Chessington 22

11th August 2010

Chessington Equestrian Centre, Chessington

Group lesson with Diane again today, and I told her beforehand that Saturday had knocked my confidence. She told me I was expecting too much of myself. Was back on Tom, and had a good lesson, though again the confidence is a little knocked. I need to stop comparing myself to others and criticising myself for not being able to ride as well as them, especially when they've been riding for years and years whilst I've only been back for 3 months. We worked in open order to warm up, including canters on both reins, which I'd not done in open order before, and so I had stupidly chosen the right rein at first whilst everyone else was on the left, so I had to keep ducking off the track. Error! We did some stirrupless serpentines in trot, and then with stirrups back worked on an exercise. This was with each of us near a corner marker (handily there were 4 of us) then doing a 10m circle, then going large until the next corner marker and repeat. First in walk, then in trot, then in trot with a halt at the other markers, then in trot with canter between the circles. It was actually a really good exercise that ensured the horse was really listening to you, as there were so many transitions. Tom was lovely and I got him cantering nicely on the left leg, which is his rusty side. We then did some jumping - the others were working on getting the horse to land on a specific lead, whilst as my jumping skills leave a lot to be desired, I was just working on going over, and in a straight line. We actually had a run out, or more specifically wander out. I can only blame nerves and the fact that I forget how to ride when it comes to jumping. Tom was veering off, and I thought he was going to jump the block. Given that he could barely be bothered to jump a foot high crosspole, I don't know why I would have thought he'd want to jump a 3 ft high, 1 ft wide block, but anyway. So I tried to steer him away and lost the line and he wandered out, in a slow trot. I was a little embarrassed. After that he starting being a bit silly as he knew I was rubbish, but I got a few nice jumps, with me actually riding at them, and then we left it at that. But the best news, is that I'm going to be allowed to share Tom! Not sure of details yet, such as price (!), but I'll probably have him 3 days a week, and he'll be used for clients 3 days a week. I'll mainly school him in the evenings, as it's too dark to hack out now, but hopefully I'll be able to take him out on my own for some nice weekend hacks and a bit of bonding