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Original poster

Had a totally pants lesson today

29 replies

CMOTdibbler · 02/12/2009 21:11

Not that I fell off or anything, but just couldn't do anything right. I'd booked a hack, thinking that it would give me a bit of time to settle into things, and when I got there I had been promoted off the cob and onto a TB (totally beautiful), and there was another lady who although hadn't been riding there before was obv much more experienced.
Went out, and it was just muddy and slippery, and as the instructors horse is big, mine was jogging to keep up, oh, and it was just not good. Felt such a fool as couldn't do anything right (apart from gates), and of course felt bad as this other lady had to walk rather a lot. But came back, and my normal instructor gave me some free lesson time to shake it all out.

Ho hum, onwards and upwards I suppose !

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Owls · 03/12/2009 08:47

Ahh happens sometimes doesn't it. Three steps forward and two back. At least it hasn't put you off. Think you did well actually to cope with the change of horse so soon after starting lessons.

MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 09:34

am with Owls - it's great to be 'promoted' so soon! congrats on that and don't despair over the hack (which really doesn't sound very disastrous from your post), just wondering if there is any way you can clock up more saddle hours between lessons? if you are near me you are free to come and have a go on either of mine any time, although I don't paint the most flattering picture of them on here

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 03/12/2009 10:11

Thanks - it wasn't disastrous, just didn't do myself justice. But hey, I dealt with gates, bridge over the railway (and a train coming), and going on the road which was quite busy, so at least none of those are going to be a suprise in the future.

No way of getting saddle time without paying for it (am on the other side of the country from you Mitchy), but was talking to instructor yesterday, and came up with a plan of having a hack in the week with her (rather than her DH), and then a lesson at the weekend when DS has his. Hack is much cheaper in the week, and she isn't very time focussed then either, so can really work.

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MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 10:14

think you should be really proud of yourself for coping with all that! am in awe, and wondering how heartily you would laugh at my encounters with gates

it's such an up and down, three steps forward and two back sort of thing isn't it, this business of returning to riding - a good lesson can have me on cloud nine for a week but a mildly frustrating experience can really make me despair sometimes! oh well, onwards and upwards

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 03/12/2009 10:19

I'm not even returning to riding - I didn't learn as a child.
Am also having to stretch my ankles - can't keep my heels down sufficiently, so have exercises to do.

It's such fun though, and I love just concentrating on the horse - and Gunner is soo lovely compared to clomping Ben

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MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 10:24

gah! 'keep your heels down'

I hear it in my SLEEP!

MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 22:55

I had the most ridiculous lesson of my life tonight - how hard is it to ride in a straight line, really? And do you think that if I was ever asked to make my noble steed dance sideways round the school in tiny circles on purpose I'd be able to?

No.

I do not know why I even TRY sometimes.

Pixel · 03/12/2009 23:06

I'm currently working my way through a book about schooling that my friend has lent me. Not that I'll be trying any of it out in our quagmire paddock .

Anyway, apparently you are supposed to think about going in a straight line and your horse will read your mind and do it.

Yeah right!

MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 23:39

but I wasn't thinking about dancing sideways in tiny circles round and round the school at all, I was thinking 'why ME'

have never ridden that particular pony before, if am ever allowed anywhere near him again I will just think about riding in a straight line and see if it works!

(on plus side nobody said 'keep your heels down', they were too busy shouting 'what are you DOING?')

MitchyInge · 03/12/2009 23:41

I bet it looked cool, really

like very super advanced dressage or something?

Owls · 04/12/2009 12:19

"I bet it looked cool, really

like very super advanced dressage or something?"

Mmmm. You are being positive today aren't you. Like it.

MitchyInge · 04/12/2009 15:38

haha, yes

double canter pirouettes innit

instructor probably just jealous that she can't do them

Pixel · 04/12/2009 20:24

We used to have a friend who would call out cheerfully "a little bit of dressage" when her horse spooked violently sideways on a hack. It's become a catch-phrase in our family .

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 04/12/2009 20:32

I love the thought of the pirouettes

Tomorrow DS is getting to hang out with the pony club girls (he has 15 min lesson, I have 30) - betting on my ability to get him out ?

And was it really, really bad that today on the train in the Netherlands I was looking out the window and admiring all the nice little houses, all with their own paddocks

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Pixel · 04/12/2009 20:43

What else do you do on a train? (assuming to haven't kids to supervise). I always spend the whole journey horse-spotting and drooling over all the lovely houses with neat little stable blocks at the back. Oh and there is always an imaginary horse galloping along beside us jumping all the hedges .

skihorse · 05/12/2009 05:44

CMOT/Pixel/Mitchy I'm a huge fan of "surprise dressage". Why get upset when you can say "gosh, doesn't she move beautifully?" When she's in a really pissy mood I "ask" her to do piaffe, sometimes I ask her to do it if there's a stallion around...

Cmot Are you here in NL too or just nipping over for business?

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 05/12/2009 08:17

I was just popping over to Zwolle for the day. I am in the NL reasonably often though.

Here's hoping for a good lesson today

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MitchyInge · 05/12/2009 11:19

Oh I lived in Zwolle for a little while, long long long long long time ago

all the undesirable bits of my family have settled in the NL - although as I type this I think how hilarious would it be if skihorse was among them! am sure this is not the case, yikes, hope not

I don't know what to do about lessons while own one is resting, obviously cannot ride anything that requires a halfway competent jockey but how will I ever improve?

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 05/12/2009 13:19

Hurrah ! That was much better. Have a nice hack booked with my instructor for in the week - she did say that she had had second thoughts about sending me out with her DH.

DS went out with the full class this morning, and did really well. He's been promoted off having someone walking next to him, and just had one of the saturday girls to lead. Strangely, he was disappointed that this meant he didn't get to muck out

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MitchyInge · 07/12/2009 09:39

Aww, bless - he can come and muck out for us on Christmas Day if he likes? The only day of the year I have to do it and am already looking for help

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 07/12/2009 09:47

You'd never get rid of him !

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MitchyInge · 10/12/2009 22:46

I think I could live with that, might kill a few birds with one stone - help with horses AND ease broodiness

marginally less bad lesson tonight, although for a minute or two still bad enough for me to think about giving up riding forever obviously will put self through it at enormous expense for many more lessons to come though

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 11/12/2009 12:52

So, thats my holiday problem sorted when he starts school . Actually, I think he'll just be doing pony camp at the stables at this rate - it's about the same price as holiday care at school,

What went wrong yesterday Mitchy ?

Today I went for my hack - but with L who took me last time. He was under strict instructions though, and I had cob back to give me more confidence that nothing too speedy was going to happen. And it was lovely out, really felt comfortable out there.

And ended up discussing having a part loan of a horse... Since I wouldn't be required to do anything for it, it is worth serious thought. Eeek !

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MitchyInge · 11/12/2009 13:14

oh what a good idea! part-loan schemes are great, is this where you get x hours use of them a week without any hard work or bills? will it be the cob you rode today?

I wish they did pony camp for adults, the option is always there to stay and help out but of course work gets in the way - I mean makes it all possible!

Original poster
CMOTdibbler · 11/12/2009 13:23

Ben already has a loaner, so it would be one of the others (M sorts out who has what, it was just L was suggesting that it would let me do as much as I wanted in the week for not much more, plus let me bond more and get some caring experience).

I'd be able to ride as much as I like, just working round the lessons/hacks, but L reckoned that the big horses only do two hours a day at the weekends, and a few in the week. No cost apart from 30 quid a week, and no work

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