riding club pros/cons? And other woes!

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Dottyfordylan

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i feel like ive lost my way, lacking motivation and inspiration. New instructor isn't a possibility as yo will not allow other instructors at the yard. Have considered moving but it is twice the price although much better facilities and opportunity,but i would feel guilty as the yo has become a friend.

so i have been thinking about joining a riding club BUT i don't have my own transport so not sure it would be worthwhile.

any insight into my woes or a kick up the bum much appriciated:(
 
If you can afford it and you like the yard with better facilities and more opportunities, go for it. You dont want to be thinking in the future oh I should have tried it and dont feel guilty about the YO. Even if they are good friends and they not providing what you really want at the end of the day really. Just weight up the pros and cons of both yards really.
 
If YO is such a good friend why will they not allow you to have an instructor to help get you going, they are obviously not doing a good job, so I would look at moving to somewhere you will get what you need.
Look at finding someone that may share travelling with you, there may be someone on another yard to do this.
 
be positive said:
If YO is such a good friend why will they not allow you to have an instructor to help get you going, they are obviously not doing a good job, so I would look at moving to somewhere you will get what you need.
Look at finding someone that may share travelling with you, there may be someone on another yard to do this.
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the yo is my instructor, so she feels that having other instructors in is taking away her business which i can understand, but i don't really feel like im really getting anywhere in my lessons. I think mostly i just want to be able to take things from my lessons that i can use in my schooling and at the minute that's not happening
 
I agree that you could start with a talk with your Yo. Work out what your goals are for the next year and make a plan. Why not book a lesson or two elsewhere on a schoolmaster that is more advanced than your own horse getting a feel of something like this might inspire you and spur you on. Once you have a plan you can assess how best to achieve it either at your current yard with your current instructor or elsewhere.
 
maresmaid said:
I agree that you could start with a talk with your Yo. Work out what your goals are for the next year and make a plan. Why not book a lesson or two elsewhere on a schoolmaster that is more advanced than your own horse getting a feel of something like this might inspire you and spur you on. Once you have a plan you can assess how best to achieve it either at your current yard with your current instructor or elsewhere.
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I have thought about talking to her but it feels like she doesn't have the time there is also a new livery on the yard and her friend who is riding one of the yo's horses. Although they are both lovely that also means there will be more people to get out competing in the one lorry available at the yard.

I'm going on holiday in march to Wales and have booked a couple of school master lessons, it just feels like such a long way away when today I feel like packing it all in...
 
If she is an instructor of any calibre she should be interested in her pupils goals and be willing to help them acheive them. You say it FEELS like she doesn't have time - but when you are having a lesson its YOUR time, as you are paying for the lesson, so talk to her while you warm up before the lesson properly starts.

Just a thought - (and I might be a long way off course here so please forgive me if I am) I also wonder if there is something else in your life making you feel a bit low at the moment - winter can be a dreary time and pull us all down coping with mud, cold, and wet etc making small problems seem much harder to solve, if you are feeling low in general it might be affecting your motivation to find a solution, do you worry that you might end up being a bit left out, with the new people joining the yard and taking part in all the activities?
 
maresmaid said:
If she is an instructor of any calibre she should be interested in her pupils goals and be willing to help them acheive them. You say it FEELS like she doesn't have time - but when you are having a lesson its YOUR time, as you are paying for the lesson, so talk to her while you warm up before the lesson properly starts.

Just a thought - (and I might be a long way off course here so please forgive me if I am) I also wonder if there is something else in your life making you feel a bit low at the moment - winter can be a dreary time and pull us all down coping with mud, cold, and wet etc making small problems seem much harder to solve, if you are feeling low in general it might be affecting your motivation to find a solution, do you worry that you might end up being a bit left out, with the new people joining the yard and taking part in all the activities?
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Yes yes and yes to all those. I gave up smoking just over a week ago which is having a big effect but my horse is not the easiest by any means and I think it starts to demoralise you after a while.

I suppose I do feel left out had confidence issues due to a previous yard members negative comments and general bitchiness so I think I always put alot of pressure on myself to be as good as I can be.
 
Dottyfordylan said:
Yes yes and yes to all those. I gave up smoking just over a week ago which is having a big effect but my horse is not the easiest by any means and I think it starts to demoralise you after a while.

I suppose I do feel left out had confidence issues due to a previous yard members negative comments and general bitchiness so I think I always put alot of pressure on myself to be as good as I can be.
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Well I think you need to be kind to yourself and perhaps give yourself a bit of time before making any big decisions. You said the new people at the yard seemed nice, maybe if you get to know them, and they compete and are into progressing with their riding you will be swept along with their enthuisiasm. Spend some time chatting to them and getting to know them and see how it goes and remember that just because you have experienced bitchyness elsewhere it doesn't mean these new people will be like that.

I have never smoked myself but I am told that giving up does make people irratible, so this may have a really big impact on how you feel right now. I know that when I have been trying to lose weight in the past I have had to make it the most important thing in my life for a short while to make it work, maybe you need to do this with giving up smoking, it is the right thing to do, and in the long run you will benefit from improved health, and fitness so focus on that for a few weeks and don't worry about the riding / competeing - tell yourself that the first step to becoming a better rider is to become a healthier and fitter person, and when you feel ready to move onto the second step you can address your riding issues then.

Above all else remember that you are riding to ENJOY it, so don't set yourself big goals that seem hard to acheive, it's all about little steps, resist the temptation to compare yourself to others - they're not YOU and they're not riding YOUR horse so they've no idea of what you are dealing with.
 
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