Chessington 23

12th August 2010

Chessington Equestrian Centre, Chessington

The evening didn't start well - a puncture on my bike, discovered half a mile from home (luckily) meant I had to walk it back to the house and run the mile to the station to catch the train instead, even so it meant arriving 10 minutes after the group lesson started. I phoned ahead and warned them I'd be late, and they'd got Tom ready for me when I got there. There was a big group today and the 5 others had already warmed up. I joined the back of the ride and warmed up with some trotting. Today's flat exercise was to change the rein on an incline and then back along the centre line, cantering to the back of the ride. First in trot as a group a few times, and then individually. It was straightforward enough, but as with the other time I was late, I couldn't focus, and after we'd ridden the exercise 3 times as a group I still couldn't work out what we were doing and had to watch the other 5 carefully to work out what was a very simple exercise. The first time I did it individually, Tom was trying to nap to the rest a little near the end, and when I asked for canter, he plunged forward and ran on a bit. I sat up, got him back to me and all was fine. The next time, I should have been ready and expecting it, which I kind of was, but I lost my balance when he plunged, tried to hang on, but ended up coming off. It happened quickly so can't really remember details but I think I must have rolled as I came off in front of him, and was aware that I needed to get away from his legs. Either way, thanks to the recent rain I was covered in mud, and two hours later my right arm and leg are quite sore. I was then given a leg up from Steve, and had an even less elegant remount that in the TREC competition last weekend. We then trotted round as a ride for a couple of laps before coming into the middle for individual jumping. I was nervous, especially after he'd run out yesterday and the fall today, so didn't do anything. But that means that I haven't 'properly' ridden since coming off. Maybe it was due to my being late so perhaps I wasn't mentally prepared. My two worst rides have both been on Tom and have been the two times I've been late. But having had my confidence knocked on Saturday and yesterday, what little I had left is now completely shattered. And due to being away for running this weekend, and an interview on Tuesday I'm not riding again until Wednesday, which mean 6 whole days for all the negativity to amplify. I feel like I've stopped making progress. Tom is one of the easiest horses to ride there, and if I can't manage to stay on for a simple trot-canter transition on him after 3 months of riding regularly again, maybe I should just stop bothering.