fine_and_dandy
Well-Known Member
Thanks to all that gave me some tips on how to get over my canter mental block. I had a lesson last night, and we decided that we would do a lunge lesson because i would take the element of control away from me, and stop the voices in my head saying, "he's going to bob off with you."
True to form, Bailey was a superstar as per normal. We had side reins so he had a contact and I could forget for the time being about where his head was etc. We started off just walking and trotting and actually, my position seems to be pretty good
I'm always very critical and overthink things which makes things worse - when I don't think I actually am better if that makes any sense?
We then progressed to canter, and I had a moment just before when I thought *I'm not sure, I'm not in control* and then I gave myself a mental b*tch slap and off we went it was a lovely canter, smooth transition and very comfortable. I had a neck strap for a bit of support. We did two canters on each rein, one of which was very big! We then left it at that as it is quite hard work for him. He had a stretch around the school and had a practice trying to stand square.
Sorry the lesson pictures are a bit blurry, they were taken on my phone by OH who can't seem to work my camera!
We also decided to try and make everyone else think that we are extremely elegant by getting our matchy matchy on! I was wearing a t-shirt in the same colour as Bailey's matchy but it was too nippy to take the jumper off!
So anyway, onwards and upwards. The plan is to keep on it in this way for a few more sessions, develop my canter seat and getting my leg a bit stronger so I can apply it properly in sitting trot when asking for canter. In the meantime, I will hack and school as normal, no pressure on cantering just walk and trot and at some point I will give myself a mental kick and just decide to do it on my own terms.
Thanks for reading
Only half decent one from the lesson and I'm rubbing my nose elegant much?
Trying to stand square
Remember to smile!!
Smile!
My good boy
True to form, Bailey was a superstar as per normal. We had side reins so he had a contact and I could forget for the time being about where his head was etc. We started off just walking and trotting and actually, my position seems to be pretty good
I'm always very critical and overthink things which makes things worse - when I don't think I actually am better if that makes any sense?We then progressed to canter, and I had a moment just before when I thought *I'm not sure, I'm not in control* and then I gave myself a mental b*tch slap and off we went
it was a lovely canter, smooth transition and very comfortable. I had a neck strap for a bit of support. We did two canters on each rein, one of which was very big! We then left it at that as it is quite hard work for him. He had a stretch around the school and had a practice trying to stand square.Sorry the lesson pictures are a bit blurry, they were taken on my phone by OH who can't seem to work my camera!
We also decided to try and make everyone else think that we are extremely elegant by getting our matchy matchy on! I was wearing a t-shirt in the same colour as Bailey's matchy but it was too nippy to take the jumper off!
So anyway, onwards and upwards. The plan is to keep on it in this way for a few more sessions, develop my canter seat and getting my leg a bit stronger so I can apply it properly in sitting trot when asking for canter. In the meantime, I will hack and school as normal, no pressure on cantering just walk and trot and at some point I will give myself a mental kick and just decide to do it on my own terms.
Thanks for reading
Only half decent one from the lesson and I'm rubbing my nose
elegant much?
Trying to stand square
Remember to smile!!
Smile!
My good boy
