Getting better
Had a really good lesson on Katja Monday night. I was able to take this past Saturday’s lesson on Mico and leave it for what it was, just me being nervous and tight with Mico feeding off of me. He wasn’t being disobedient, just tuning into my tension. I haven’t watched the video yet–I guess I am kind of appalled at my lack of composure and focus at times, but I know at the end of the lesson Michele said it wasn’t that bad, and my lower leg was actually pretty good–stable and in the right place. It kind of has to be with Mico’s smaller center of gravity or you’re off.
But Monday’s lesson really affirmed for me that there are certain horses that just aren’t for me to ride. Michele said it was obvious I enjoyed riding Katja, and that riding Mico was more of a struggle. She came right out and basically confirmed the conclusion I’d been coming to: that the sensitive ones are not for me. She said that there were horses that she would not ride, that there’s no reason to ride horses that aren’t enjoyable to ride. And she’s a professional!
So, I had set myself an impossible task: thinking that if I could ride Mico and become master of the seat, I’d be able to get on any horse and ride well. HA! No wonder I’m so frustrated–I’ve set myself up for failure in the worst kind of way! What I’d suspected was true, though–there are horses I can ride well, and Michele said that I was–am–a good rider. She wants me to bring Clover for my next lesson, so she can evaluate me on her. She feels that it will be a lot easier for me to sort out Clover’s lack of impulsion issues than try to master Mico’s sensitivity. But, it’s ok, I don’t have to feel bad about that. I’m still an ok rider. No one is going to kick me off the cross country course.
We did a new exercise; zig-zags, which are shallow-shallow bending lines up the long side of the arena. Michele set up cones, and wanted me to continue to refine the aids I use to bend the horse, just enough to get around the cone, not too much so I would have to overcorrect, and also to be careful not to leg yield away from the cones. Just like weaving a thin ribbon. Towards the end of the exercise she had me do it in half-seat, once I got my lower legs on and secure, I stopped that weak-assed bob-posting and managed pretty well. Two days later, my legs are still tired. I’m not yet riding fit.
The canter is coming along for me, I still feel insecure and want to curl up, but I’m slowly getting sorted out. Once again it’s a matter of getting my position correct and strengthened, then I can work on refining the aids and I won’t have to worry so much about spinning off of the circle. Going to the right is much harder for me it seems, my right leg wants to close up underneath me, and my right shoulder curls forward–my strong side trying to keep me on and the horse forward. I just can’t get used to sitting upright with a long leg, the balance is difficult. But I am starting to find it and move with the horse, instead of brace against.
But Monday’s lesson really affirmed for me that there are certain horses that just aren’t for me to ride. Michele said it was obvious I enjoyed riding Katja, and that riding Mico was more of a struggle. She came right out and basically confirmed the conclusion I’d been coming to: that the sensitive ones are not for me. She said that there were horses that she would not ride, that there’s no reason to ride horses that aren’t enjoyable to ride. And she’s a professional!
So, I had set myself an impossible task: thinking that if I could ride Mico and become master of the seat, I’d be able to get on any horse and ride well. HA! No wonder I’m so frustrated–I’ve set myself up for failure in the worst kind of way! What I’d suspected was true, though–there are horses I can ride well, and Michele said that I was–am–a good rider. She wants me to bring Clover for my next lesson, so she can evaluate me on her. She feels that it will be a lot easier for me to sort out Clover’s lack of impulsion issues than try to master Mico’s sensitivity. But, it’s ok, I don’t have to feel bad about that. I’m still an ok rider. No one is going to kick me off the cross country course.
We did a new exercise; zig-zags, which are shallow-shallow bending lines up the long side of the arena. Michele set up cones, and wanted me to continue to refine the aids I use to bend the horse, just enough to get around the cone, not too much so I would have to overcorrect, and also to be careful not to leg yield away from the cones. Just like weaving a thin ribbon. Towards the end of the exercise she had me do it in half-seat, once I got my lower legs on and secure, I stopped that weak-assed bob-posting and managed pretty well. Two days later, my legs are still tired. I’m not yet riding fit.
The canter is coming along for me, I still feel insecure and want to curl up, but I’m slowly getting sorted out. Once again it’s a matter of getting my position correct and strengthened, then I can work on refining the aids and I won’t have to worry so much about spinning off of the circle. Going to the right is much harder for me it seems, my right leg wants to close up underneath me, and my right shoulder curls forward–my strong side trying to keep me on and the horse forward. I just can’t get used to sitting upright with a long leg, the balance is difficult. But I am starting to find it and move with the horse, instead of brace against.
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