Please reassure me

hellsdarkrose

hellsdarkrose

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That I am not the only one who has group lessons and feels like the bungling idiot of the group when everyone else seems to do everything perfectly but I just seem not to grasp it.

I nearly fell off on Tuesday lesson because the 18.2hh chestnut mare decided she wanted to canter instead of listening to my aids and walking!

Any tips on how to feel more confident?
 
Unfortunately I can't get a slot to have a private lesson at my current school.

I would love private lessons but I want them at this school as the teaching, facilities and horses etc are good.
 
My first ever jumping lesson put me off jumping forever. My riding instructor wanted me to move from the novice groundwork group to the intermediate groundwork group, but this ran on a different evening that I couldn't make, so she said I might as well join the intermediate jumping group which ran on a day that I could make, and to me this stupidly sounded fine. But it wasn't. I was The Numpty for one full, excruciating hour. I didn't know to shorten my stirrups, nor how to get into the jumping position for the long-side canter. When four fences were put up I didn't know which order to jump them even though I'd watched everyone else go before me, my horse would trot towards them and then BRAKE! and I nearly scudded over his shoulder countless time. I desperately said I could probably do it in canter (it's always been my better pace) but the instructor was adamant, I had to do it in trot first, but he refused every fence, and I spent an excruciating eternity trying to get him over with her shrieking, "KICK HIM ON!" until at last he hopped/kicked/destroyed his way over the 6" cross-poles and I cringed my way round to the back of the ride. That was the last lesson I had at that riding school.

But anyway, what can you do to improve your feeling of 'getting it'? Well, it actually depends on why you're not getting it in the first place. Sometimes it can actually be the instructor's fault. They have to pitch it at a level that everyone can grasp, but some instructors find this hard, some don't have enough different teaching methods to try out in case one type doesn't work, and some just give up on the students that they can't connect with. If you can, why not try to have lessons with a different instructor (still in a group) and see if their methods of teaching get through better? If this isn't the problem, then it's one thing struck off the list and the next thing is to consider private lessons, or ask your instructor if there are any books they can recommend that you can read for homework, or see if there are any exercises you can do at home to help make you more supple and therefore more capable in your application of the aids, etc.
 
I have 2 lessons per week (both group - all the same riders) one is jump and one is flat and I hate it ao much because I feel like the worst rider EVER and it knocks my confidence when I jump. I am not confident at it anyways but because they are all perfectly confident and can sit on 'owt and jump it I feel like I am holding people back and it knocks me even more. I am the sort of person who needs to be taken down a level then put back up when I feel ok with it.
 
Well first of all I think you need to have a quiet word with your instructor and explain to her / him exactly how you feel and between you make a plan on how you are going to conquer your fears/ frights or nerves. if the school is a good a place as you feel it is then they will certainly be able to help you - some times a change of instructor helps as we all 'click' with some people and not others. Otherwise I would look around for a different school. remember we do this for relaxation and fun NOT to feel stupid !!
 
Thanks for the advice.

I had a different instructor last lesson to normal because my instructor was on holiday and I didn't like her teaching style quite so much.

I will definitely be having a word with my instructor before my next lesson.

I used to be so confident riding when I was a teenager. I jumped clear rounds and could canter anything. I just seem to have lost all that brash confidence I had for things
tongue.gif
 
i have had a couple of group lessons a few years a go now.
it feels awful and dreadfully embarassing.
i couldnt get one to one so i decided to change school.
then went on to a freelance instructor on my own horse.
 
just wondered how you have got on ? didi you manage to speak to your instructor and how was your last lesson ? Hope it was better and that you can now go forward and enjoy !!!!
 
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