Pants lesson last night - having a downer at the minute (long)

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Hovis_and_SidsMum

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After last weeks drama Hovis was ridden by another girl at the beginning of last week and then by me from mid week onwards. He went like a dream which was great.
Then on friday I rode him and I was so tense it was untrue. He was doing nothing wrong but I was really wound up so after half an hour or so I gave up.
I worked him on the lunge on saturday then he had sunday off.
Last night I had a lesson and I rode like a complete t*t. He was being a prat and wouldn't go on the track as it was quite deep and he was so unfluid. We were either rushing or stopping with nothing in the middle. We did some trotting poles and we didn't do them well once.
The school was very busy last night and he was gawping at everything but I feel like we are going backwards. My instructor says I've not got to be so hard on myself as last time I came off it took months to relax in the saddle again but I'm so angry and demoralised with myself.
Why do i ride like a muppet?! He's not the easiest in the world as he's a baby and still unbalanced himself but I swear its me.

I also seem to have developed a fear of canter. Not cantering (I'm fine when we get going) but asking for canter. Does anyone understand that or is it just me? He rushes his corners sometimes anyway and once he realises we're doing canter work he gets really keen so is hard to hold. He cuts the corners and the transition to canter is "enthusiastic" to say the least! I have a fear of him coming down on top of me which i know is stupid but I can't help it. Put me on a gallops and ask me to canter I'd be fine!
Am I just odd or a lost cause?
 
You're not a lost cause at all (hug)

I had a real fear of going into canter in the school a couple of months back and nobody could seem to understand it. My instructor was very helpful and just got me concentrating on trot so I felt as balanced and comfortable as I could before attempting canter. There were quite a few unhelpful comments from people at the yard along the lines of "Just get on with it!" but I can now canter etc. quite happily, I just needed time to get myself and my girl sorted. She was quite unbalanced and my tension just made everything worse. Taking a step back and slowing everything down a bit seemed to work wonders. We also did quite a bit of lungeing her in canter so she realised that canter doesn't always lead into gallop!

Good luck
smile.gif
The most important thing is for you and your horse to be happy and comfortable.
Hope this helps x
 
I felt a little like you with my last horse, who I bought just as he was rising 4.
My instructor told me that with youngsters, you have a massive learning curve to start off with, then you plateau before going on another curve.

I think you need to stop beating yourself up about it, carry on and things will start to improve.

I know I got really despondent (sp) at times but I just kept plugging away, you must do the same.
 
You're not a lost cause
smile.gif
I've been riding for 27 years (eek!) and I still ride like a muppet....although that's probably not going to cheer you up!

I find that riding is very much like running - you go out the first time and you are shattered - you gradually improve but you still feel shattered each time you come back as you are trying harder. So you don't notice that you're improving because you're pushing yourself more.

Also, everyone has bad days - I'm having a bad week! Try and ride when you are nice and relaxed, as if you are tense or stressed or irritable before you get on it will transmit to the horse.
 
We all have bad lessons and phases where nothing goes right. Give yourself a break. Try doing some of these things outside the school.

I would be crap if I had to work my horse in an arena with loads of other people.
 
Hi,

Oh god to not feel bad... Honestly if you want bad, come and wacth me ride for two minutes and you will feel so much better as I have been going nowhere for some time now and it has just clicked to me that, so what!!! My girl is young and can be quite a handful she has alot upstairs and gives nothing away for free. If I go and blab my mouth off to anyone that she is being a dream you can guarantee that next time I will be on the floor eating my words. But horses are not easy and we have to appreciate that... it's hard work to get the horse balanced moving around the school effectively at the best of times- to some people its easier and the same for some horses but it's an ongoing challange (or battle in my case) that is why we like it so much.... Please to do not overthink everything as this is my biggest problem and it does get in the way and it will hinder. Take each day as it comes and be grateful for the good ones and except the bad ones as we all have them.x
 
I agree - can't you get the school to yourself for a lesson, or with maybe just one other in there? I know you have to work around other horses at competitions but for a lesson it's more beneficial to be in the school alone.
 
It sounds as though we are very much in the same situation, I have a youngster who is "keen" and seems to want to canter whenever we get to a bend, the school surface isn't great and I too have visions of him coming down on me .

At the moment I am trying just to concentrate on getting a nice trot (see my post down the page).

There are days when I just think I'm cr4p and others when I don't think I'm too bad. Its very hard to keep upbeat when things aren't going well but I'm sure when you next ride things will go better, just relax and he'll relax- easier said than done I know.

Just keep plugging away it'll come.

But I do agree a quiet school when having a lesson would help so much.

Keep smiling!
 
Oh you poor thing - i know exactly how you feel! i too have been riding for years and am totaly crap - i have also been having a leeson on my pony every week for 14 months and am still crap!!! i also have an irrational fear of asking for canter. have you tried a vbalance strap attached to the front d rings of the saddle - it has done wonders for my confidence?
i bet that your next lesson will be much better and you will be on a 'high' try to think of it this way......you can only learn how to be a better rider when things are not going well - imagine how boring it would be if you had the perfect horse and you were a perfect rider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Dont be so hard on yourself, at one point I was all for giving up and never putting my leg over a sadlde again.But over the last 8 weeks I have backed and ridden away my homebred TB 4 yr old.
I am not the best rider in the world, but I do have an instructer that I really trust, who is aware of my fears and will not push me too far.
Believe in yourself an ignore other people who you feel are putting you down, I know full well this is easier said than done.
If you feel up tight concentrate on yourself not your horse or others around you, if you feel a tight knot in your throat blow it away and really think about how you are breathing, if you do this you cant think too hard about anything else, also it slows your breathing pattern down, and helps slow the heart rate and relieve anxiety.
As for cantering I find that just coming into a forward postion in trot, gentley, but firmly pushing harder, and allowing the horse to fall in canter while asking for correct bend helps my youngester alot, he is more balanced with the weight off his back and only has to balance himself not me as well. If they run on a bit just gently check him back, but dont hang on to the reins as this can cause them to panic and run faster.
Hope this helps, above all your horse is for you to enjoy, do what you feel happy doing.
 
Don’t be hard on yourself!!! Just remember you have to have the bad days to have the good ones!
I went to the Nationals a few weeks ago and I spent the 5weeks before having loads of lessons and working hard. The week before I was due to go I couldn’t get him down the left side of the arena! It rained for a solid 1hr and half and he did eventually give in and did 10mins good work! I nearly chucked the towel in!!! Since then he has been fine but if it was amazing all the time we would never achieve anything and sooner or later these problems need to raise their ugly head!!
I think you are being very hard on yourself......... frightened to canter?!?! When I first got my horse I was scared to even getting on the thing!!
 
The thing is it's not the cantering its the asking, if that makes any sense? Its easier for him if I ask on a corner but his cornering isn't great and as he gets excited its even worse! Once we're going I'm fine but i don't like cornering or circling him in canter. Its totally irrational as I've watched my instructor ride him in canter in 20m circles but I'm frightened he tips over on me.
 
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