How long before riding deteriorates

SO1

New Forests Rule!
Nov 26, 2004
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Since May I have been between horses so whilst I am looking I having one lesson a week and riding a friends' cob once or twice a week (though due to saddle issues only in walk and trot)

My riding feels like it is drastically going downhill and I am especially concerned about jumping as I dont have the opportunity to do so in my group lesson or on friends cob, so the only time I jump is when I am trying out horses. How long does it take if you dont practice for riding to go downhill?

I tried out a pony at the weekend and I could not get it to canter, it was very depressing as the owner had no problem. This has happened with two of the six ponies I have viewed to date. I was thinking part of the problem might be as I am used to riding forward going horses where you just sit and give them a nudge and they are off in canter or it could be because I am loosing my riding ability through lack of practice. With the non cantering ponies I felt my legs and arms were all over the place when I was trying to get them going when they did not go forward from my original ask. It was very hard to try and maintain a good position and ask them to go forward as well.

It is making me feel like a beginner all over again and like a fake as I tell people when I come and see the ponies that I am not a novice but feel like I am riding like one. :(

Having ridden the same horse for three and half years and not having any problems I am wondering if I am the sort of person that needs to have a bond with the horse to be able to ride well.

I realise now it is going to take a long time to find a pony I like and I am now a bit worried that when I do the owner will think I am not a good enough rider to have it.
 
Hi,

I wouldn't worry too much about your own riding ability - as long as you keep riding regularly - perhaps you should take some lessons in between as a way to ride different horses and also ensure your level of riding stays consistant or even improves.

I think the issues you are having is more to do with how the other horses have been schooled.

For example, I ride 4 times a week a 3 different schools. At on of the schools I loan out one of the less popular schoolies and ride him twice a week - once in a lesson and once on my own. Because he knows me now he's really sensitive to my style of riding - for example when ever I take up a certain contact he knows I'm about to ask him for trot and immediately prepares for the transition. When I'm riding the other horses at the other schools who don't know me as well I can have what I think are dreadful lessons where I can't get the horse to canter - that because we don't know each other well enought to understand what the other is thinking and I'm not applying the aids in the exact way they are used. The more time I've spent riding each horse the better my riding has become.

Once you've picked your new pony I'm sure within a couple of weeks they will learn your habits and you will learn their's and it will feel like you've been riding together forever - so chin up and try to think positive!
Kx
 
Try not to worry too much, I haven't ridden Storm in anything other than walk and a tiny bit of trot for 7 months now! We hack out and only once did she canter (I didn't ask - she followed Joe!!!) but I feel sometimes as tho my riding will be abysmal (sp?) once I actually get a school and start schooling and doing a wee bit of jumping. I'm sure you'll not forget stuff you've learnt and your riding capability will be intact, every horse is different and therefore you will ride them differntly, it takes ages to "tune in" with a new / different horse. Nobody will think you are a novice either - and nobody will think you are not good enough. Yes, practice does make it better, but if you have the basics you will be more than capable of fine tuning them once the right horse comes along.
 
My riding goes downhill within a week of not riding - or not riding much. At the moment I'm dreadful and my attempt at riding the easiest horse made him very tense. When you're trying out other people's horses, don't forget that you'll be tense too ... and if they're amiable 'confidence giving' horses, often they'll pick up it and think that you don't really want to g fast ... so they look after you ! It's very difficult to hop on different horses without a relationship and get them going well - it's a specialist skill - don't worry too much about that.
 
nonono!! you're not going downhill :) trust me!! if that pony did not want to canter, i doubt very much it was your fault! and yuo've been havign lessons and stuff as well :)

to cheer you up, i ride a couple of times a week and STILL get worse by the minute :D

Julia
x
 
nonono!! you're not going downhill :) trust me!! if that pony did not want to canter, i doubt very much it was your fault! and yuo've been havign lessons and stuff as well :)

to cheer you up, i ride a couple of times a week and STILL get worse by the minute :D

Julia
x

At least you can get Angel to canter and do stuff! I used to be able to get P to do lots of things and now I get all in a flap with these ponies, maybe in part it is nerves cos the owners are watching etc but I really think I am getting more and more useless by the day :(
 
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