August lesson recap
TLDR: I felt like I was making progress. Then I looked at the pictures and OMG I LOOK TERRIBLE.
I took weekly lessons until 2008, and lessoned occasionally until 2012. I’ve lessoned very, very rarely in the past four years. I also have a lack of media on the blog due to a lack of regular photographers around when riding ‘Fetti.
My leg really wants to swing forward, and I tend to sit too far back. I suspect that the Eurolight did not help this since that’s the position it put me in, however, the fault inherently lies with me for not correcting it. I am in a really awful chair seat in most of the photos. Yuck. This is what happens when I don’t get anyone taking photos of me for months on end 🙁
Leg position should not change during transitions, up or down.
Um.. I have been riding a pony for too long where I have to lift my heel to make contact?! I don’t even know, y’all.
Moments of sort-of-correctness.
I should be leaning too far forward. Then I’m straight. Woo, failed body awareness!
Canter work genuinely has improved. I’m not just imagining that. This is a super big win; I’ve been battling that forever. Keep my hands low and steady rather than lifting them into the canter; horse moves up to me.
I have no idea what was going on here, but I don’t think it was working. I also don’t think it was a fluke. Dang, photos are brutal.
I still end up with the stirrup at my heel in the trot to canter transitions, but most of the time I really do have the stirrup in the right place!
I am riding a giant horse in an arena. Crazy.
🙁 This is not my cat.
As we walked out to my car after the lesson, my boyfriend pointed out a cat following us. It just so happened to be practically the spitting image of my cat who had to be euthanized at the beginning of this month. So much heartache. Such a lovely cat.
More lesson thoughts to come in the next week or two, I hope, as I poke around on the pony and try to put some of it into practice.
aw don’t be so tough on yourself!! it’s super hard to get back into a new routine esp after a long break from lessons or step-by-step instruction while riding (esp on an unfamiliar horse in a new setting!). i have basically entire series of photos exactly like these of myself too. some are good, some are ok, and some make me seriously wish for the day when they can be considered the “before” pictures haha. hope you’re enjoying the lessons tho!
OMG, you look…fine! Huge horse, different saddle, rusty on skills, I think you look good, and good for you to take some lessons! I truly should do the same. If you want to feel better about yourself come watch me try to trot a circle/oval/lump in the arena. I don’t even think I can ride without endurance stirrups. So good job. And what a tall, dark and handsome horse!
Pictures are the worst, right? This is why I almost never take video. Because then I critique my every move. Don’t worry about the individual moments of bad posture. The over-all effectiveness of your ride is what you should focus on. And it looks like you’re doing well riding such a different horse.