Diary of Nic - The Nervy Novice

My lesson went pretty well on Saturday. I managed quite a few canters, although I struggled to keep them going as Herbie was less than enthusiastic. He’s absolutely adorable, but he was very lazy on Saturday.
Still struggling sometimes with my foot position as my outside foot was slipping forward a lot. I also lost my outside stirrup a couple of times.:mad:

My RI has said she may get me to canter without stirrups in my next lesson, I already loathe trotting without my stirrups but she tells me cantering without them is easier and will help teach me not to grip with my knees and encourage me to lengthen my legs. We’ll see…:eek:

I’m going back to the group lesson tonight. It’ll be the first time since my fall so I’m pretty nervous. But I really want more time in the saddle and this gives me an extra hour a week. When I booked, I said I didn’t want to ride Sapphire again (now that I know she’s fallen more than once) The girl said she could ‘request’ this. Ehhh….no, I won’t be getting on her. I really hope I don’t turn up tonight and have them try to push me into riding her again. I’d hate my lesson to start with me having to put my foot down about not riding her.

I’d planned to take my niece to look at the other school I’m interested in on Saturday, but she has chicken pox and had to miss her lesson, so I’ll need to do it another time. I really want her to come so I can prepare her for possibly moving to a different school.

It’s a difficult situation, I really enjoy my lessons where I am and it’s really close to home and friendly but the other school seems to offer a lot more. They have 15 minute lessons on things like tacking up, grooming, mucking out etc and they do both adult and child own a pony days. They also have excellent hacking – at my current RS you have to cross 2 very busy and fast main roads for a hack.

The problem is my niece as we go for lessons together so it would mean moving her too. She’s really shy and has come on great at the stables we ride at currently and she loves our instructor so I know she’d be devastated at the thought of moving. She’s about to learn to canter as well, so I don’t want to affect her progress.

I’m now thinking I’ll work on her a bit more over the next few weeks and build up to it and then book us a lesson at the other place to try it out.

For now it's fingers crossed that class goes well tonight....
 
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Lesson today was fab! I was on the dreaded Dalton, who I've always struggled with.

But while I was watching my niece have her lesson before me, I went over everything I've learned in my head & told myself this lesson would be better.

In the past I've been a bit hesitant when he bucks & I always kind of gave in, so today I was determined to get on feeling confident & take control. I really wanted to get a proper canter from him.

It seemed to work!

I got one buck from him at the start & he tried to cut corners, but I pushed on & managed to keep him on track.

I ended up with loads of great cantering.

Even cantered some (misshapen:)) 20 metre circles and figure of eights for the first time.

I'm still on a complete high! It felt amazing, it really is the best feeling :-)
 
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Just been reading through this thread and it sounds like you are doing really well and it is fab to see how enthusiastic you are about your lessons.

I noticed on your previous thread that I used to ride at the school you are at and could recognise some of the instructors from your descriptions! If you are thinking about trying another school PM me, I could give you a recommendation (or tell you where I'd avoid!)
 
Thanks Rubic, I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting there bit by bit.

You probably can work out the RIs! I think most of them have been there a while.

Some advice would be fab, I'll PM you.

Thanks
 
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