I planned on working Mandros a little harder today, but I ended up getting rained out :(
I rode for about 25 mins, and just got to were I was going to canter him, and it started raining. Normally, I would ride through it, but its not my saddle, so I couldnt get it wet. The trot work we did was ok. Mandros was VERY distracted by the kids jumping on the trampoline. Thats right, the barn owner now has a trampoline about 50 feet from the arena. It was good for me to practice riding him when he was distracted. He did pretty well, Ive never seen him so interested/confused.
His owner came out and helped me for a couple mintues. I like having feedback, yet I hate it. When I have a lesson, I always walk away frustrated and mad at myself. Its because I work so hard to do everything right, and then I have a lesson, and it seems Im doing everything wrong. I usually leave my lesson in tears. Im really hard on myself. I cant sit his trot as it is, and his owner kept saying "more forward, push him". OMG, there is no way I can sit that. I feel like Im about to fall off b/c Im bouncing everywhere. And she says "it looks fine". I cant help to laugh as Im writing this because it couldnt have looked fine, it sure didnt feel fine.
Anyway, Im pretty disappointed with my ride today. Hopefully Saturday will be better.
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10 comments:
Don't be discouraged... I'm sure Saturday will go better. And hey, that is great to have such a distraction as bouncing/screaming/giggling kids. :-)
I'm sorry I had to laugh at the trampline comment. I LOVE the neighbors at my barn because their kids have a trampoline right next to the paddock where I keep the training horses. Those kids can de-spook ANY horse in a week!
Sometimes a little bigger of a trot is easier to sit than a med/short trot.
Do you need lessons from a more positive instructor? I can feel very disappointed in myself as far as my riding goes...but the attitude of the instructor makes a big difference. I need a lot of positive reinforcement when it comes to my riding.
Gabby, my instructor is positive, Im just really hard on myself. She pushes me in lessons, which I like, but I guess that makes me feel like Im doing my daily work incorrectly.
Im going to ride at night on Saturday, so hopefully that will mean he has more energy to work!
Don't be too hard on yourself and make riding not fun! Could you take him out on trails or something sometime just to relax and have fun?
andrea, I wish I could take him on trails or go for a good gallop. Im long overdue for that. The farm is pretty small and theres no where to do that. Maybe I could do a short trail up the driveway. Ill try that next time.
I so know how it is to be hard on yourself. Its easy to tell someone not to do it, and it makes sense, but it is easier SAID than DONE.
Try to at least find something positive during each lesson. Maybe at least doing that will help, and take baby steps from there?
How about at least walking up the driveway and back as the cool down from your ride?
Okay, this is coming from the graduate student who studies motivational theory...you have GOT to relax. :) Seriously!!!
Think of the reverse - would it be worth paying $60 for a lesson if Jennie just told you everything looked great? Anyone can say "great job, looks perfect!" (hence, boyfriends/husbands - that's their job) but we pay instructors to break everything down, critique it, and assist us in improving. Otherwise, there's no need to take lessons.
Is the trail out back gone? The driveway sounds like a good idea. Also, maybe you and Jennie can make a plan to summarize a set number of "here are things to work on" AND "here are things you've improved so far" at the end of each lesson to help you distinguish areas of improvement from areas of accomplishment, and feel like you're progressing.
What Kate said. :p
Seriously, take a deep breath (or 3!) and go from there. I've been in lessons before where I walked away crying, and they were NOT fun. And I'm like you- I get frustrated at/with myself.
Plus, think of it this way. If you're all tense and tight and unhappy do you REALLY think the horse wants to be around you? Heck no! They sense tenseness and emotion WAY better than we do! So the next time you feel THAT frustrated, take 3 deep breaths, sing a stupid happy song (yes, I'm SERIOUS when I say that! some random research has shown that it actually 'diverts' your attention from whatever was upsetting you), give the horse a big pat, and THEN continue with your ride.
Riding should be fun! If it's not fun, then it just becomes another thing we 'have' to do!
Now go out tomorrow and just pat and play with your pony! :D
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