really good lesson

sophie33

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2004
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This is pointless really... I just wanted to share. My share horses owner is out of action at the moment with a bad leg and a bad back. That mean I am the only one regularly 'schooling' her. She gets lots of lovely hacking with her other sharer but I've been really feeling my own serious inadequacies and have been desperate for some lessons. Things came to a head when I got upset about some (probably justified) criticisms from a dressage judge and I offloaded on F's owner who has kindly got her instructor to give me some lessons.
So I had the second one on Tuesday - I am still aching today! But it was great. Lots of time in light seat to try and sort out my lower leg position (hence the aching), some work on the lunge. By the end we had a few minutes of really superb feeling rising trot - Flicks felt all floaty and I felt I was effortlessly moving with her - didn't last long but it was fantastic. I am going to try and keep up weekly lessons for a while and see if we can get some more regular moments of magic. On the downside she thinks that the reason F is so inclined to fall in might be that her saddle is pinching her - so when I get some money I will ask F's owner if I can get the saddler out to check...
 
Not pointless! Glad you had a great lesson. I'd have probably been upset too lol I think because we care so much about riding it's only natural to be a little miffed (even if we know we can do with some improving!)
 
Thanks! It was ridiculous to be upset - I'm a grown woman crying because a dressage judge was a bit harsh! (Not in front of her I hasten to add.) But as you say, even the most useless of us care so much about riding that it is difficult not to get a bit sensitive. Thankfully my new instructor seems to have a very nice balance of pushing me but also praising my poor bruised ego when I manage to improve even slightly! :p
 
It sounds like you are heading in the right direction with the RI's help, getting negative comments is tough for everyone.

Re the saddler, if you are just a sharer (I don't mean that negatively) surely it should be on the owner to provide well fitting tack and to pay for it to be checked if there is a problem.
 
Thanks Skib and Jessey. Jessey re: the saddler - yes you are right generally of course but flicks has been a bit of a collective effort between all of us - owner and sharers - from the start.
 
Another pointless happy post. I've just had my fourth lesson with my new RI. I feel like I am being taken apart and put back together again properly! Knackering, difficult but really very satisfying. And RI is very polite about it all.
I have real difficulties keeping F straight in walk, today I felt like I got it for the first time - when she wobbles in I need to put my inside leg on at the same time half-halting with my inside hand and slightly allowing with my outside hand. I realise that I have probably being doing virtually the opposite with my hands - trying to use the outside one to keep her on the track and inadvertently encouraging her inside shoulder to come in. I realise that makes me an idiot but there it is! In addition we did some work with no contact just steering with my legs and seat, endless walk sitting trot transitions with and without stirrups and then cantering on the lunge in light seat. RI was very pleased that my lower leg was much more stable.
Now I am back in work but totally brain dead due to over-exertion :p
 
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