Riding log today... 22nd july

First lesson i was on artic... he was really nice, easy to ride and forward going, easy to round. Practiced some leg yielding with him, he was a bit awkward on the left side, i put my leg on him, tried NOT to use too much rein with him. But to no avail he refused to move much, by the time i got to the end of the arena we had moved like less than 5m! so sadd

Then tried on the right side and he was a LOT better, it is sooo wonderful when you feel your horse is finally moving in the way correctly and the way you want him to. Later worked on spiralling in and out of circles in the trot. Surprisingly he was good at that and listened to my leg but when we did leg yielding would not listen AS well... hmm worked a bit without stirrups. One thing, working without stirrups really made me more aware of my body and whether i was tilting too much to the side ( which is a very bad habit of mine)

NExt lesson i was on crowe, whom i don't think i have ridden before. I wasn't sure whether he was going to be good with me or not..... he seemed quite good, but this lesson was probably one of the TOUGHEST i have had! maybe cos catherine was instructing..... There are just soo many things to remember at one time! keep your legs back, shoulders back, keep your upper body more still, use more leg.. the list goes on...... Then came the sitting trot, i was told i was too bouncy and flapping around too much as i do in the sitting trot. So i had to REALLY concentrate on sitting as STILL as i possibly could.... i just imagined that we were just in the walk and tried my best to keep my position at that, not that easy at first but i managed. It got a lot better, all i had to do was sit up and tall and try to keep as still as i possibly could. Getting the canter was no easy feat..... i had to work hard at keeping myself still, not tip forward when i asked for canter( which he of course would not give) When he did give it, the 2nd time he went WAAAy to faast. So i had slow him and do it again, but this time from walk, yet another disaster.... he took off i was unprepared... tried yet again, this time i got it and i had to concentrate on sitting back and going with the movement and not going too fast ( controlling the speed) Whoever said riding is easy is quite disturbed either that or interrupts " easy " in some other way. You have to keep so many things going at once, i felt so crap! and catz kept yelling that i was doind something wrong nearly all the time, but then again, that kind of instructor is always good. I do have bad habits, i lean too much to the side, need to stop leaning forward so much , i need to open up my shoulders, keep my legs back, need to keep centred, keep my legs more still, hands more quiet. In other words, you have to ride, without looking like you are actually riding! ( ok in dressage at least ) look at all the top dressage riders, watch them do their tests! it looks as though they aren't even doing anything at all and poof! piaffe! canter pirroute! Ok they actually ARE doing a million and one things at once but only if you look closely.

I didn;t get to just him cos i was working with him too much over poles, did pole work with him. In the trot and canter, once i got him going he was lovely , in fact he was actually quite good, it was just me who was not that up to scratch. I'm not the most sensitive or softest of riders, i suit horses who need a little bit of pushing, yet at the same time would go willingly.

Anyway enough from me...... i wanted to me-bash about how crap a rider i was on crowe ( or rather how TERRIBLE) a rider i felt i was on crowe but hell life's too short too complain about how pathetic one's self is....

3:08 AM ·