Lesson: '500 steps back'

[maya-m]

I had a lesson with a twist, last week.

My instructor put me on a horse that was a little less keen than the ones I've been riding. He's bouncy and can be hard to keep in a rhythm. We worked on ways of getting him listening, building up the strength of the aids. I think she was aiming towards achieving canter by the end of the lesson.

By 15 minutes towards the end of the lesson he was full of energy, and I was finding I needed to hold him back at one point in particular in the school. I was quite tense in the shoulders, and kept trying to relax, as I tried to find my 'independent seat', and use my legs to get him back into a better rhythm, and onto the line I was trying to ride.

My instructor was working with me towards getting good bend at this point, and now he was starting to coming onto the bit, but because he'd sped right up, I was beginning to lose my relaxation a bit.

The school owner had been looking in, and called my instructor over to have a word with her. I carried on my attempt at a 3 loop serpentine, and felt quite pleased with it. Then the owner came back in with my instructor, and basically took over the lesson!

He said I looked really tense and made me do 3 strides of rising trot, 3 strides at walk, alternately, one-handed, with each hand, then both, on each rein. At first, I couldn't keep it to 3 strides. By the end of it, I could, and I was right in the saddle, completely relaxed in the shoulders, feeling like a cowboy! Everything had improved about my position.

He told my instructor that she should be working much more on my position, and that I should work up to being able to do 2 strides of canter, and 2 strides of walk alternately, like that, then I'll really be riding!!

He said when he'd been watching me, I looked 'desperate to ride', :o , and I'd got the horse going really nicely, but my position wasn't good enough to ride the pace he gave me :( (it was a good working trot). His verdict: go back 500 steps, or you'll not progress in your riding

To my instructor he said 'it may not seem client-friendly, but you want quality of riding, not giving in to the client's idea of progress!!':D (No, I never say I need to canter round the school 5 times to feel I've made progress!;) )

This guy has been fiercely criticised to me by someone for not being able to ride or teach. Well, he hit the nail on the head that day, and he demonstrated in the space of 5 minutes what he could do to improve my riding. Salutary!

I'm impressed, and now feel safer - I admire my instructor for taking the criticism in front of me, and we both agreed we needed to work on position again. But I guess I'll be doing NO STIRRUPs again *yikes* :eek: ;) .

[Bebe]

Was this Glynn by any chance?

I can remember him taking over a few of my lessons, he's a bit scary but he does know his stuff!

The lessons I've got the most out of have always been the ones where I've concentrated on my position & how I hold myself rather than worry about the horse. When you do this the horse just looks after itself, like magic. I get tons of out my alexander technique lessons but it's rare that my instructor ever says "ask Bebe to do x", it's always "why don't you do this" and the Bebe follows suit.

[Wobblydeb]

Wow, your lesson sounds really worthwhile!!! I think Bebe hit it on the head with The lessons I've got the most out of have always been the ones where I've concentrated on my position & how I hold myself rather than worry about the horse.

If my instructor can get my seat a little more independent during each lesson, then I become a measurably better and more confident rider by the end of the lesson. (Of course, she has to start all over again at the beginning of the next lesson!)
:)

[Bay Mare]

That's really great that he picked up that you really want to ride 'properly' :) That approach may not work for some people and it's good that you can see the sense in going backwards to go forwards again :)

Good luck, it sounds like you're doing great :)

[maya-m]

Well spotted Bebe!;) It WAS Glynn:rolleyes::D.

And, Wobblydeb (love your name:D) you're right, its amazing how much difference there is between the end of one lesson and the start of another!

Hi Bay Mare:) : I get so much out of my lessons every time I go, I think my regular instructor is fantastic, she's always finding new ways for me to work. So it was a shame for her to have her lesson plan messed up in front of me like that. BUT, I felt that this shake-up was brave and beneficial for all of us.

In that sense, it just confirms my feeling that this is a place with a dynamic approach to teaching, where they don't rely too much on a formula.

The hardest thing is to take the confidence you gain in the school, and transfer it to other riding situations. But that's for another thread! :rolleyes:

[Bebe]

I thought so, I can remember him doing similar things now and again during my lessons.

I had one lesson where I could not get Camille to go into one particular corner. Glynn was doing something else but came over and gave me a few pointers and voila, instant corners. Of course, he then got on and started doing pirouettes to demonstrate the use of the aids which was a bit depressing!