Doing my job

We actually got to have a lesson outside last weekend! And jump! Miracles, I tell you.

Of course, it’s snowing again now. Staahhhhpppp Indy-anna.

Saddle adjustment seems to have fixed our go button issues, thank goodness, and  the weekend before we had a great dressage lesson. Wherein I got to ride my first half-pass (at a walk, but STILL). Of course, I also leaned so far over in my canter circle I almost fell off, but hey, I never claimed to be good at this stuff.

The fun thing is that my dressage lesson translated over into my jumping lesson really well (like, imagine that?!). A better canter making things easier? Who would have thought…

This lesson marked the first time we’ve really jumped since we got kicked into the indoor, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that 2’6″ didn’t feel big at all. My steering is undoubtedly rusty (um, we took out an entire crossrail and my foot nearly took out a standard), but the actual jumping felt great. (Minus one bad-ASS inside turn I pulled off like NBD) I still need to work on not leaning at my jumps, because what do you mean, lean at jump and land in a heap isn’t a reliable strategy? Idk.

My eye got better throughout the lesson, but will just need more repetitions (gonna be playing a lot of the ‘counting’ game) all spring. And you know, remembering that my horse has a lead change and on the occasion he isn’t automatic, like… asking for it? Not ‘panic, panic, where do I do, what is happening, why is the sky blue’. You know, what happened immediately after the video above stops.

And I didn’t kill anyone who was doing groundwork in the arena either!

The part not shown on video (not because I don’t want to, but because all the technology rebelled) is when we turn left after that jump, come around the end of the arena to jump two flower boxes + barrels set without standards. And miss them. Because riding all the way through the corner and keeping your inside leg on is too difficult for me to comprehend or something. While Doc may be a saintly creature who carts my butt around, it was a good reminder that I still have to sit up, ride and steer. That when jumps look like uh, not jumps, he still needs me to do my job and set him up right. Straightness, corners, not-leaning-around-turns-like-I-am-a-racecar.

Our dressage lesson also pointed out my extreme weakness when it comes to my inside rein. I just cannot let go of it. Trainer C actually had me pushing my arm/hand forward to an extreme – like 6″ forward for 2-3 strides at a time just to get a feel for it. My brain just can’t comprehend how I can be on a circle/have contact/have even reins/insert something here and not be on my inside rein. UGH. I keep practicing physically pushing that hand forward, trying to overcome my muscle memory, but it’s like my brain overtakes and yells at me “NO DON’T DO THAT.” Seriously, I’m at my wits end with myself over this issue – if anyone has ideas on this, please toss them out. It’s 100% a mental block at this point. I need to work on it though, because it’s only going to be a bigger issue as we progress. Halp.

Riding is hard, guys.

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7 Comments

  1. omg riding is so hard tho haha. steering is for the birds and why can’t i just show my horse the map and he gets his own self around while i sit there cheesin on his back??? oh well. maybe one day? anyway you guys are lookin sharp in the gifs!

  2. Jumping outside how novel an idea?? LOL i haven’t jumped outside (OR RIDDEN OUTSIDE) for like 4 months now 😉 at least.

    Looking good. And riding is hard!! LOL

  3. Ahhh you really had me loling and thinking “Yup!” right along with your post. Riding IS HARD. Who knew?!? Funny what you said about releasing the inside rein, I actually am the opposite. My new trainer (Julie) was working on our flat work on Sunday and she was like, “Ok good, release your inside rein” and I immediately shoved it minimum 4 inches forward. She was then like “uh ya that’s a good release but like, maybe less next time, just relax your ring finger”. Bahahaha!

  4. I used to think you were exaggerating about almost falling off turning, until you actually did on video that one time…
    Also, it’s not proven or anything, but I think elbows actually have their own brain and we cannot control them. And they do in fact control our hanging on the inside rein (in your case) or just plain locking up at every jump (my case).
    Freaking elbows.

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