Hi,
Perpetual novice here: I'm returning to riding (and to NR) after several years off due to work pressures, and am wondering why I ever stopped. I absolutely love it, and am (I think) making good progress at a dressage-oriented yard on a very sweet 16.5hh horse (not the one in my avatar) who has had an impressive career: he is getting on a little now, but usually goes well for me and is suitable for my experience (walk, trot, canter: learning some lateral movements). I only ride once a week, which is frustrating but unlikely to change in the immediate future.
I'm pretty happy with my rate of progress, slow though it is. My goals are oriented towards dressage and hacking, perhaps on a share horse when the time is right. However, my trainer keeps pointing out a persistent problem with my rising trot. Apparently, I tend to anticipate it, and rush at it rather than going with the motion: then my lower leg goes and I tilt forward. She keeps telling me I need to relax.. but that's not always the easiest thing to consciously do. She notices I tend to do better without stirrups as then I *have* to go with the movement, but that's not a long-term solution for either of us! She also speculates that I over-think it, as I do better when I have something else to think about such as when I'm on a school figure or leg-yielding.
I do think I'm getting better and that this may be a matter of practice, which is hard to come by in one lesson a week, so I'm keen to maximise the benefit of my riding time by going in with the right mindset. Does anyone have any tips, such as visualisations, that help you to go with the flow?
Regards,
Calder
Perpetual novice here: I'm returning to riding (and to NR) after several years off due to work pressures, and am wondering why I ever stopped. I absolutely love it, and am (I think) making good progress at a dressage-oriented yard on a very sweet 16.5hh horse (not the one in my avatar) who has had an impressive career: he is getting on a little now, but usually goes well for me and is suitable for my experience (walk, trot, canter: learning some lateral movements). I only ride once a week, which is frustrating but unlikely to change in the immediate future.
I'm pretty happy with my rate of progress, slow though it is. My goals are oriented towards dressage and hacking, perhaps on a share horse when the time is right. However, my trainer keeps pointing out a persistent problem with my rising trot. Apparently, I tend to anticipate it, and rush at it rather than going with the motion: then my lower leg goes and I tilt forward. She keeps telling me I need to relax.. but that's not always the easiest thing to consciously do. She notices I tend to do better without stirrups as then I *have* to go with the movement, but that's not a long-term solution for either of us! She also speculates that I over-think it, as I do better when I have something else to think about such as when I'm on a school figure or leg-yielding.
I do think I'm getting better and that this may be a matter of practice, which is hard to come by in one lesson a week, so I'm keen to maximise the benefit of my riding time by going in with the right mindset. Does anyone have any tips, such as visualisations, that help you to go with the flow?
Regards,
Calder