New rules
Even though I’ve been riding three days a week since December, I still feel hammered after the first lesson of the year today. I’m glad we did it though, I needed some direction before I rode myself into too deep of a hole.
New rules (thanks Bill Maher): discover your seatbones. I keep my seat too still, and Clover just tightens up her back. I need to just let my legs hang down and relax my seat, and Clover can move better and stretch her back, which will let her have a bigger, more elastic stride.
I have always struggled with a tight seat, but after Janet told me that I’d always have a problem even just getting the basics if I didn’t learn to use my seat right and let Clover stretch her muscles and then reach into the contact (I’ve been having trouble getting her to consistently take the contact, her back’s been tight, so she really can’t).
No more kick and pull riding–for now just let Clover move out and don’t worry about getting her into a first level frame. It was hard, but I was for the most part able to keep her moving freely forward underneath me and keep my seat relaxed and my legs active. It was the right lesson at the right time! It’s ok to move my seat, as long as I don’t undulate my belly and pump with the upper body.
We did really basic work today, circles and on the rail, and a couple of changes along the diagonal. I felt like I was all over the place at the sitting trot, but I really just had to stay over my center and keep my seat relaxed so Clover would stay forward during the transition from posting to sitting trot. The canter work has improved, but I have to ride her even more forward from both legs, so she jumps through more in the canter. I have to get used to letting a horse move bigger, learn how to keep my seat relaxed and stay with her.
Janet was encouraging and I did my best to listen carefully and try to execute what she asked, I know from looking at video of past lessons that even if I think I’m doing something, my body fakes me out and does nothing at all (eg. lowering my hands). I think I did better today. It definitely gave me a boost of confidence that I can ride right and get basic things fixed (forward, straight, relaxed) early before moving on.
I have a good chance of getting into the dressage clinic with Paul Belasik (the one we audited last year), I’m hoping that the nerves give me a break and I can ride relaxed and focused enough to get something out of it. I’m feeling hopeful again, especially since we have gotten a jump on the year–typically I don’t start getting my shit together til March–and taking the occasional lesson keeps us on the right track.
More resolutions: don’t talk myself down; keep trying (I’m tempted to give up when a ride isn’t going well).
New rules (thanks Bill Maher): discover your seatbones. I keep my seat too still, and Clover just tightens up her back. I need to just let my legs hang down and relax my seat, and Clover can move better and stretch her back, which will let her have a bigger, more elastic stride.
I have always struggled with a tight seat, but after Janet told me that I’d always have a problem even just getting the basics if I didn’t learn to use my seat right and let Clover stretch her muscles and then reach into the contact (I’ve been having trouble getting her to consistently take the contact, her back’s been tight, so she really can’t).
No more kick and pull riding–for now just let Clover move out and don’t worry about getting her into a first level frame. It was hard, but I was for the most part able to keep her moving freely forward underneath me and keep my seat relaxed and my legs active. It was the right lesson at the right time! It’s ok to move my seat, as long as I don’t undulate my belly and pump with the upper body.
We did really basic work today, circles and on the rail, and a couple of changes along the diagonal. I felt like I was all over the place at the sitting trot, but I really just had to stay over my center and keep my seat relaxed so Clover would stay forward during the transition from posting to sitting trot. The canter work has improved, but I have to ride her even more forward from both legs, so she jumps through more in the canter. I have to get used to letting a horse move bigger, learn how to keep my seat relaxed and stay with her.
Janet was encouraging and I did my best to listen carefully and try to execute what she asked, I know from looking at video of past lessons that even if I think I’m doing something, my body fakes me out and does nothing at all (eg. lowering my hands). I think I did better today. It definitely gave me a boost of confidence that I can ride right and get basic things fixed (forward, straight, relaxed) early before moving on.
I have a good chance of getting into the dressage clinic with Paul Belasik (the one we audited last year), I’m hoping that the nerves give me a break and I can ride relaxed and focused enough to get something out of it. I’m feeling hopeful again, especially since we have gotten a jump on the year–typically I don’t start getting my shit together til March–and taking the occasional lesson keeps us on the right track.
More resolutions: don’t talk myself down; keep trying (I’m tempted to give up when a ride isn’t going well).
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