Very discouraged

[Ruffiane]

I'd started last week trotting over cross-poles. It went so well. Each night I must have jumped 4 or 5 times, and it seemed so easy.

Last night, I was in a bigger class, 5 people total. The mare I ride does tend to get a little strong; she doesn't like to be held back when everyone else is moving along at a good clip.

Anyway, she was trotting so fast up to the cross poles and starting to canter. I thought she'd canter over them and was prepared to hang on (even though I'm not that strong at the canter yet). She balked at the fence and I fell off into the sawdust.

Tried it again, same thing. My trainer said a) I went up into two point too soon and she took that as a signal to take off, although I really thought I was waiting for him to tell me when to go up. b) my reins were too long c) I had my legs clamped too tight and I was making her crazy.

someone else got on her and she trotted just pretty as you please a few times over the poles. I got back on her and she was pulling so hard. I don't think I ever did jump last night.

I'm afraid falling off will start to be a habit. I get nervous and instead of holding as fast as I can, sometimes I'll just slip off, because I know what the consequence will be, if that makes any sense. It's something I did a lot when I rode when I was younger, but was really trying so hard to avoid.

I know everyone falls, but I felt so stupid last night. I think everyone else has been riding longer than I have, so I was feeling pretty good about keeping up with everyone else - trotting and cantering just at the same time and for as long as they were. And then this happened. Maybe I just got too overconfident. It's hard to know exactly what I was doing wrong, because my trainer's way of working is to just yell when you do something wrong or when you don't do what he tells you to do at exactly the time he tells you. lol....that's kind of hard for me - I'm used to thinking for myself. for me, it usually works, because when I'm doing something new, I kind of get in a zone, and his voice will break through the zone, so I kind of rely on it. He yells, but he's mostly a big teddy bear, really.

Anyway, I know all I can do is keep at it, and he'll probably not let me jump for a bit, which is ok, but it's very discouraging to make what was such a triumphant breakthrough and then fall off like a dolt.

Thanks for letting me whine.

[lady ridealot]

Hiya - By the sounds of it you just had an off-lesson.

I think everyone else has been riding longer than I have, so I was feeling pretty good about keeping up with everyone else - trotting and cantering just at the same time and for as long as they were.

Dont be too hard on yourself, especially as you say you are not as experienced as others in the lesson. And if you do take a break from jumping and work on your flatwork then when it comes to jumping you will probably be all the more secure in the saddle! Good Luck with your next lesson! x :)

[Still Falling]

Hey, before i started college working with horses, i had only ever fallen off once, but in one academic year there i have fallen off 4 times on horses who are usually like donkeys!

Every time i fell off, yeah i was a little nervous about getting back on, but i did and it was ok in the end! You will never improve with that horse if ya dont just give it a try!

Just remember that if you feel the horse is beginning to rush, DONT tense up and try to grip the saddle with your knnes as you will fall off! You need to just relax(yes it sounds difficult especially when on a horse), and keep your legs low and off the saddle! also try to balance your weight and then it will be almost improssible to fall off unless ya throw yorself off!

And if you do fall off - just get up and laugh! 2 bets that i fall off tomorrow now lol!

[DITZ]

The key to this exercise and this horse is to relax. The trot pole are there to regulate the stride. If she goes in too fast and starts tripping trust me she will learn from it and be more careful next time round.

If you are tense (holding reins tight claming leg and generally stiffening up) your horse will interpret this as there is something bad about this exercise. If you are nervous about it then you WILL make her nervous about it too.

So next time get her to stand at the beginning of the trot pole line and find a spot to focus on in the distance (make sure its directly in front of you otherwise you may veer of course). Once you have picked your spot fix it in your view as you turn in your approach. And dont take your eyes off it until you are over the jump. This will also combat any habit of going into 2 point too soon.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Ruffiane]

Thanks for the feedback, all. I also think I was afraid of pulling her back and slowing her down because I didn't want her to be afraid her mouth was going to get destroyed in the jump.

I had my lesson Saturday at another stable where my pace is a little slower - I only cantered for the first time there. The advantage to this is I get to work on the finer points of my seat, legs and hands, and that goes a long way to developing, maintaining and REGAINING confidence. I've made progress in my posting trot that I never would have made at my weekday stable.

I'm looking forward to trying it again, but if Dave doesn't let me jump, it's ok. I'd like to get better at my canter anyway.

[Ruffiane]

So then how do you stay on for the jump? Do you snug your legs tighter once you get into the two-point? I don't think my balance is good enough to stay on for the landing without a tighter lower leg.

[BackintheSaddle]

I used to really grip in 2 point, which had me rushing into all my cross-poles (i'm not good enough to jump anything bigger!) and it was b/c I wasn't balanced enough. I didn't have my weight in my heels, and I was bending at the waist instead of the hip. To fix this, by instructor got out the lunge, and had me trotting and cantering with no hands! It took me ages to figure it out, and I kept rolling off ;) but suddenly - poof! balance! Now I feel like I could go stably over larger jumps, and when my horse throws a buck (which he can do with impressive energy for a 20yo) I hardly even notice, just move with him.

[laura jeanne]

Try looking at this link and look at Cavaletti 2

http://www.horsecity.com/training/paulindex.shtml#

This shows trotting over poles on the ground, but the idea is the same. Just focus on something in the distance, at DITZ said, and breathe to the strides of the horse- a breath in for a couple of strides and a breath out for a couple.

I don't think you need to grip with your calves to stay on in 2 point ,but your thigh muscles have to stay firm to support you.

I watched this video lots of times before I trotted over poles and when I finally did, it was easy!

Don';t forget the breathing because this helps you and the horse relax and not rush.

Lets hear how you do next time! Good luck with it.

[DITZ]

you shouldnt be gripping with your knees at all. For 2 point just think of transferring the weight into your feet. Try trotting round and round in circles in 2 point, resting your hands on the horses withers to balance if you need to just to get the feeling right to begin with. When you've mastered that then work on doing it without resting your hands to balance.

[FreedomStar]

For jumping you never grip! It's all about balance. Even if you get a bad distance into the jump you should have no problem AT ALL jumping the fence. Your jumping position helps balance your center of gravity over the horse, and helps the horse too so that their back is more 'free' so they can jump rounder.

[TBEventer2002]

OK, not meaning to hijack this thread, but you all have brought up an interesting point...

I've always been taught to give my horse a good squeeze with the calves in order to tell them when to take off (though most of the time I honestly just let him decide -- he's been doing it longer than me! LOL). And when we do no-stirrups work on the flat & have to get into 2point, it's impossible to do without gripping with *something*.

PLEASE CLARIFY!!!! :)

[laura jeanne]

My new instructor showed me how she (and her long-time students) can ride with no stirrups and stay completely out of the saddle. She said it is the thigh muscles that have to be developed to help hold you up. I can ask her this weekend and see what she says. All her students are good jumpers, even the very young children.

She is teaching me to stay up in 2 point this way (with stirrups). There is really no gripping involved, just your weight in your heels, calves up agains the horse's sides and firm thigh muscles. If you try it, you will see what I mean.

Taking off, I don't know, i have just let my horse jump the few times I have actually jumped. Keep missing lessons due to shows and weather.

[Ruffiane]

Originally posted by DITZ
you shouldnt be gripping with your knees at all. For 2 point just think of transferring the weight into your feet.

I've worked pretty hard on not gripping with my knees, but I'll work more on keeping those heels down. That's what's made a big difference in my canter. The canter actually felt really comfortable this week and I knew I was better because I actually steered around some slower horses - hahahaha - that was a first!

I do know when I land I must have my weight pretty well in my feet, because I can barely feel the landing and that feels so cool. I just hope it's right!

I did have a lesson on Tuesday (forget if I posted this or not) and it all went really well. Thank you for the tips. I will definitely keep those things in mind!

[Ruffiane]

It was funny, last night I went to the bookstore and headed for the horse section. I really only have two recent horse books - one is Flying Without Wings and the other one is just a general horse and rider book with some equitation tips.

I thought I'd buy something to keep me occupied when I'm NOT at the stable, and looked at EVERYTHING on the shelf and just really couldn't find anything suitable or that was even relevant to me anymore and I realized I won't get much from a book any more! Everything I need right now I get from my trainers, from other women at the stable and from this board and that actually felt pretty good!

Even though I don't have my own horse (yet), I still can't believe how lucky I am to be able to do this now. When I was a kid, I'd stand outside a pasture for HOURS watching horses. Took a few lessons but never really got anywhere; was always kind of scared. Now, just the simplest pasttime with the horses is such a pleasure, not just the riding, but I love just standing out with the horse afterwards and letting her graze and walking her up to pasture. What a lovely life to be able to do this :cool:

[katiee]

Originally posted by Ruffiane
, but it's very discouraging to make what was such a triumphant breakthrough and then fall off like a dolt.

I can completely emphasise with you there! I know from experience with my mare Pippa how disheartning it can be to work your backside off to get a few minutes of brilliant work when it all seems to 'click' only the next time you ride you're right back to square one again! :rolleyes:

Be patient - with time and a lot of hard work you'll get there eventually!

Katie

[Kalypso]

Originally posted by TBEventer2002
I've always been taught to give my horse a good squeeze with the calves in order to tell them when to take off (though most of the time I honestly just let him decide -- he's been doing it longer than me! LOL). And when we do no-stirrups work on the flat & have to get into 2point, it's impossible to do without gripping with *something*.
PLEASE CLARIFY!!!! :)

mmm...hi amanda...and everyone else. Honestly, I think they were talking about gripping with your "knees" versus "thighs". as far as I can tell, I remember Jenny always telling me to grip with my thighs...NEVER my knees. But I think you are right about gripping...you have to grip with your thighs to stay in two point without stirrups...uh, unless you are magically inclined and can just hover there ;). I, too, have been told to squeeze when the horse was taking off over the jump, so I was wondering the same thing!!

[tricia]

you must RELAX this above all. I have been away from horses for a long time...The first thing that came back to me was"they can sense your stress and tension". Relax the next time you get up there to jump, you will see a big difference.

[Ruffiane]

I was having problems again last night because it felt like she wanted to canter into the jump and I get afraid of the speed and also that I can't control the situation. But your advice about relaxing, I think will be key for me. Dave, my trainer, said, "let her canter, then." Well, I was scared of that, but during one of the jumps, I dropped my left rein! But I stayed on anyway, just as if I'd had the rein in my hand, so I figure, I must be doing something right!

I was comfortable trotting over cross-poles, but I guess that's because I've been trotting for an hour, 3 times a week for 4 months. I've only cantered maybe 10 times total and I'm still not sure about my seat half the time and my endurance is kind of short-lived when it's really hot out.

Anyway, I'm going to take the advice to relax. Everytime I have a ride that's not so great, the next one is usually much, much better.

[tricia]

Sounds like you have found the KEY...Relax,,and enjoy the ride. may sound silly, but it was the best advice a very seasoned rider gave me, and it seems to work. Even working in the barn/stable/or ring with horses. They can /will pickup on your emotions and either enjoy having you or sense your stress and toss you...LOL Again sounds like you are making progress. Keep me posted. I just had to teach my middle son the same lesson....RELAX, and enjoy the ride. my very best to you...Tricia

[Ruffiane]

Thanks Tricia. And BTW, I've spent many happy winter months in Naples! It's so beautiful there. Are there stables where I could pick up a lesson or two next time?

[tricia]

So you have been here? Neat...It has been changing like crazy the last few years.....so much construction. We used to live a few mins from the gulf of Mexico...But it became too congested. We recently purchased 5 acres about 30 mins form the Gulf. Much nicer...as for stables....they are mostly leaving the area , being replaced by gated communities. One stable I used to go to just sold to a community, they were pretty nice, with jumps and all Most everything else is trail riding. Stay in touch....Tricia