Maya is doing great - tips for me please!

S

shockblue

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Oct 8, 2009
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As some of you know Maya has been away for backing and I rode her for the first time a few weeks ago.

She's been practising cantering the last week and has happily been cantering in the school to the back of the ride and on a 20 metre circle.

She's now been working on hacking out as I'm going to hack her over to the new yard next Tuesday! This is the goal!!! Its about an hour or so away.

So she's been walked out plenty of times and she's been ridden out once and was spooky but didn't do anything other than stop and assess or jump a little. I led her out tonight just to see how she was and help with my confidence. I'm going to ride her out on Wednesday and again on Friday! These will be firsts for me and her together.

Wish me luck for then. I have to say I'm a bit nervous, more about me tensing up if she spooks and then worrying her even more - managed to get chucked of this way before :redface:

Any confidence/ relaxation tips would be greatly accepted :biggrin:
 
When i started to ride Abby out again after an 18 month break i used to sing to myself (and Abby) and it kept my mind off what i was doing and she could hear me. Because when i get nervous i go quiet so i always sing so they can hear me. It does seem to help both. Good luck cant wait to see how you get on, im sure it will be great :wavespin:
 
Talk, sing, deep breaths, lot of pats and encourgment for Maya too :happy:

Relax as much as possible, i know its easier said than done but try not to tense up.

Have you go a foot soilder who could join you for the first few times?
 
I can't sing for toffee so I tend to go for a sort of calming-toned monologue where I explain that the tractor (or whatever) isn't going to eat her and its all fine, nothing to worry about there, etc etc. Seems to work for me but I think its probably hearing my voice sounding all chilled that does it - it can't be the nonsense I actually say!
 
Oh good luck, so exciting!! Singing is definitely key - and yes, try to come up with some songs beforehand, when I'm in my car I know the words to heaps, but when I'm caught out on a ride I can only think of two/three. I think my horse gets a bit fed up of them over and over..broken record indeed.:redcarded:
Also like happy bunny I tend to tell Flip how I'll protect him and nothing will hurt him while I'm around. State of mind!!
 
I did it! She was brilliant and it was chucking it down with rain. I found that if I nudged her on it got her attention back if it started to wonder to scary things.

I'm really pleased. Going again on Friday night and Saturday and then the big ride is tuesday!
 
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