Forward (and Straight)
My ego with riding continues to be bruised, but I’m not a quitter.
I’m officially doing the schooling show next weekend instead of the originally planned two day show this weekend. Bonus points for saving a lot of money? That’s how I’m pitching it to myself.
I also got bumped from the jumper lesson (hopefully temporarily) this weekend, since the more experienced girls needed to prep over bigger fences for the show this weekend. I mean even if I’ve been riding perfectly I have no business jumping 3’+ right now, and it was a totally rational reason to move me to more of a hunter type 2’3″ – 2’6″ lesson but I’ll be honest and say it made me a little mad.
Not mad at my trainer or my horse or any of the lesson students, but mad at myself for slipping back like this. So I channeled that mad into FORWARD!
It’s taking time, but I’m starting to figure out the pace better at the beginning of my course instead of in the middle of it. If Simon felt at all behind my leg or sucked back, I squeeze for FORWARD. I even volunteered to go first in the rotation, because we were FORWARD confident riders and FORWARD riders aren’t afraid to go first.
My first course felt really good to me… I didn’t add in a single line, but my trainer said it was super crooked. That my horse was jumping far left over every fence.
For our second course, some oxers were added. Do you know what I say to oxers now? I say FORWARD and STRAIGHT because that’s how we jump oxers. Like a bad ass.
A fun side effect of jumping STRAIGHT is that your horse is more likely to land on the proper leads because he’s not going to drop his shoulder and dive through a corner. Who knew?
Throughout my lesson, we were FORWARD and STRAIGHT. I think Simon was a little “who are you and what have you done with my mother?” but he never questioned anything I asked him for. I asked my trainer to raise the jumps. We got a clean lead change, and for the first time in my riding career pulled a rail coming out of a line because we were too close for a distance.
Okay, maybe a little too forward.
So yes, the ego is bruised but I’m riding better than I have in months. We all know horses are humbling, so consider me humbled. You can bet your ass I’m going to do my damnedest to be the best “Beginner Jumper” at the show and go FORWARD and STRAIGHT through that entire 2’6″ – 2’9″ course.
30 thoughts on “Forward (and Straight)”
when in doubt, kick on. 🙂
Yes! Nothing wrong with a little bit of ‘grit’ in your ride!
You’ve got this. 🙂 Forward and straight is where it’s at.
HELL YES!
Get it, girl!!!! Onward and upward!!!
Way to go! Are those pictures from this past weekend? You both look great!!!
They are! Thank you 🙂
Whoop whoop! Get it!
Get it girl! Sometimes we need a kick in the pants like this to remind us to stop worrying and just go forward. I have always been allergic to speed myself, so I completely relate. It has never done me any good. In life and in riding – things go way better if we just keep going forward!!
You go girl!
So sad to miss you at the show this weekend, but glad the riding is going well!
Attagirl! Sometimes it takes a little getting mad to kick ourselves into gear.
LOVE the swedish oxer photo! Y’all look like you’re exemplifying “badass”.
Forward and straight works for everything!
And how cool is it that you came out of your big setback and bounced up even BETTER than before? Love it! 😀
Yay for forward! You and Simon are looking snazzily coordinated in those pics 🙂
Right on!
HELL YES.
You are going to KILL IT with that forward and straight. Leave ’em in the dust.
Get it girl!!!
You go! Get it done!
So proud of you!
Way to go! I need to remember that when jumping. 🙂
i love it! you guys are gonna be awesome 😀
Fuck yeah forward and straight!! Get it girl!
Own that shit!
Swedish oxers & an oxer jumping INTO a line? Never been in a hunter type lesson with those before! If you ask me, it was a baby jumper lesson 🙂
YOU GO GIRL!
Can definitely take a leaf out of your book for channelling that anger, despite having a bruised ego yourself – you’re inspiring me!
What’s the saying? Keep calm and leg on? Sounds like you’ve nailed it! You guys are looking like rockstars!
Love that determination!! And seriously I have a crush on your leg. I need your leg to tell my leg how to stay that steady. Maybe your leg could write a how-to guide or something.
Hell yeah, get some!