Wednesday, June 5, 2013

More of the Same

Sorry I haven't been great about blogging.  Two reasons:  craziness in the rest of my life, including ALMOST selling our house and moving and then not and then the fact that we're just revisiting old problems.

Yes, it's still the forward problem.  Last night my trainer wanted me to ride forward.  I felt like we were REALLY MOVING OUT.  She took my pony away from me and had Layla get on.  Layla took five minutes, amped her up, jumped the course and gave her back to me.  I got back on and was told to feel how forward really felt.

I'm embarrassed to say that it felt scary.  Yes, she was able to jump MUCH MUCH MUCH easier.  I did my best to not shut her down.  To keep my reins short and my body upright.  But it took a lot of breathing and realizing that THIS is what normal should feel like.  I need to adjust my expectations and my feel.  I need to be more comfortable with my horse being forward.

Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to ride other horses to fix this.  I'm okay with that though.  As a wise woman at my barn once said "You have to learn to dance with the partner you have."

So, my upcoming goal is to just try to find comfort at a forward gait.  And if I can to try to get someone else to get her going forward so that I can start with just maintaining it.  From there I think we can build on it.

P.S.  I also did a course that included a tiny little vertical.  Which made me grin from ear to ear like I just did a Prelim Event course.

9 comments:

  1. I have the same problem too! I can get nervous with proper forward, especially when jumping, or in small areas with unbalanced horses, or on skinny horses where it feels like I have nothing to hang on to...

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  2. Getting comfortable with that feeling of real forward can take some time - the more you do it the better you'll feel. And once you've got forward, a lot of other things - straightness, bend, etc. - become so much easier.

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  3. I wouldn't beat yourself up. You have reason to be nervous about a forward free energy with your mare. She helped make that bed too :)

    I had/have similar issues with Prairie as well. I'm to the point where I'm pretty comfortable moving her out on the flat in (almost) every scenario, but over fences I still slowly micromanage her canter until we're practically standing still. feels SO MUCH SAFER. I know it's not, but that's what an self-preservation brain does for you. :)

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  4. You'll get there! Remember it's nearly impossible to get run away with in a contained arena :)

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  5. Just keep at it...you are already doing so well!

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  6. Forward + unpredictable pony = scary!!! Can you get a lesson on the lunge line? Then all you have to do is stay on and breathe.. ;)

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  7. Your progress has been great, so give it time. Forward will get more comfortable for you. Bravo for the vertical jump :)

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