things are going too well and I’m getting worried.:redface: I’ve been riding about three/four times a week since Flip came back from retraining and we’re having tiny successes all over the place but I’m gradually becoming more and more unnerved by our positive experiences. You can be assured that this is down to my ‘glass half empty’ mentality and I need someone to give me a kick up the backside to stop being so ungrateful.
Whenever people ask me how things are going I’m extremely careful about how I word my answer. When I got him home from retraining I had instructions to stay in the safety of the school at first, have someone there with me to watch and do lots of transitions to make sure Flip and I realised that I’m in charge. I was then, when comfortable, to start venturing out the school with a foot soldier, first of all just walking back to the field, then gradually extending our little jaunts further and further. I didn’t expect to be doing this within the first three months but it would seem that I’ve progressed a lot faster –only when I’ve felt capable - but on reflection between rides its freaking me out that its going too well.
I’ve overcome my mounting issue – I don’t need someone holding him now. We’ve been out on a couple of little walks (with a trot thrown in to check I can stop him) and I cantered last week in the school (allbeit messily and not to be repeated until I’ve had lessons from my RI on another horse). On Friday last, I had no helper and walked Flip to the school in hand, mounted alone, had the best session ever and then got off, opened the gate, got back on and rode back to the field. I am now faced with the opportunity to ride tonight, repeating what we did on Friday and I’m starting to feel the pressure.
I don’t know if it has any significance but when I rode back alone I was constantly assessing the ground, wondering how soft it was (my fall on stoney track two months ago has left me with no feeling in a patch of skin on my left hip – a small price to pay I know). The couple of times I’ve been out before I’ve had someone walking with me or someone waiting at specific points and I guess this has kept my mind off these horrible thoughts but being alone even singing didn’t help.
I’m only now starting to get to know how Flipo is under saddle, he disagrees sometimes in the school and uses his strength to his advantage, he really enjoys being out for hacks and I’m trying to keep it interesting by doing only short 20 min sessions in the school and have my friend to ride him out on hacks once a week. Yesterday was the first glimpse of a regression. My friend had just mounted and was starting to walk along past our field when Flipo’s field mate neighed and Flipo seemed to be veering (in a walk) towards the fence. My friend tried to correct this by nudging him over with her leg and all of a sudden she was away in front of me and trying to turn him round at a canter. I watched in horror, but she’s got stickability and brought him back to a stand still. I asked her to explain what exactly had happened afterwards and it would seem that outside of the school Flipo doesn’t quite get the aids to budge over and reacted more than he should. That coupled with the possiblity that the saddle was a bit squint (corrected later on) could have caused the aid to be applied in the wrong place. Either way I think writing this is therapy in itself, I’m scared its going to happen to me and it just confirms my suspicions that things have been going too well.
Arrrrghhh someone sort me out!!!!
ETA: I really hope this doesn't come across as self indulgent, I know I should be so grateful that things are going well and I am. Just think I'm having a confidence crisis! Ice lollies for those who got through my rambling!
Whenever people ask me how things are going I’m extremely careful about how I word my answer. When I got him home from retraining I had instructions to stay in the safety of the school at first, have someone there with me to watch and do lots of transitions to make sure Flip and I realised that I’m in charge. I was then, when comfortable, to start venturing out the school with a foot soldier, first of all just walking back to the field, then gradually extending our little jaunts further and further. I didn’t expect to be doing this within the first three months but it would seem that I’ve progressed a lot faster –only when I’ve felt capable - but on reflection between rides its freaking me out that its going too well.
I’ve overcome my mounting issue – I don’t need someone holding him now. We’ve been out on a couple of little walks (with a trot thrown in to check I can stop him) and I cantered last week in the school (allbeit messily and not to be repeated until I’ve had lessons from my RI on another horse). On Friday last, I had no helper and walked Flip to the school in hand, mounted alone, had the best session ever and then got off, opened the gate, got back on and rode back to the field. I am now faced with the opportunity to ride tonight, repeating what we did on Friday and I’m starting to feel the pressure.
I don’t know if it has any significance but when I rode back alone I was constantly assessing the ground, wondering how soft it was (my fall on stoney track two months ago has left me with no feeling in a patch of skin on my left hip – a small price to pay I know). The couple of times I’ve been out before I’ve had someone walking with me or someone waiting at specific points and I guess this has kept my mind off these horrible thoughts but being alone even singing didn’t help.
I’m only now starting to get to know how Flipo is under saddle, he disagrees sometimes in the school and uses his strength to his advantage, he really enjoys being out for hacks and I’m trying to keep it interesting by doing only short 20 min sessions in the school and have my friend to ride him out on hacks once a week. Yesterday was the first glimpse of a regression. My friend had just mounted and was starting to walk along past our field when Flipo’s field mate neighed and Flipo seemed to be veering (in a walk) towards the fence. My friend tried to correct this by nudging him over with her leg and all of a sudden she was away in front of me and trying to turn him round at a canter. I watched in horror, but she’s got stickability and brought him back to a stand still. I asked her to explain what exactly had happened afterwards and it would seem that outside of the school Flipo doesn’t quite get the aids to budge over and reacted more than he should. That coupled with the possiblity that the saddle was a bit squint (corrected later on) could have caused the aid to be applied in the wrong place. Either way I think writing this is therapy in itself, I’m scared its going to happen to me and it just confirms my suspicions that things have been going too well.
Arrrrghhh someone sort me out!!!!
ETA: I really hope this doesn't come across as self indulgent, I know I should be so grateful that things are going well and I am. Just think I'm having a confidence crisis! Ice lollies for those who got through my rambling!
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oop:
I've just got back and chickened out of riding tonight. Far too much pressure on myself so I'm gonna take a step back. I think I actually miss not riding and getting to potter about doing groundwork and playing with Flip in the field. I've had so much stuff going on at work and with my family that if I'm not riding then I'm busy so not getting the bit in the middle where I can just spend time with Flip.
