Long Time, No Post... Riding Lessons Going rather well!
So yeah, I have been keeping up with my riding lessons. I have to say, I am so glad to be back in the saddle. I feel as happy as ever when I am in the barn, with the horses, and helping out when I can. The lessons have been going pretty well. I rode yesterday in the morning, and have been riding Noony the most, although I did have my first fall in six years yesterday. I was learning how to canter on the lunge line. In the beginning, the lesson was going ok, though for some reason, whenever asking to canter, I never seem to lean back, as I would like to. I always tend to lean a bit forward, and could feel myself tensing up before asking him to canter. When I ask, he does canter for about one beat or two beats, but then goes into a fast trot. Now, the reason for that is that I tend to fall back right away when asking, so in a way, it does not send a clear message to Noony that I want to canter. Now that, with in combination of a forward, tense position does not bode well when getting a horse to canter. A rider should lean back, butt in the saddle, ask for the canter, and make sure just to flow with the horse. When I cantered him for a bit, it seemed that I was out of sync, which can take a bit of practice to get in sync with the way he canters. However, I do have to learn to keep myself plugged into the saddle! That seems to play a major roll when flowing with the canter of the horse.
Now, the reason I fell off was because I was not leaning back, and Noony seemed to spook. He was doing well at the trot, and I was listening on my instructor's explanation on why leaning back is important for the time being. During that short amount of time, Noony spooked, and sped a bit. I could feel that falling off was inevitable, so when I felt it start to happen, I kind of pushed myself off him, and landed on my right side. It's weird; when falling off a horse, it always seems to happen for a split second, but from my perspective, it seemed like everything went slow, before I was suddenly on the ground. I remember telling my instructor that I was ok, and trying to get up before plopping back down on the sand. My instructor told me to stay and sit for a minute, before getting back on. I was a bit sore on my right side, but other than that, I felt fine. I got back up, and was back on the paint gelding's back to continue on with the lesson. He spooked two more times, but I managed to stay on during those times. When my lesson was over (after he spooked the third time), I got off, and my instructor got on to ride him around a few times. She could feel that he was tense, but wanted to leave him on a good note. She did not want to leave him thinking that if he spooks, then it would mean an easy way to end early, which, I understand. I loved that I got to see how my instructor rode in canter, and how she was positioned on him. I also loved how I got to see how she flowed with him when starting to canter. It left me something to think about getting better at for next time, when I go ride.
After the lesson was done, I untacked Noony, and gave him a good bath. After all, it was a hot day out, and both my instructor and I felt that he was sweating a bit during the lesson. I do love that I get to bathe the horses, after being done with the lesson. I like that it gives me a bit more time to bond with the individual lesson horses.
Now, next Tuesday, I get to ride Gunnar (the Appaloosa that I first started riding.) It seems like it has been at least two or three weeks since I last rode Gunnar. I am happy to be riding him next Tuesday, as I can work on getting him to be more forward with me. Noony is a good horse, and does rather well when I give out my cues clearly. I do hope to ride Noony successfully in canter when I manage to master it by learning to keep myself plugged and balanced in the saddle. I think it will be good for me to practice the canter with Gunnar, since he is a bit more on the lazy side when it comes to things. I remember I had my second or third lesson on him, when it was a lunge lesson. I remember we tried a canter once on him, and it was slow, yet smooth and a bit easy for me to work with. In a way, I do kind of miss riding him too, since he does teach me how to be more direct and assertive.
So yeah, this was basically a post of how my riding lessons are going. I think with time, I could do very well again. I really hope to be ready for when the spring and summer shows start up, as I would like to be showing. I am going to be in my first show in October. It is a Fall Fun Show, and sounds like a great way to get a little experience in the show ring. I am a bit nervous, yet excited for when it comes up.
Now, the reason I fell off was because I was not leaning back, and Noony seemed to spook. He was doing well at the trot, and I was listening on my instructor's explanation on why leaning back is important for the time being. During that short amount of time, Noony spooked, and sped a bit. I could feel that falling off was inevitable, so when I felt it start to happen, I kind of pushed myself off him, and landed on my right side. It's weird; when falling off a horse, it always seems to happen for a split second, but from my perspective, it seemed like everything went slow, before I was suddenly on the ground. I remember telling my instructor that I was ok, and trying to get up before plopping back down on the sand. My instructor told me to stay and sit for a minute, before getting back on. I was a bit sore on my right side, but other than that, I felt fine. I got back up, and was back on the paint gelding's back to continue on with the lesson. He spooked two more times, but I managed to stay on during those times. When my lesson was over (after he spooked the third time), I got off, and my instructor got on to ride him around a few times. She could feel that he was tense, but wanted to leave him on a good note. She did not want to leave him thinking that if he spooks, then it would mean an easy way to end early, which, I understand. I loved that I got to see how my instructor rode in canter, and how she was positioned on him. I also loved how I got to see how she flowed with him when starting to canter. It left me something to think about getting better at for next time, when I go ride.
After the lesson was done, I untacked Noony, and gave him a good bath. After all, it was a hot day out, and both my instructor and I felt that he was sweating a bit during the lesson. I do love that I get to bathe the horses, after being done with the lesson. I like that it gives me a bit more time to bond with the individual lesson horses.
Now, next Tuesday, I get to ride Gunnar (the Appaloosa that I first started riding.) It seems like it has been at least two or three weeks since I last rode Gunnar. I am happy to be riding him next Tuesday, as I can work on getting him to be more forward with me. Noony is a good horse, and does rather well when I give out my cues clearly. I do hope to ride Noony successfully in canter when I manage to master it by learning to keep myself plugged and balanced in the saddle. I think it will be good for me to practice the canter with Gunnar, since he is a bit more on the lazy side when it comes to things. I remember I had my second or third lesson on him, when it was a lunge lesson. I remember we tried a canter once on him, and it was slow, yet smooth and a bit easy for me to work with. In a way, I do kind of miss riding him too, since he does teach me how to be more direct and assertive.
So yeah, this was basically a post of how my riding lessons are going. I think with time, I could do very well again. I really hope to be ready for when the spring and summer shows start up, as I would like to be showing. I am going to be in my first show in October. It is a Fall Fun Show, and sounds like a great way to get a little experience in the show ring. I am a bit nervous, yet excited for when it comes up.
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