Really bad lesson

[Pidge]

Just driven back from the yard on the verge of tears. Had a lesson on Pidge tonight and despite working well last week and over the weekend, the lesson started well and then just degenerated to him pulling my arms out of their sockets, especially the left one. My arm is now throbbing and I've taken some ibuprofen. My instructor is getting us to use our legs more and really strong on Pidge so he just runs away from the leg and leans like a ton of bricks on the reins. If I use less leg he is fine. so am confused do I listen to my instructor or to my horse, for the sake of my arms if nothing else. At one point I actually got off Pidge only for him to follow me around whilst getting the mounting block for sis to get on him for 5 minutes. I did get back on him for 5minutes but am now feeling like s*** and although not feeling hungry at all have put some food on as I know I need to eat. Don't know what to do, sorry for long post just hate feeling like this especially after having had a really good weekend with him.

 

[jemima]

Awww - that's horses, two steps forward and one step back. My daughter had a lesson like that last weekend - basically the boy was just being a complete and utter git for her. I took him back for another lesson today and he could hardly have been more helpful. GRRR!

Have a good soak in the bath with a book and a drink and some choccy if you like it and just soak away all the hurt - physical and mental. There'll be another "up" day soon.

 

[TigerLilly]

honestly dont be so down on yourself or the horse just put it down to a bad lesson i am sure things will come right and one thing i will say you know your horse better than anyone! cheer up chick hope all will come right soon

 

[ginnyspinner]

Trust your instincts, you know your horse best. Perhaps you could try a lesson with a different instructor and see what their view is?
Try not to worry, a bad day can often be followed by a good one xx

 

[jemima]

More practically did you say to your instructor "look I'm pushing him forward but all that's happening is the harder I push the harder he's hanging on my hands, what can we do about it?" If you didn't then can I suggest that next time you make a point of it. My daughter would suffer in silence getting more and more cross and red-faced, whereas I just yelp and announce that I've got terrible cramp now and what can we do!

 

[RunToEarth]

Sounds just like Oshk. If he is anything like mine, after four weeks of being pulled to death he will go "ok ok, so you want to use leg, ill back off a little bit" I just found it was a lot of give and take. But I have had those days, those weeks, when it just seems to go backwards so quickly- it goes forwards just as fast- honest

 

[Pidge]

thanks, I did tell my instructor that everytime I put my leg on hard he rushes off or jogs (he NEVER jogs) and pulls my arms out their sockets - all 628kg on both arms not nice

she just tells me to keep on with inside leg and plenty of outside rein, but he just rushes and I get more and more knackered. I ride him in either a loose ring french link kk or a fulmer french link kk (I know he's very spoilt and doesn't deserve it today) but have also ridden him in a rubber straight mouth pelham with two reins which he really doesn't like and to be honest when he gets strong there isn't really much more brakes in the pelham. I'm not a fan of gadgets so don't want to use draw reins but just get to the point of feeling like giving up and not schooling properly. but then his jumping has improved since I've been schooling properly as I have more control and have been playing with lengthening and shortening strides in between related fences since watching Geoff B at YHL! Grr he even knew he'd been bad as he was so affectionate whilst washing him down etc after lesson and all I wanted to do really was tell him to sod off but didn't quite have the heart to do that.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My daughter had the same problem with our lad leaning on her. Her arms ached for days after a lesson. She stuck with the instructor, kept working & eventually he stopped leaning. This did take a long time though but gradually he leaned less & now he carries himself well.

Tonight she rode him & out of the blue she said 'A three year old could ride him tonight, he's so light'. With that she leaned forward, pushed her hands out infront of herself leaving the reins hanging...he just carried on moving forward & held himself beautifully in self carriage.

It will come good for your but it is a hard slog...keep at it.

 

[Madam_max]

Don't worry, that's horses for you. I used to get very upset whe Corroy was bad, but now I know it's not an everyday thing. They have off days too.

 

[ljubb]

HOrses bring us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But stick at it..... often there is a method in instructors madness!!

If the method they are trying to use is not quite working with you maybe you could ask them to get on and show you , that way they will be able to feel exactly what you are feeling and then may be able to adjust what they are saying slightly or you will see majical results and this will then give you the confidence to keep trying.

Sometimes we just aren't pressing the right buttons and we need someone to sit on the horse and press them so that the horse understands then the rider can get back on and feel what it should feel like.

Developing feel in a horse and rider combination can't be taught it is something that is developed over time and until a rider gets to 'feel' what they are aiming at it is near impossible to get it. (hope that makes sense)

Stick at it and give it a few sessions - then if no improvement try a different technique of riding or teaching.... every horse is different which is what makes is so hard to teach...and so hard to ride.

But then if it was easy everyone would be doing it!!!

<font color="blue"> </font> Good luck

 

[Pidge]

grr just to make me feel even better sis has been telling people on the yard this morning that xxx has been saying her and Sunny just get better and better, sometimes she has the sensitivity of a *********.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

[ QUOTE ]
Awww - that's horses, two steps forward and one step back.

[/ QUOTE ] More like two steps froward and as it feels at the time million back although its more like three...

I would not leave your instructor as such but maybe try afew different ones.... get a mix... the more ideas the better!!

Has your instructor ridden him? I dont like instructors who dont, they dont relise how the horse feels, respons, and works other wise. Maybe could be worth get someone to do a few schooling sessions on him could make alll the differance.

Hope your feeling better just remember LONG TERM GOALS! Like you know you cant jump with out schooling!!

 

[Pidge]

problem is he is sooooooo sensitive to the leg that I get really good results now with wrapping my legs round him, soft round on the bit, but she is having me kick him and the result is ************** so annoyed

 

[Pidge]

no she hasn't ridden as it was only our 3rd lesson with her. Tried to explain last night that I wanted to use less leg but it fell on deaf ears................

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Well change or add in another instructor you need one who listens to you! The best thing an instuctor told me was "tell me to piss off at any time" of course i didnt because she listened to me and was f***in great!! Remember hes you horse and you need him to respon to you in the way you like!

The best rider for him is you! No one else not even like a whitker or someone can ride him as well!

You known him well i dunno but alot longer the three sessions!

 

[Pidge]

thank you for putting it into perspective, one more go and if I can't get her to listen to me about Pidge then I'll change instructor as what she is asking me to do is upsetting me and Pidge, he was soaked last night as he'd got so worked up....... not good

 

[tashyisaudrey]

whenever I have anything like that with my ned I let my instructor know that whatever it is isn't working. Otherwise they don't know whether to try something else or cool off a bit. Have a nice bath .

 

[Moggy]

What was she trying to get you to achieve?

 

[JoBo]

Well said Forget_Me_Not!

 

[Patchwork]

Not knowing anything about you or your horse, could it be that your instructor is trying to help you get him working properly forward from behind rather than trailing along 'soft' in the hand but not actually using himself? Just a thought? Did s/he explain what you were aiming for?

 

[Pidge]

He does have a tendancy to lean on the left a bit, but not anywhere near the pulling my arms out the sockets stage! She is trying to get him to accept the leg, which involves kicking him behind the girth and trying(!) to contain with outside hand. It is NOT working as he jogs and until last night I didn't even realise he could canter a 10m circle

when he is supposed to be walking. When I first got him you couldn't even put your leg on at all, even a brush against his side and we'd be off so I have worked sooo hard on getting to accpet the leg to stage now where I can wrap my legs round him, and he then drops, softens and lifts and it's lovely. I am not one to get a horses head down and think good, I have been taught and believe passionately in working them from behind and by maintaining a contact the horse will drop naturally. I tend to use a constant pressure on him leg wise and vary the pressure according to what we're doing as opposed to kicking him behind the girth. Just feeling very dissilusioned and don't know what to do!

 

[Baggybreeches]

I would question the relationship with the instructor rather than the horse, if she doesnt understand you or the horses responses then I would try a lesson with somebody who will fill you with confidence.

 

[Moggy]

Change your trainer! Try a Classical riding clib one