Pony Week - Day 2 - The (first ever!) Stressage Test!

[Rana]

Glad you had a great time TG and it sounds like you did well. Don't worry, we've all forgotten dressage tests

I'm pleased you love your RS so much, but I am annoyed (on your behalf) about this whole jumping thing, as I said on your other post. If the presentation is straight after the jumping, could you pop over the jumps (at a lower height) after the presentation? I take your point that you've paid less for the course as you're missing the jumping, but still, it must be gutting for you. It's happened to me in the past too

You give an awful lot to the RS and they seem to be getting more out of it than you are. How much do you help there? 9-5 Sat and Sun with an hour for lunch? 14 hours over the weekend? If they employed someone for the same amount of time, they'd be paying in the region of £6 an hour. £84. Does an hours helpers lesson come to £84? I'd guess not.

Sorry, just hate people being taken advantage of It's happened to me so many times in the past (RS and other yards). If you enjoy it, if you're learning, and if you're rewarded for it (helpers lesson), then that's fair enough, but this whole jumping this has made me think you're putting in way more than you're getting back. You're worth more than that hun. Most of us would kill for reliable, enthusiastic helpers like you!!

Anyway, hope you manage to get it sorted out, even if you get to do something else instead.

And for what it's worth, I am NOT a natural rider either

 

[Cedars]

For what my opinions worth, and maybe its not worth alot...

I admire TG for being a glass half full sort of person. I also think NP has been a little harsh. However, TG try to take some of what she's saying on board, and NP try to take on board that this is a teenage girl.

x

 

[Steorra]

Well done on completing your first dresssage test T_G. Here's to many more to come

It's a shame about the jumping. I think you have the right attitude - work hard and make sure you can wow everyone next year.

As for your RS, I'm from north London originally and have heard nothing but good about it. A friend of mine (a fab rider who backs and brings on her own horses) used to go there now and then for a 'polish up' until her current mare was old enough for regular schooling.

If I'm completely honest, from what I have seen of your riding on here (and that is all I have to judge by), I'm not sure you are ready to be jumping courses yet. The fences come up fast, you need quick reactions, balance, coordination, the ability to maintain impulsion without the horse picking up speed, a secure position, the ability to find a correct line to the fences. I'm not picking on you or knocking what you have achieved so far, just saying that with the best will in the world there is a big difference between popping a cross pole and tackling a course.

I would push for a canter in the XC field or maybe an extra, private jumping lesson to make up for the fact you are missing out, and talk to your instructor about your interest in learning to jump a course correctly by the time the next opportunity comes around.

As for being a natural rider or not, I really don't think it matters. Some people have the advantage of naturally good balance or coordination - but no one is a rider the first time they sit on a horse. Dedication, hard work, good instruction and time will make you a good rider.

Good luck, and I hope you have fun today!

 

[Spudlet]

Well done TG, doing your first test was a big step.

Ignore narky comments pretending to be constructive criticism- if your instructor suits you then that's great. Decent riding lessons are very hard to find in London, if you have somewhere then good on you! Yes you have a lot to learn (don't we all, I sure as hell do) but everyone learns at their own pace. There will come a point when you just click and it all starts to make sense.

Jumping is dressage with bumps, so keep concentrating on your dressage and the jumping will come.

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

T_G - at some point, I am going to come and visit you and you have to take me to meet the lovely Bonnie!! I may also demand a ride Sounds to me like your riding school is lovely - something I've been trying to find for about 10 years now! (whhhy is it all the way down south?!) And can I just say - yes, I may only be 16 (oh no!) but I've been through a hell of a lot of riding schools/instructors!! But I will come and find out for myself one day

As for the fact that you 'fall off a lot' err... tbh, I don't recall the last post you said you fell off in. Maybe I should be sorry for not watching your posts THAT intently?! Hmm. Even if you did fall off every day - so what?! When I bought my first pony, I DID fall off every day! Gradually less often, but still very regularly for about 2yrs. Even after we bought him a saddle
But guess what? It taught me to stay on! I honestly believe that falling off IS the best way to learn to stay on (if you don't break in the process ) because it actually gives you the determination to get back on and do it right. That, or you give up, go home and say byebye to horses, which you haven't! So that's something

Stick with your riding school, where most importantly, you are HAPPY (you may learn more theoretically else where, but if you aren't happy, it's more than likely that you wont learn! I don't see why people have to pull you apart for what seem to me to be rather petty things, but you do what YOU want, and keep riding! I love your enthusiasm, and honestly, I never used to have any, to the point riding seemed pretty pointless tbh But I found some, and it's brilliant! Definitely the way forward!!

Hope you have fun with the rest of your week, looking forward to saturday!!

Ah, Im SO dragging you Down Sowf soon! You will love Bonnie Coblet (evil as she is) and of course you have to meet our amazing ginger shetty!

As am I! xx

Honestly, I can't believe your RS is happy to have you mucking out rows of stables and doing lots of chores but not letting you jump a couple of smaller fences! Sounds like they'll be getting more out of it than you. I hope they let you have a ride, after all the work you've been putting in.

I didnt phrase that very well, its not that bad!

I am going to talk to the YM tomorrow about the SJ.

Glad you had a great time TG and it sounds like you did well. Don't worry, we've all forgotten dressage tests

I'm pleased you love your RS so much, but I am annoyed (on your behalf) about this whole jumping thing, as I said on your other post. If the presentation is straight after the jumping, could you pop over the jumps (at a lower height) after the presentation? I take your point that you've paid less for the course as you're missing the jumping, but still, it must be gutting for you. It's happened to me in the past too

You give an awful lot to the RS and they seem to be getting more out of it than you are. How much do you help there? 9-5 Sat and Sun with an hour for lunch? 14 hours over the weekend? If they employed someone for the same amount of time, they'd be paying in the region of £6 an hour. £84. Does an hours helpers lesson come to £84? I'd guess not.

Sorry, just hate people being taken advantage of It's happened to me so many times in the past (RS and other yards). If you enjoy it, if you're learning, and if you're rewarded for it (helpers lesson), then that's fair enough, but this whole jumping this has made me think you're putting in way more than you're getting back. You're worth more than that hun. Most of us would kill for reliable, enthusiastic helpers like you!!

Anyway, hope you manage to get it sorted out, even if you get to do something else instead.

And for what it's worth, I am NOT a natural rider either

As of this summer, Ive been helping out Wednesdays and Sundays from 10am-5pm(ish). I have my normal group lesson on sunday mornings, then the helpers lesson in the afternoon, and if weve helped out for a few week-days, we'll normally get a free private lesson.

Going into september, Ill probably just do sundays, as I have school to attend!

I am going to speak to the YM tomorrow morning about the SJ, as I do think its really unfair (of course bringing some cake with me.....)

Well done on completing your first dresssage test T_G. Here's to many more to come

It's a shame about the jumping. I think you have the right attitude - work hard and make sure you can wow everyone next year.

As for your RS, I'm from north London originally and have heard nothing but good about it. A friend of mine (a fab rider who backs and brings on her own horses) used to go there now and then for a 'polish up' until her current mare was old enough for regular schooling.

If I'm completely honest, from what I have seen of your riding on here (and that is all I have to judge by), I'm not sure you are ready to be jumping courses yet. The fences come up fast, you need quick reactions, balance, coordination, the ability to maintain impulsion without the horse picking up speed, a secure position, the ability to find a correct line to the fences. I'm not picking on you or knocking what you have achieved so far, just saying that with the best will in the world there is a big difference between popping a cross pole and tackling a course.

I would push for a canter in the XC field or maybe an extra, private jumping lesson to make up for the fact you are missing out, and talk to your instructor about your interest in learning to jump a course correctly by the time the next opportunity comes around.

As for being a natural rider or not, I really don't think it matters. Some people have the advantage of naturally good balance or coordination - but no one is a rider the first time they sit on a horse. Dedication, hard work, good instruction and time will make you a good rider.

Good luck, and I hope you have fun today!

Ahh, a report will be up later...

As for the jumping course, I always knew from booking it, that I wouldnt be doing it, as I agree I am not ready! I thought I would at least be able to pop a few jumps at some point, so will have a talk with the YM tomorrow.

Well done TG, doing your first test was a big step.

Ignore narky comments pretending to be constructive criticism- if your instructor suits you then that's great. Decent riding lessons are very hard to find in London, if you have somewhere then good on you! Yes you have a lot to learn (don't we all, I sure as hell do) but everyone learns at their own pace. There will come a point when you just click and it all starts to make sense.

Jumping is dressage with bumps, so keep concentrating on your dressage and the jumping will come.

I cannot WAIT for that jumping click... It will come eventually!

Dressage with speedbumps... A fab quote! xx

 

[smirnoff_ice07]

Just out of interest, do your parents know that you're not being allowed to do any of the jumping? Would maybe be worth getting them to have a quiet word, if my parents had known that when I was 16 years old regardless of whether it was me or them paying, they would have gone through the roof!!
Now I am left to fight my own battles lol but maybe worth a try?
Hope you had a good time today

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

Yep, they do know, and they are the ones paying! Weve paid just over half price for the week.

I am going to try and have a good talk with YM tomorrow, as it cant take 5 minutes to put two jumps down to my kind of height and let me go over them, can it?

 

[SirenaXVI]

Hmmm I am in two minds on this one tbh. I can completely understand your disappointment in not being able to do the jumping, but they did tell you from the start that the jumps were too high for you and you have only paid for half the week.

TBF your RS is to be commended in not letting you jump, they obviously have to put your safety first and if they think you should not do it then sorry I think you should respect their views, they are the people who really know your abilities.

Keep progressing and there will be plenty of jumps to jump in the future.

 

[Munchkin]

TG, how long have you been learning to ride?

Well done on the dressage - I'd be kicking off if I wasn't allowed to jump! You keep mentioning that they cater to your abilities but apparently in this case it's too much to ask? Well I'm sorry, but as a paying customer I think I'd have something to say about that!

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

Hmmm I am in two minds on this one tbh. I can completely understand your disappointment in not being able to do the jumping, but they did tell you from the start that the jumps were too high for you and you have only paid for half the week.

TBF your RS is to be commended in not letting you jump, they obviously have to put your safety first and if they think you should not do it then sorry I think you should respect their views, they are the people who really know your abilities.

Keep progressing and there will be plenty of jumps to jump in the future.

I know that they only want the best for me! I was in the XC field a lot today, and honestly, there were only two or three jumps out of 11 that were my sort of height. However, they did let me canter round (see report up now) on Bonnie

With regards to the SJ... I know that the heights they are jumping (2'6") are way too big for me, as the highest I have ever jumped is probably a 2ft straight bar. However, i do think it is a bit mean to not even, when everyone else has done their jumping , to put one or two jumps down and just let me pop over. Heck, the vet student says shell help me put them down if needs be, and Ive had a few offers from some lovely HHO-ers too!

Ah well... Next year I'll be a force to be reckoned with

TG, how long have you been learning to ride?

Well done on the dressage - I'd be kicking off if I wasn't allowed to jump! You keep mentioning that they cater to your abilities but apparently in this case it's too much to ask? Well I'm sorry, but as a paying customer I think I'd have something to say about that!

Ive been learning to ride since I was 8 or so, been going to my RS since I was 10, but only really had lessons when we remembered. However, last summer I went on a mad 2hr ride on holiday at an ABRS place in portugal (but SO much fun!!), and I did 3 of my RS's normal pony weeks in a row, and my riding came on hugely. Then in february I started weekly group lessons, and its all been improving since then! I can now actually canter like a rider, not a passenger, and learning to jump.

As Ive said, Ill talk to the YM tomorrow morning, while bearing cake! I think its a bit mean of them, but hell Ill teach my dad how to change jump cups of I have to and drag him to the yard with me!