Riding the horse you're on
I had a really excellent lesson with Tom Davis of Flatlands Equestrian Center the other day. Curly was over at the farm in Groton, and was hanging out in the shade waiting our turn when we got there. The clinic was running a bit late (and I was frazzled from racing from work to get there) so we took a relaxed little bareback hack around the property before the clinic. We started by warming up over some jumps, and I probably learned more in that little warm up than I did over the hour+ lesson. Tom had us begin by jumping over a little crossrail to finish our warm up. Curly started off as usual by jumping from almost one stride out... imagine unbalanced horse, unbalanced rider in poor form, cacthing pony in the mouth on the landing. Eeek. Not good.
So after two lousy jumps and one passable one, Tom pulled us over, and asked what was the reason for what was happening.In my tired mind, I blurted it all out. I've had her since she was little, I trained her, I wasn't a good jumper, and so I was learning as she was learning, and so I never taught her spots well, and she didn't learn to trust me, and....He stopped me there, and said "No, no, I don't want to know what happened 5 years ago, I want to know what was happening right now!"
Odd.... but *of course* he wanted to know what was going on right now. No wonder why I get so overwhelmed at times... I am still 13 years old on a 3 year old, unfit horse who doesn't know how to jump in a dinky arena. Never mind I'm *really* in my mid twenties on a horse at a supurb fitness level who's in her second year of eventing with two years of consistant professional eventing and dressage training under her girth, being ridden by an equestrienne with a decade and a half of experience. I still ride as though I'm that unconfident 13 year old at times. How can I possibly address the issues that are in the present if I am still beating myself over the head about things that happened ages ago?
So, lessons of the day:
1. Toes out at 45 degrees while jumping,
2. Keep 60% of the horse in front of you, and
3. Ride the horse you're on.
So after two lousy jumps and one passable one, Tom pulled us over, and asked what was the reason for what was happening.In my tired mind, I blurted it all out. I've had her since she was little, I trained her, I wasn't a good jumper, and so I was learning as she was learning, and so I never taught her spots well, and she didn't learn to trust me, and....He stopped me there, and said "No, no, I don't want to know what happened 5 years ago, I want to know what was happening right now!"
Odd.... but *of course* he wanted to know what was going on right now. No wonder why I get so overwhelmed at times... I am still 13 years old on a 3 year old, unfit horse who doesn't know how to jump in a dinky arena. Never mind I'm *really* in my mid twenties on a horse at a supurb fitness level who's in her second year of eventing with two years of consistant professional eventing and dressage training under her girth, being ridden by an equestrienne with a decade and a half of experience. I still ride as though I'm that unconfident 13 year old at times. How can I possibly address the issues that are in the present if I am still beating myself over the head about things that happened ages ago?
So, lessons of the day:
1. Toes out at 45 degrees while jumping,
2. Keep 60% of the horse in front of you, and
3. Ride the horse you're on.
posted by Lindsay at 1:14 PM
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