My Your Horse Live lesson with Ruth Edge!

[Lvrees]

Hello!!

Firstly, I'm Shattered!!! Had to leave very early this morning, so had to be up at stupid O clock!! Then drive all the way up to warwick! Thankfully only took us 3 1/2 hours!! So we arrived, quick check over by the vet, who loved him!! He was a really nice man, he watched my lesson as well and came to speak to me after and congratulate me on having such a lovely horse!!

Anyway, was told to be there for 1pm, so got him ready, the bugger had rolled, so had to get about a bales worth of bedding and the odd leaf (??) out of his tail!! Rode him down and had a chat with Ruth before going in!! She is such a lovely lovely person, really genuinly nice and interested in what I did and have done with him, so we made off to a good start!!

Took him in and as I expected pretty much acted like he'd been there done that!!! Not at all frightened by the waving horseware banner or the crowd bussling about with shopping bags etc!! The only time he really perked up was when the crowd clapped the first time (whilst I was trying to do up my girth!!!!!) and that was basically an ears forward step to the side motion nothing else!!! I'm such a proud mummy!!!!

Any way, I was VERY nervous!! Obviously I didnt want to let my pony down, but he could feel I was nervous so was being tense, and waving his head around!! And the more he waved his head around, I got more tense so it was a bit of a vicious circle!!! He never normally does that, but then I'm never normally tense, so can't blame him!!

Anyway, started doing some work on the walk, then transition work, getting him to stay in a contact!! Which he finds difficult as he (like normal) just puts his head in and evades it! But we got through that and soon he was working nicely, I calmed down and we had some lovely trot steps!! We worked on the canter, and creating more impulsion and getting him to go when I first asked not the 6th time I asked!!!

In the end he was lovely and balenced, and working really nicely, into a contact with loads of energy coming from behind!!! So I was really chuffed!!

I don't get to have many lessons, (I'm normally the one teaching!) but today was so good, I really felt I benifited more today than from all the lessons I've had this year!!

So in all, a great experience for me and my wonderful horse, he got to see a big crowd and ride in a situation which didnt faze him at all!! But I learnt lots too!!!

Those who saw it, I'd appreciate your comments, though I will add before people get too critical, its hard infront of lots of people, and Bossy isn't easy to ride!!!!

 

[carthorse]

I was in the large arena waiting patiently for you to come in. Saw some jousting [2 very fit blokes ] then thought you were next and in rides Carl Hester, well I then realised my mistake I had read it all wrong.
I wished I had seen you ,that arena you were in was small [watched dressage to music later ,when I found it]
Ruth Edge is amazing and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself , you and your horse must be so proud

 

[star]

i watched it. i thought he really showed a lot of improvement by the end of the session - did wonder if he'd ever come round at the beginning but he really started to take the contact by the end. did you get a chance to see carl hester in the morning or were you with your horse all the time? what ruth was saying was similar to carl, but you absolutely have to get him going forwards off the leg and not nag at him with your legs every stride - carl explained it a lot better than i can - even with his lazy horses he manages to get them sharp off the leg so it can be done. thought you looked really nervous at the start but then seemed to relax as the session went on. my other idea would be for you to do loads of work within the paces with him because as soon as you tried to slow him slightly he assumed you wanted a downwards transition and when you tried to move him on he just went faster rather than opening up. he looks like he's going to be very good though and i thought you did really well to ride in front of everyone.

 

[SpaceMolly]

I saw it. Well done you

I thought your horse was stunning and you both coped very well. The friend I was with said she would have collapsed had she been made to canter for that long lol.

 

[Ludi-doodi]

Sounds like you had a great time. Well done and even better that you felt you learnt so much too. Having done the same on Friday with Chris Bartle, I know exactly how you felt before you went in the arena! But isn't it funny once you start concentrating and riding the audience kinda disappeared??

My only regret now is that if they run this competition again, I probably won't win a second time!

 

[Lvrees]

Thanks, yeh the audience did dissapear then soon as she started to talk to them I realised they were there!! I think I was more nervous about people watching me and the fact that there were probably the odd person slagging me my riding and my horse off to high heavens! But I don't care now, I know what he goes like at home, I got so stressed when he was waving his head about, cos its something he never does!!!! But least I've expereinced it in that situation not at HOYS infront of even more people and a judge!

It is so depressing that if they do run it again, and they will!! That we won't ever get the chance!! But least we can say we were they first!!!!!!

 

[coedcae]

Hiya
I thought you did really well. It was such a surprise to see one of our RC members at YHL, well done for winning the lesson by the way. Having seen him go at club, I was surprised to see him waving his head about, but if you were tense, then thats probably why. He did make a considerable improvement by the end of the lesson. All I kept thinking was "Blimey I have all those problems too" and it made me come home and be determined to have my horse in front of my leg and to stop nagging with my legs all the time.

 

[Krysha_n_Helga]

i watch you and i think it went reslly well.