Dressage Mare like driving Ferrari, super sensitive to aids

[QueenT]

We moved to new yard two months ago, slow and careful transitions to new feed, pasture, herd, new joint supplements, she's 16. And she's acting like a 3 year old, which is fun and she's seems happy… but training feels like doing calculus with a pingpong ball! She has 17 gears, 40 different knobs and handles, and I am constantly over- or underusing my aids. Trot is super hard to get to a relaxed, even pace. I come into the corners way too fast, but half halts takes her 10 gears down to an ugly cadenced trot, sometimes posting works. My (pro) trainer who comes once a week is fantastic and everything falls in place under his guidance, it's when I ride on my own I struggle with applying everything. Any exercises you could suggest to improve the trot (and transitions) would be really welcome!

 

[Cortez]

Well, isn't that your trainer's job? Do what he says. I doubt that you'll get any better ideas from a bunch of random people on an internet forum who haven't seen your horse or your riding. Sounds like you need more regular lessons, or an easier horse.

 

[Sail_away]

She sounds quite tense to me? Could be reading that wrong but my understanding of your post is that you’re over-asking, your mare then does what she thinks you want her to do, then gets corrected because she did it ‘too’ much. So it sounds like she’s getting stressed because she’s confused and isn’t sure what you want her to do. If so then I think you need to practise your aids so you’re on the same page as your pony. So in walk, see if running through your aids helps clarify things. Hard to say what exactly to do without knowing what you do with her - for example, for my horse, I'd go through shoulder-in, travers, (a very basic) half-pass, leg yield, rein-back, walk pirouettes, turn on the forehand, halt to walk - just making sure that he knows what pressure he should be feeling for each and what he needs to do.
I do agree that your trainer is your best bet for more specific exercises - none of us have seen you and your horse so I can’t tell you what you should be doing. Can you ask your trainer for homework if you can’t get lessons more often? I’m sure he’ll be happy to give you some exercises to practise when you’re on your own, and explain how you should be riding them.

 

[QueenT]

You are all right of course, it’s my trainers job to guide me through this burst of energy - I just really like to hear other people’s views and experiences

 

[HeyMich]

Was your mare like this before the yard move? (Or have I misunderstood... was she yours before the move?)

If she's suddenly more sensitive/reactive that before, then I'd suggest a problem with the change in management - new feed/turnout/companion setup?

If she was like this before the move, then I'm afraid your instructor is the person to speak to. You could ask your instructor or a pro rider to school her for you, and pass on anything that they find that works... Sometimes an instructor needs to know the buttons to press in order to teach an owner how to find those buttons!

 

[Tonto_]

If you're fine when with your I find talking to myself like an instructor would helps me ride better when I'm riding alone, otherwise I ride like a sack of potatoes! I might look a bit crazy but it's only me on the yard so who cares!