My name is Nicola and I have recently had a complete confidence meltdown and have decided to keep this diary to be able to track my progress and pin point any problems that may arise.
A bit of background first;
I started riding at 38 after never being on a horse before. I have been riding now for 2 years and had only a couple off falls (and more than a few ‘wobbles’ ).
Last winter I had a change of ri, my last fall and completely lost all my confidence with my riding ability. With another change of ri and lots of encouragement I regained it all back and had a fab summer with no issues at all.
I was riding twice a week with my friend, ½ hour group and 1 hour group lessons.
Coming back into this winter, my fab ri left my rs and other riders joined the hour group lesson. The lesson seemed to be all about going as fast as you can, over as many jumps as you can. I felt that I wasn’t enjoying the lesson and that I wasn’t really learning to ride, it was more about just staying on.
As my friend was having the same issues, we had word with the manager and decided to start having 1 hour semi private lesson together. We were given a new ri, who we told all about our issues and who agreed we needed lots of confidence boosting lessons to get us back on track.
We have continued with the ½ hour group lesson as there is only the two of us in that lesson at the moment.
So for the last 3 weeks, we have spent the hour semi private lessons going no fast than trot, as most of our issues are with cantering. The ri agreed that although we wouldn’t canter, we would work on preparing for canter. So we started working on our position, to help us feel more secure in the saddle. We have been working on our lower leg position with lots and lots of sitting trot, circles and serpentines in sitting trot and transitions between rising and sitting trot in collected trot and extended trot into the corners.
In the ½ group lesson, we have still been cantering but the ri allocates the horses and puts us on ones that she knows we are comfortable with.
Both ri’s commented that my lower leg position is very good and they both know I can ride, it is my faith in my own riding ability that I have to over come.
Part of my problem is that I watch the children’s lessons at the weekend as my daughter rides, and I see some of the horses I ride, whizzing round as fast as anything. I know it is all about the riders ability to control the horse but get scared that I haven’t got that ability and they would whiz off with me!!! One ri last year wanted to ban me watching the kids as he said it made me worse, but I can’t not watch my child can I???
Ohh just need to add, one lesson over xmas, I rode the baby of the rs. My ri seemed quite impressed at how well I rode him, he even worked in an outline (which he probably doesn’t even know what it is!!!) He is really sweet, tried to strike off into canter but realised that I didn’t want it and came back to trot immediately. He didn’t flinch when trotting down one side of the arena when two horses came racing past in the next arena. I think the reason he went so well was that because I knew I wasn’t cantering, I felt confident which must have given him confidence in me.
So that’s where I am at the moment. I’ll try and update this diary either after every lesson or every week and hopefully be able to track the improvements I’m making.
A bit of background first;
I started riding at 38 after never being on a horse before. I have been riding now for 2 years and had only a couple off falls (and more than a few ‘wobbles’ ).
Last winter I had a change of ri, my last fall and completely lost all my confidence with my riding ability. With another change of ri and lots of encouragement I regained it all back and had a fab summer with no issues at all.
I was riding twice a week with my friend, ½ hour group and 1 hour group lessons.
Coming back into this winter, my fab ri left my rs and other riders joined the hour group lesson. The lesson seemed to be all about going as fast as you can, over as many jumps as you can. I felt that I wasn’t enjoying the lesson and that I wasn’t really learning to ride, it was more about just staying on.
As my friend was having the same issues, we had word with the manager and decided to start having 1 hour semi private lesson together. We were given a new ri, who we told all about our issues and who agreed we needed lots of confidence boosting lessons to get us back on track.
We have continued with the ½ hour group lesson as there is only the two of us in that lesson at the moment.
So for the last 3 weeks, we have spent the hour semi private lessons going no fast than trot, as most of our issues are with cantering. The ri agreed that although we wouldn’t canter, we would work on preparing for canter. So we started working on our position, to help us feel more secure in the saddle. We have been working on our lower leg position with lots and lots of sitting trot, circles and serpentines in sitting trot and transitions between rising and sitting trot in collected trot and extended trot into the corners.
In the ½ group lesson, we have still been cantering but the ri allocates the horses and puts us on ones that she knows we are comfortable with.
Both ri’s commented that my lower leg position is very good and they both know I can ride, it is my faith in my own riding ability that I have to over come.
Part of my problem is that I watch the children’s lessons at the weekend as my daughter rides, and I see some of the horses I ride, whizzing round as fast as anything. I know it is all about the riders ability to control the horse but get scared that I haven’t got that ability and they would whiz off with me!!! One ri last year wanted to ban me watching the kids as he said it made me worse, but I can’t not watch my child can I???
Ohh just need to add, one lesson over xmas, I rode the baby of the rs. My ri seemed quite impressed at how well I rode him, he even worked in an outline (which he probably doesn’t even know what it is!!!) He is really sweet, tried to strike off into canter but realised that I didn’t want it and came back to trot immediately. He didn’t flinch when trotting down one side of the arena when two horses came racing past in the next arena. I think the reason he went so well was that because I knew I wasn’t cantering, I felt confident which must have given him confidence in me.
So that’s where I am at the moment. I’ll try and update this diary either after every lesson or every week and hopefully be able to track the improvements I’m making.
oop: oh 
