back from my lesson and it was really really good. I felt quite challenged and i think i faced some fears i didn't even really know i had until today! Sorry this might be quite long!!!! hope you've got a cup of tea/coffee or perhaps something stronger!
Got to the RS and was told i was on Jasmine (they got her passport the other day and found out thats not her name but i think they'll keep it anyway). I was really nervous because in our lesson last week she was very jumpy, racing round the school etc. And to be honest i just thought oh s**t i can't do this. Went round to her stable and saw her lovely face and huge eyes just looking at me, shes really lovely - 15h3 (i'm guessing) bright bay, almost black mane and tail...shes just stunning (and i must admit i'm not a big bay fan - no offence). I took her round to the school, sorted everything and got on and instantly she just felt quite tense - trying to walk off speedily etc. I just started thinking "i cant do it, i can't do it" and i really just panicked, nearly asked if there was anyway i could swap horses. My RI was being very supportive, told me to relax and be very light with my hands. Warming up i felt i was really stuggling, i felt like she was speeding up to much, tossing her head and i just had very little control. Eventually she settled down a bit and listened to what i was asking her. Honestly, when she was good she was amazing, in an outline, working from behind, all with me hardly using my leg and with a fairly loose rein!
So after we'd warmed up (i was still a bit worried but felt a bit better than i did when i had started) we go together as a ride to do some trotting work. Jasmine hated being at the bck of the ride and kept getting up the a*se of the horse in front. I did try to stop her but i found it difficult when i tried to half halt her, sit deep to slow her she just flipped slightly and sped up or jumped. Took a while but i did manage to work out that she responded better with lots of little half halts rather than one or two bigger ones but i still had to keep my seat really light. Then we started doing work in canter and canter circles (as individuals). SO after a couple of people had gone the rest of the ride stood and watched while i tried to settle jasmines trot in a circle, got there eventually, even with her napping towards the other horses, asked for canter (very quietly, giving even more with my hands) and she actually jumps into canter... and not just any canter - the pounding hooves, tanking off kind of cantering. I suprised myself by staying relatively calm, and gradually slowed her and did some pretty good circles considering!!! Once everyone else had a shot i went lead file with her and we changed rein fairly uneventfully and then did the same exercise. I went first and it was the same again, only a bit worse, finally settled her, asked for canter and then she stormed off!!! Thought i was just settling her down again when she spooked,jumped and sort of thumped her feet down and i went flying. I don't really remember much but putting it together it looked as though she got a bit tense as she was riding away from the rest of the ride and towards a few other horses standing outside the school and just gave herself a bit of a fright. It wasn't nastyness and i don't really think i did much wrong, i know i was probably sitting a bit too forward in trying to be light anyway i was fine so got back on and had her trot a few circles to finish up - felt i'd pushed her out of her comfort zone enough for the night!!! Plus i didn't want to fall a second time and for it to be worse!!!
I'm SOOOOOO sorry thats very long, i just had to share - none of my friends really understand, especially the fact i fell off but still loved it! I just thought that considering its my first time riding this sort of horse i did really well - i'm quite suprised at myself!!! I suppose i just wanted to share my joy (haha) and ask your opinions - do you think i did the right things with her, i flt i maybe should have tried to sit a bit deeper and sometimes i did but sometimes it felt like it was making matters worse. I so happy but a little curious!
Got to the RS and was told i was on Jasmine (they got her passport the other day and found out thats not her name but i think they'll keep it anyway). I was really nervous because in our lesson last week she was very jumpy, racing round the school etc. And to be honest i just thought oh s**t i can't do this. Went round to her stable and saw her lovely face and huge eyes just looking at me, shes really lovely - 15h3 (i'm guessing) bright bay, almost black mane and tail...shes just stunning (and i must admit i'm not a big bay fan - no offence). I took her round to the school, sorted everything and got on and instantly she just felt quite tense - trying to walk off speedily etc. I just started thinking "i cant do it, i can't do it" and i really just panicked, nearly asked if there was anyway i could swap horses. My RI was being very supportive, told me to relax and be very light with my hands. Warming up i felt i was really stuggling, i felt like she was speeding up to much, tossing her head and i just had very little control. Eventually she settled down a bit and listened to what i was asking her. Honestly, when she was good she was amazing, in an outline, working from behind, all with me hardly using my leg and with a fairly loose rein!
So after we'd warmed up (i was still a bit worried but felt a bit better than i did when i had started) we go together as a ride to do some trotting work. Jasmine hated being at the bck of the ride and kept getting up the a*se of the horse in front. I did try to stop her but i found it difficult when i tried to half halt her, sit deep to slow her she just flipped slightly and sped up or jumped. Took a while but i did manage to work out that she responded better with lots of little half halts rather than one or two bigger ones but i still had to keep my seat really light. Then we started doing work in canter and canter circles (as individuals). SO after a couple of people had gone the rest of the ride stood and watched while i tried to settle jasmines trot in a circle, got there eventually, even with her napping towards the other horses, asked for canter (very quietly, giving even more with my hands) and she actually jumps into canter... and not just any canter - the pounding hooves, tanking off kind of cantering. I suprised myself by staying relatively calm, and gradually slowed her and did some pretty good circles considering!!! Once everyone else had a shot i went lead file with her and we changed rein fairly uneventfully and then did the same exercise. I went first and it was the same again, only a bit worse, finally settled her, asked for canter and then she stormed off!!! Thought i was just settling her down again when she spooked,jumped and sort of thumped her feet down and i went flying. I don't really remember much but putting it together it looked as though she got a bit tense as she was riding away from the rest of the ride and towards a few other horses standing outside the school and just gave herself a bit of a fright. It wasn't nastyness and i don't really think i did much wrong, i know i was probably sitting a bit too forward in trying to be light anyway i was fine so got back on and had her trot a few circles to finish up - felt i'd pushed her out of her comfort zone enough for the night!!! Plus i didn't want to fall a second time and for it to be worse!!!
I'm SOOOOOO sorry thats very long, i just had to share - none of my friends really understand, especially the fact i fell off but still loved it! I just thought that considering its my first time riding this sort of horse i did really well - i'm quite suprised at myself!!! I suppose i just wanted to share my joy (haha) and ask your opinions - do you think i did the right things with her, i flt i maybe should have tried to sit a bit deeper and sometimes i did but sometimes it felt like it was making matters worse. I so happy but a little curious!