Where is your weak point?

LeannePip

LeannePip

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I don't mean bad habits; looking down, flappy legs or over turned hands, but what area of your riding do you feel you need to pay more attention to than others and what do you do/ are you doing to address it?

As an aspiring eventer, its twisty turny journey of trying to master all three disciplines on the same day, and my biggest weakness is Showjumping, its not the horse who's the issue, its me, and its the phase i dread the most on show day!

I don't think its always been an issue, and has definitely become more apparent this year, and i think thats because all year we've been really strong after dressage, so i put the pressure on myself not to stuff it up with my incompetence to jump over sticks, which usually leads to me micro managing the poor horse, interfering when i don't have to and stuffing it up anyway!! My first issue was not riding forward enough (read: at all) which i've mainly got sussed over oxers and related distances now, spindly little uprights on their own though, bring out the worst in me again!
 
Hmm. When I was eventing I also found the SJ the greatest challenge. Somehow it seemed like there was more to go wrong... talking to other people doing BE at the time it appeared that it was not uncommon at all!

Will have to mull it over now though, I know my faults... but that's not what you're asking ;)
 
Showjumping. Would love to be better at it as I have a horse that loves it so much and could be very talented in it. But my confidence is terrible, I know what to do, I can talk you through it and I often actually react better if something goes wrong and I have to think quickly to fix it. I was even praised by a showjumping coach for reacting so quickly for when a jump went wrong going into a combination and was able to pick the pony back up again and do the next jumps fine. But when it goes right, I panic and forget everything to do with jumping and just freeze, which isnt ideal. My problem is if I am allowed to think, I think about the worst possible situation that could happen and I panic. Me and my horse together are terrible, I say my horse is dangerous if I allow him to think and my mum points out that I am the same. :P
 
milliepops said:
Hmm. When I was eventing I also found the SJ the greatest challenge. Somehow it seemed like there was more to go wrong... talking to other people doing BE at the time it appeared that it was not uncommon at all!

Will have to mull it over now though, I know my faults... but that's not what you're asking ;)
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i would agree with that, i mean you can have every fence down and they still let you carry on, even though all your hopes are dashed by that point! it really can be the make or break of a day!

rachk89 said:
Showjumping. Would love to be better at it as I have a horse that loves it so much and could be very talented in it. But my confidence is terrible, I know what to do, I can talk you through it and I often actually react better if something goes wrong and I have to think quickly to fix it. I was even praised by a showjumping coach for reacting so quickly for when a jump went wrong going into a combination and was able to pick the pony back up again and do the next jumps fine. But when it goes right, I panic and forget everything to do with jumping and just freeze, which isnt ideal. My problem is if I am allowed to think, I think about the worst possible situation that could happen and I panic. Me and my horse together are terrible, I say my horse is dangerous if I allow him to think and my mum points out that I am the same. :P
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This sounds very like me, if i have time to think about it, i usually end up screwing it up!
 
Hmm. Yes I'd find it easier to answer it it were about my faults as a rider! Must say something about me but not sure what. Weakest phase right now is sj - haven't focussed on that, don't find it as fun, and its technical and they all come up too quick! At the moment, horse feels underpowered and needs more umph but he's v honest and will always give it a go, bless him.

I only jump in lessons as I want to make sure we stay on the right track. Havent had a jump saddle either lately so that's my excuse.

Will crack on in the new year as need to be confident at an 80 course for the Wobbleberry thing. Weirdly I'm fine at 75 so those few cms really shouldn't make a difference, and it's a titchy height which he can easily manage! More work on wobbly rider needed...
 
LeannePip said:
i would agree with that, i mean you can have every fence down and they still let you carry on, even though all your hopes are dashed by that point! it really can be the make or break of a day!
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Unfortunately not the case! I have seen quite a few people not allowed to proceed to the xc phase because of having a cricket score in the sj and I think this is the reason a lot of people worry the most about this phase.

Lets face it, most people who event, event to do the xc, so the thought of not getting through to the xc ranks the pressure up!
 
I'm equally weak in all 3 phases so don't have one that particularly stands out!

My biggest challenge is focus. I tend to flap a little at a competition, and don't focus enough on keeping the horse concentrating on the job in hand, when I've managed to keep his attention on me, he's been less spooky and more settled and our results got better.
 
Bernster said:
Hmm. Yes I'd find it easier to answer it it were about my faults as a rider!
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yeah I've been chewing it over all weekend and can only think of specific things I'm rubbish with. As a theme I wish I was tidier. I think I'm quite effective, I can improve a horse etc but I do wish it all looked a bit neater. Riding little tiddlers doesn't help much :/

I had a lesson with CDJ a few years ago and she laughed at my wayward elbow, said it looked like I was carrying a handbag :o So, that, amongst other things. I notice that when I've got the horse going well enough for the work to be super easy then I feel like I'm able to be neater, so I guess it'll partly come with time... riding different horses helps a lot, been riding one that tries to pull me off my seat a bit lately and that's made me sit up better on EVERYTHING. If time and money were unlimited I'd have weekly lunge lessons... hmm. Should probably go to pilates or something!
 
For me, SJ and XC are fine, dressage on the other hand, just horrible 😄 I go into the arena and freeze. Go into the jumping ring/xc course and I am so relaxed and love it!
 
My inability to learn a dressage test. Actually my inability to do dressage in general really, not helped by my horses sense of humour with regards to anything he deems boring.
 
Ah, the eventer's sigh of woe: we can only ever be decent at two out of three phases. As soon as you fix the weak one, another will fall over ;)

We used to be rubbish at the dressage, but reliably double clear jumping. Then we got better at dressage. Now I'm rubbish at SJ :D
 
Interesting thread, mine is less a specific discipline but more being disciplined in itself!

I can struggle with staying on target, be it riding them enough, being disciplined with my expectations or staying consistent. I tend to revert to being wishywashy and wombling about wondering why our progress is in fits and starts :o:lol:. I'd love to be able to better stick to aims and goals, but I tend to second guess myself too much, doubt what I'm doing and then not want to mess it up...

Really hoping when I move (getting closer and just had some super exciting news about a potential yard/area), being more surrounded by like minded people will really help me and give me some more training support at home.
 
Michen said:
My inability to learn a dressage test. Actually my inability to do dressage in general really, not helped by my horses sense of humour with regards to anything he deems boring.
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Now, you have to have realistic aims you know ;-)

Have been out twice lately to dip our toe in the dressage waters, same test, can recite it to you, ridden it a fair few times, rehearsed it in my head a zillion times, watched you tube videos numerous time. Enter arena. Exit brain.
 
Stressage - am confident SJ and XC (historically at least, new baby horse may see that change ;)) but the whole having to learn a test and being scrutinised about how I ride - arrghhhh. Although I used to love dressage, always signed up to the extra lessons at PC camp, years of not doing it mean that it now sends me into panic mode so I need to get out and just do more.
 
ahml100 said:
For me, SJ and XC are fine, dressage on the other hand, just horrible 😄 I go into the arena and freeze. Go into the jumping ring/xc course and I am so relaxed and love it!
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Same here. I absolutely hate the dressage and end up riding so horrifically :( Yet can easily do the SJ and XC bits. Mine is my attitude though, I need to work on changing it so as not to despise and get so worked up about the dressage.
 
Lately? Motivation, when it's wet and I'm not training for a competition or in regular lessons... It's hard not to push riding off until a more pleasant day.
 
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