Praise Yourself

Shantara

Shantara

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There's so much negativity around horses and riding. Everyone is always wrong and everyone's a critic. It seems quite hard to get any praise what so ever. So many people say they're bad riders and are called bad riders but I think they're not.

I want to know what you think you do well!

I like my lower leg when I do flatwork.
I like that I can progress with Ned.
I think I'm quite good at hacking.

Your turn!
 
Hmmm. I think I am fairly effective if unfortunately not very stylish, however I am working on the style :). Coming back to riding after a 10 year break, when I rode previously from the age of 4 onwards I was self taught, i rode a lot but couldn't afford regular lessons (I did have a few when I was about 20 and had bought my own horse by then). So I like the fact I am able to afford a weekly lesson and also that I have someone to video me so I can pull my riding apart during the week and see what I need to work on.
 
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Thank you for that post Nah. I almost threw the towel in after a few months of learning to ride because I read a book about riding and I could tick ALL the common faults. It's too easy to see what we can't do and forget what we've achieved.
18 months on and I can lay claim to the following.

I am very calm and good with tense horses because of this.

My lower leg position is good and I've finally got the hang of riding from my
seat and leg.

ASBO cob did an exemplary gate opening yesterday because I've been teaching him to back up nicely and to stop in every gate we open instead of barging through. Proud of this because he's got a bit of a reputation for being naughty.
:):)
And that I'm the only rider of same cob whose never had a problem with him when we are out hacking. ( think there's a book running on how long before he tries to buck me off lol) :eek:
 
JFTD said:
How very un-British :eek: :D
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Absolutely but I think it's brilliant- lets be self praising yanks for the day! :p

I (although maybe not be the most stylish) think I'm an effective and adaptive rider I love young and green horses and all the small goals you get with them.

I'm also competitive (in a sporting way) and am quite brave too.
 
I have stopped riding at the moment as it dawned on me how useless I really am. Every time I get on a horse it feels all wrong. I can't jump or canter and TBH am reluctant to move out of a steady walk.

I see all the others at the yard improving and going to dressage SJ etc, but I am just stuck at the bottom of the pile while the others move up. There is nothing good about my riding - a sack of spuds could do better. I was tempted to have a go at endurance - but that is way out of my ability so I have shelved that plan for now.

Luckily I have a sharer who rides for me so I can just potter about mucking out etc.
 
I like the fact that what I can do, & what I have achieved has been through hardwork & determination. I don't think on the whole the horseworld is negative, ime its more about improvement. I don't really want people telling me everything I'm good at, I want them to tell me what I'm not good at so I can improve it. Imo if I spend my time thinking about my good points, I'm less inspired to work on the bad.
 
maisie06 said:
I have stopped riding at the moment as it dawned on me how useless I really am. Every time I get on a horse it feels all wrong. I can't jump or canter and TBH am reluctant to move out of a steady walk.

I see all the others at the yard improving and going to dressage SJ etc, but I am just stuck at the bottom of the pile while the others move up. There is nothing good about my riding - a sack of spuds could do better. I was tempted to have a go at endurance - but that is way out of my ability so I have shelved that plan for now.

Luckily I have a sharer who rides for me so I can just potter about mucking out etc.
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Are you having lessons?
 
I've had a good week riding this week. Just under a month after breaking a bone in my hand today we're back jumping ( I'm sure some would say I shouldn't be riding yet but thats my choice!) and with the flat/dressage work, she's gone like a dream! :D
 
maisie06 said:
I did try - but instructor gave up as I don't want to canter, they didn't see any point in me carrying on riding.
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Sorry what codswallop! Virtually all the important basics of riding are mastered in walk and trot! Bad teacher. All this nonsense about faster and higher being the measure of improvement!
Go find an instructor who teaches you what you need instead of one who dismisses you like this. When the time is right you will probably want to try canter and it'll be so much easier if you can get a good sitting trot first. :)
 
maisie06 said:
I did try - but instructor gave up as I don't want to canter, they didn't see any point in me carrying on riding.
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Do you enjoy the odd potter in walk - that's the only key question. If you only ever walk your whole riding career - but you enjoy it, what business is it of anyone else?

My nerve went quite a bit after having my son (and hence nearly a year off) it was major hard work to get it back and now I'm pregnant again!!

This time I've stopped riding much sooner and I won't put the pressure on myself to 'get back out there' after this one is born. If I only get back to taking the boy out for a gentle walk a couple of times a week that will be fine for me for a good long time - who really cares if I ever canter or jump again.

Who knows I may even be so nervous I decide to lead him in hand on walks - people will think I'm mad (and they may be right!) but as long as he's well cared for and I'm happy SO WHAT.
 
maisie06 said:
I did try - but instructor gave up as I don't want to canter, they didn't see any point in me carrying on riding.
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If you want to ride at a steady walk who cares? If you want to improve/do more, push yourself to trot, and then canter, and find a decent instructor who will discuss with you what you want to achieve.
 
What a great thread!

I always concentrate on what I can't do or do badly!

I can definitely say that after riding my fizzy mare out today straight from her stable, that I know her now and can ride her well. I don't let her knock my confidence as much now and I seem to know which buttons to push with her.

I am also very pleased with myself for taking the lead many times over the last couple of hacks when both horses were too scared to go passed different things. If I suck it up and push her forward and give her enough praise we are fine!
We have both (horsey and I) come such a long way in this last week and I couldn't be happier! We even cantered through puddles today instead of flying up and down the verges to avoid them! Lol!
 
maisie06 said:
I did try - but instructor gave up as I don't want to canter, they didn't see any point in me carrying on riding.
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Well, they didn't deserve to teach you! You can do all sorts of interesting things in trot and walk, even halt!

I had a fab lesson in trot the other day. We worked on shortening and lengthening the stride over poles. Ned was all legs at first but by the end we were floating over them!


Littlelegs - I know what you mean, I'm all for constructive crit, but once in a while it is good to say "I did well!"
 
What a lovely post OP :) It is unbritish :p and it does work against the striving to improve, if all you do is look for praise, but it is nice everyonce in a while to look at the positives. I like to think that I am quite good at managing a rather spooky mare, without getting into a tizz or letting her get into one either :)
 
I am determined.
I can do 30 minutes of hard core no stirrups work without complaining.
I have the patience of an angel.
I can still smile at the end of every dressage test, even when it has gone wrong.
My hands and arms are gradually improving in their position, and the horse is working nicely when they are in the correct place.
I like my instructor and how even after a few lessons, she 'gets' us.
 
I'm getting there with my confidence. Four months ago, at my first time on a horse in ten years, I perched nervously on top and was terrified to even take up a contact. Yesterday, I was working on canter leg yields and wasn't afraid to give the pone a good boot when needed. Although I still turned into a crouching wimp when he threw in a few bucks for good measure.

I definitely put the improvement down to a good instructor, though.
 
ah, a thread I could really really do with today - im feeling very teary and down today .......feeling like I have let my 23 yo old lad down. Since moving here 6 years ago, he's become sooo spooky out, races around when out to get home quicker and I havent been able to sort it :o:( I feel Ive wasted him since getting him as a 4yo, and ruining any potential he may have had (oh, there I go again crying like a wimp :( )

Anyway, looking at positives only: -

I can ride fairly well, being self taught - with gentle hands and will pretty much hop and ride nicely on any horse
My lad is super, calm and patient in the field, and shelter
He's well behaved and gentle
I've brought him back from the brink of death with his EMND in 1999, and we went onto some low level XC and SJ (4 years later)
He looks fabulously well especially as he is 23, and now with cushings

Oh, bah - nope I still feel like *****e :( :(
 
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Great posts!
For me, I will allow a little praise for my management of my gelding's many conditions; he is still going and looks fab for 20, but mostly is due to my very good vet!
 
I am brilliant at mucking out, grooming, and cleaning tack. And I have nice light hands. My lower leg position is improving steadily, as is my posture, and my confidence is growing every ride.
 
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