Today's lesson!

[Cobgirl]

Well my leg is still giving me gyp and the bruise is amazing, lol. Had my lesson today after my fall on Sunday. Was feeling a bit nervous but ok about riding Mollie again.

Didn't get off to a good start! After grooming her and tacking up, got to the sand arena and there are two riders already into it with their practise dressage tests:eek: Anyhow, go to the mounting block, my friend, Mollie's owner holds her steady. Yikes, my leg is just so sore...tried to swing over but there's this pain in my groin, so I end up going backwards, lol:eek:Here we go again, take two.

Finally mount and Mollie is feeling a bit antsy - you know on her toes. So we take her for a walk and past the Llamas:eek:She hates the Llamas, so I sit back and sit deep keeping her on a light contact and singing to her, 'Oh here are the Llamas, don't worry, be happy' and my friend is cracking up at me. But I needed to do that or else I just stiffen up and Mollie knows that this means I am nervous!

The walk is fine, back to the arena for some flat work BUT NO CANTER! There is rider No.2 still doing her transitions and halts. In we come and Mollie is like, 'let's go!' So I have her on a short reign with low hands to keep her in an outline - take her into trot fine but she is still antsy. Then we do some corner circles and also variations between working and extended trot. Today she was so heavy on the forehand and really made me work!! But I felt more confident especially after Sunday. But tonight, my leg is hurting so I guess I probably overdid the leg aids! My friend mentioned the 'C' word and I just said, I will in my 'own time.' I need a break from wondering if I will canter or if I won't so I am not setting myself any deadlines.

I am spending some time on the ground and just watching other people ride Mollie. When my friend rode her today, she even said her canter is at first 'wild' but soon settles down:eek:Lol why do people use words like 'wild!!' I say to her 'what you actually mean is not collected' 'Oh yes that as well' comes the clever-clogs reply;):D Words such as wild do nothing for my confidence, ya know.

Today was better than I anticipated and hopefully when I ride the weekend, I will have forgotten my little tumble and be back on the road to better things.

I still ain't cantering though!!!!:D

[Nazdaq]

Ergh, sounds like we are both in a bit of a riding rut right now, I had a crappy lesson yesterday as well. I am aching all over today and I have a bit of an earache, I better not be getting an ear infection or else I will be in trouble (deaf in left ear, if the right gets infected I go totally deaf for a while) gah, I hope things go better for us both next time. :)

[Cobgirl]

:eek:Ergh, sounds like we are both in a bit of a riding rut right now, I had a crappy lesson yesterday as well. I am aching all over today and I have a bit of an earache, I better not be getting an ear infection or else I will be in trouble (deaf in left ear, if the right gets infected I go totally deaf for a while) gah, I hope things go better for us both next time. :)

Oh you poor thing, perhaps you have a head cold coming? Take plenty of fluids, keep your ear warm and also pain killers until you can see a doctor. There is nothing worse than earache and toothache (well except giving birth)!

Sorry you had a cruddy lesson as well. I just could not believe that I nearly fell off again, even before I mounted:eek: my leg is pretty well paining me at the moment and trying to swing it over Mollie today was like hoisting a lump of wood over her back:D Plus I felt as if I was riding on her withers for most of the lesson as she kept pulling her head down and me with her. Oh well better riding the weekend I hope!

[Nazdaq]

thank you, yes better riding for me next Wednesday I hope, I am taking the video camera so hopefully I have a good lesson. :D I tried to mount from the ground and couldn't get my right leg over either (almost but not quite) and the RI had a go at me....gah. I have antibiotic spray to prevent an infection, so going to put some of that in there when I go to bed, fingers crossed the earache is gone in the morning.

Look forward to better posts from both of us next week, pics of you riding Mollie please? :D

[Cobgirl]

thank you, yes better riding for me next Wednesday I hope, I am taking the video camera so hopefully I have a good lesson. :D I tried to mount from the ground and couldn't get my right leg over either (almost but not quite) and the RI had a go at me....gah. I have antibiotic spray to prevent an infection, so going to put some of that in there when I go to bed, fingers crossed the earache is gone in the morning.

Look forward to better posts from both of us next week, pics of you riding Mollie please? :D

Gosh can you ground mount?:eek: That would finish me off!! I can just about mount from a block:D

don't have a video camera but my digital takes short but crappy videos! Will get my friend to have a go for me. Might show off my extended trot:D:Dand knowing my luck, I will come off!!!!

Hope your poor earache goes by the morning:)

[Shire Monster]

Your friend is probably tryin to help but dear me DON'T WANT TO CANTER!!! You do it in your own time, if you never canter again it's your decision, as long as you are still having fun, stick with it, not until your ready.
Sounds like your lesson wasn't too bad though, you said your confidence is growing which is a definate good point :D well done for managing to get back on so soon!!!

[Nazdaq]

yaaay I really look forward to seeing you trotting, I bet you are really good! :D I can't ground mount yet, I have only ever tried it twice and I almost got there last time (if it wasn't for the evil RI I think I would have done it) I am going to give it another go next week though, you never know I might just do it AND get it on video! (At worst you will see me attempt it, not make it and go over to the block hehe!) :D

I am feeling a little better it is now coming and going (not a constant ache) so I think it will be gone by morning. :)

Oh yeah, ditto SHire Monster, if you don't want to canter say so...although, a certain person ignored me when I said I didn't want to on a hack (a gentle oh go on, have a go was a nice incentive) and I did canter, and didn't fall off. So there is a balance between gentle persuasion and too much pressure. I think if you have a good day where you are trotting around, happy grinning from ear-to-ear becuase its going so well then maybe ask for a little canter, I find I can only GET canter when I am happy about it, otherwise all I get is fast trot.

Hope that helps. :D

[Cobgirl]

Oh good, glad you are feeling better! Hey when you ground mount, do you have to let your stirrups down? My legs are way too short and my stirrups are on the top hole (well had to make another hole) so there is no way I can mount from them at their present setting. I've seen all the young girls do it and they make it look so easy. Me,lol, I would get my foot in and end up hopping beside Mollie!!!

Lol, too kind, my sitting trot is my best gait, I love it. Specially without stirrups. Going to try bareback soon, now that will be fun and I will definitely get that one videod!

Go on and give the ground mounting a go, you just might surprise yourself! I am asking my friend to video me on Sunday, should be a laugh for everyone, hahaha!

[Rebecca1969]

Glad to hear you had a good lesson and didn't fall while mounting like I did last week:D. Take your time you'll know when you are ready to canter, there is no rush. All the time you practice your trot and sitting trot will just make you better prepared for when you are ready to canter. I'd be a bit put off too hearing the word 'wild'.

[Cobgirl]

Thanks Rebecca - wasn't a perfect lesson but I enjoyed it all the same. I agree about the cantering - Mollie is probably not going to care less anyway!