks ime stupid and should not have them". OH "so...., if you want to put hats on em and dress them up as fairys, they are your horses and you can do what you like, so stop listening to them and start being positive". Typical Wednesday conversation in our house. How do yours go???

 

[milliepops]

I'm a bit of both, I think. 2 weeks ago I had a terrible (jump) lesson, it was boiling hot and after about 40mins had passed, my horse was pooped and so was I. However my trainer kept putting up more and more questions, and things started to go more and more wrong! (missed strides, run outs, crappy riding..)

But in some respects I was pleased, because I didn't lose my bottle, just all my energy.

Anyway, last week it was a different story, had a fab lesson and a full hour of great work.

Personally, when things go wrong I find it helpful to look back at how far we have progressed. I know that I have made so many improvements in the last year, and a bad lesson is just a blip. Also, I'd rather it went wrong in a lesson than at home - at least I am in the right place to get help then. If things always go perfectly when you are with your trainer, there's not much point going!

Chin up, we all have those days. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you think - it never is!

 

[Flint12]

Im usually fine in the lesson. . . as i have to keep concentrating. . .

But as soon as i get of and instructor is gone i start to dwell on maybe the smallest negative thing mentioned in the lesson.

Even if i had made a breakthrough with the pone that may not be thought of untill i stop myself worrying about the one little thing.

I am getting better, but my instructor is quite full on if you get me so she says what she thinks in a way. I really like the fact she is like it as i feel i can constantly improve as she is telling me where i am going wrong and how to correct it but it does get to me sometimes. . .

Hey ho. . .

 

[Janette]

Don't think of it as bad news - it's 'homework'............. that's what you are working on.

 

[RachelB]

Negative. Always!
Last two lessons I spent mostly doing lateral work. Bearing in mind I don't have a horse to practise on between lessons any more, I thought I was doing rather well as I easily managed shoulder-in, counter-shoulder-in, travers, renvers, and leg yield. Then I tried to half-pass, fell apart completely, and I have been dwelling on it for two weeks! No "well done you've finally learnt how to do some decent lateral work, now you can start half-pass which is decidedly more difficult"... just "you're so rubbish you can't even half-pass in walk"

I'd rather be at my extreme of thinking I'm utterly useless, than at the other extreme of thinking I'm God's gift to horses!

And I suppose it works to my instructors' advantages as I keep going back for more, thinking I'm so terrible and I obviously need it!

 

[puddleshark]

If i've had the lesson from hell, once I've got past the 'I'm crap and I may as well give up' stage, I'll try and figure out what the biggest problem was (not always easy when EVERYTHING went wrong) and read up on how other people deal with it.

 

[Gonetofrance]

Are your instructors not giving you a correction to repair the problem, and to work on, rather than focussing on what you are doing wrong?

Unless someone drops the Hester/Todd/Whittaker genes into you on a lesson (oh, if only!!

), it's a step by step process, and the problems need to be corrected as they occur, and before you can move on....

So rather than be despondent that you haven't been perfect, feel chuffed that you have something you can improve for the future....

If you don't come away with something positive, however small, then maybe change your trainer.......

Or am I missing the point?