First lesson in 3 weeks and it didn't start too well, still working through mounting problems so still needed RI's help getting on board, however it took less time than normal.
Then after warming up in walk we went into trot, I felt really odd, like I'd forgotten how to ride, after 5 minutes RI stopped me and asked what was up because it looked like I'd forgotten how to ride
. So we stopped, walked a bit and then I rode round feeling her steps and counting them out loud. I'd soon got confirmation from RI that maybe I could still ride and we went on to shoulder in and leg yields to distract Ziz and get her listening to me again, leg yields don't have the desired effect, Ziz seems to love doing them in trot, really motors along, ears pricked and thoroughly enjoying herself but not exactly calming her trot down. Eventually she was listening to me and we got a lovely outline, so did some other movements and then went into canter.
Canter was always my favourite pace on Ziz, it's a lovely movement and feels so great but in the last few lessons I've been panicking when she puts her head down a bit, imagining she's going to tank off with me. The last schooling session I did with her I managed to just ride her through it with no panic and in this lesson I managed to do that again, unfortunately lost any sense of direction. We cantered 20m circles (which eventually were circular rather than egg shaped) and I managed to keep her in canter, then we went large around the school and got a few laps on each rein, although oddly her right rein, traditionally her worst was the easiest.
My RI is brilliant, she can sense when I'm just thinking about panicking and bellows across at me to keep on riding, this session she shouted at me, "stop thinking about letting her stop, you're good enough to ride her through this, ride her properly" . Just what I needed and we had a lovely canter around the school on her "bad" rein, also that set off some lightbulbs in my head about why I am having confidence problems. Not one of my instructors has ever told me what sort of rider I am and my RI saying that just made me feel more like my old riding self again, i.e. someone who can ride and have control.
So we've decided I think too much and need to feel more, concentrating on just feeling and not cheating by looking down etc it's a lot easier than I thought it was previously, glad I'm learning to listen more to my mare.
Went to hack Ziz out on Sunday morning, she'd been a total nightmare the last time we went out, from the yard to any of the rides we have to go along the roads which are quiet, country lanes but the odd bit of traffic really hurtles along. I was feeling a bit wibbly so we went for a walk (in hand) instead. She was so pleased to get out of the gates and enjoyed herself so much and groomed me when we got back so think she liked it. Next weekend I'm promising myself that I will go for a walk up the lane and back, even if it's just 10 minutes after a schooling session.
Then after warming up in walk we went into trot, I felt really odd, like I'd forgotten how to ride, after 5 minutes RI stopped me and asked what was up because it looked like I'd forgotten how to ride
. So we stopped, walked a bit and then I rode round feeling her steps and counting them out loud. I'd soon got confirmation from RI that maybe I could still ride and we went on to shoulder in and leg yields to distract Ziz and get her listening to me again, leg yields don't have the desired effect, Ziz seems to love doing them in trot, really motors along, ears pricked and thoroughly enjoying herself but not exactly calming her trot down. Eventually she was listening to me and we got a lovely outline, so did some other movements and then went into canter.Canter was always my favourite pace on Ziz, it's a lovely movement and feels so great but in the last few lessons I've been panicking when she puts her head down a bit, imagining she's going to tank off with me. The last schooling session I did with her I managed to just ride her through it with no panic and in this lesson I managed to do that again, unfortunately lost any sense of direction. We cantered 20m circles (which eventually were circular rather than egg shaped) and I managed to keep her in canter, then we went large around the school and got a few laps on each rein, although oddly her right rein, traditionally her worst was the easiest.
My RI is brilliant, she can sense when I'm just thinking about panicking and bellows across at me to keep on riding, this session she shouted at me, "stop thinking about letting her stop, you're good enough to ride her through this, ride her properly"
. Just what I needed and we had a lovely canter around the school on her "bad" rein, also that set off some lightbulbs in my head about why I am having confidence problems. Not one of my instructors has ever told me what sort of rider I am and my RI saying that just made me feel more like my old riding self again, i.e. someone who can ride and have control.So we've decided I think too much and need to feel more, concentrating on just feeling and not cheating by looking down etc it's a lot easier than I thought it was previously, glad I'm learning to listen more to my mare.
Went to hack Ziz out on Sunday morning, she'd been a total nightmare the last time we went out, from the yard to any of the rides we have to go along the roads which are quiet, country lanes but the odd bit of traffic really hurtles along. I was feeling a bit wibbly so we went for a walk (in hand) instead. She was so pleased to get out of the gates and enjoyed herself so much and groomed me when we got back so think she liked it. Next weekend I'm promising myself that I will go for a walk up the lane and back, even if it's just 10 minutes after a schooling session.
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