Who doesn’t want to lesson in squally weather? Well, in spite of wind and rain, Eli and I had our usual Saturday morning lesson, and it did not disappoint. It was a good lesson because I rode really, really badly, and then really, really well. I also got to test out a new digital camcorder for a couple of fences. Or rather, my trainer did, since I can’t film myself on a horse when I’m on a horse.
Eli behaved significantly better than I expected him to, considering the weather. Again, can his improved behavior be attributed to the sinus procedures? Probably so, but so many other factors come into play, I can’t say it definitively, I can only guess that that is most likely the case.
So over most of the fences, he rode fine, although a bit quick through a combination, but we worked on two singles, long approaches to both. I’m not sure if there’s a more difficult question on course than a long approach to a single. Difficult because I have so much time to second guess myself or the horse and completely screw it up. Which is exactly what I did taking the long approach to a blue and white vertical. Overriding and then suddenly deciding to pick up the reins at the base … yeah … I can’t recommended it. In spite of my best effort to crash the jump, Eli scrambled over it and pulled the top rail. I have got to stop relying on his athleticism to save our asses when I ride so poorly.
However, my trainer explained to me what I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to fix it. She had me take just the two singles again.
This is where something clicked into place for me. I am not able to completely articulate it, but part of it had to do with counting strides much further out–like seven, eight, nine strides out on the long approach instead of two or three strides out. Not only did I realize that that was what I needed to do, but I also realized I could do it. There is more to it that simply counting, but the counting keeps the ride more organized, at least for me. So instead of messing with Eli and feeling a bit lost on a long approach, I could get to the jump much more confidently by letting him just take me. I think this is something we were pretty close to getting before he got sick, so I’m glad it fell into place relatively quickly after getting him going under saddle again.
And thanks to the new camera, I have video evidence!
MAH00003 from rennikka on Vimeo.
Additionally, I think Eli’s going to keep going in the riding fly mask. He just really seems to like it. Although his face is pretty much healed up, something about wearing the mask seems to help him–it certainly kept the rain from bugging him, it seems, and I think he likes the little bit of shade it grants on sunny days. I rode one night last week without it, and he definitely seemed edgier. This is all possibly just in my head, but whatever works, right?
Ugh long approaches to singles can suck it. Glad you were able to figure out what works. I am currently using the 1-2 method and trying to not death stare the single and instead concentrate on pace. We’ll see how that goes.
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It’s seriously the hardest thing ever.
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You guys look GREAT! Love your outfit too 🙂
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Thanks!!
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I work a lot on looking for my distance really far away too. I don’t count, because that’s too much for my pea-brain to handle, haha
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If I count, it occupies my pea-brain to the extent that I cannot make other bad decisions 😛
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Dang you’re lucky you weren’t blown off Eli. Sounded windy Af. Good riding tho. Werk!
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SO WINDY. With rain. He was being so good!
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It sounded very windy! You guys looked so awesome 🙂 Glad his face is all healed up, maybe get him a cute paddington bear-ish rain hat to go with his fly mask 😛
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Yes, he needs a yellow slicker rain bonnet!
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Long approaches can be hard. I chant to myself “don’t pick a spot, don’t pick a spot” until I get closer. So glad to hear that the hole is healed.
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Yeah it’s hard not to pick!
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Sounds windy! Glad you guys had a good lesson.
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I didn’t even want to ride, but I’m glad I stuck it out.
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Ugh. Long distances to singles are the worst. I can’t get out of my own head!!
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Exactly!
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Mark used to have us do an exercise with two jumps on a figure eight off long approaches where we had to count our strides down. Started at one, then two, all the way up to 8 or 9. You weren’t allowed to change the canter to suit your counting, you had to count down the canter you came out of the corner with. I’m really good up to 6 and get pretty shitty after that, although the more I did his exercise (and I still do it from time to time) the better I got. It helped a lot with my long-approach-to-a-single-itis.
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I need to do this! Kinda what I was doing on Saturday, but I need to be deliberate about it.
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Maybe the fly mask is acting kinda of like a shadow roll?
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Yeah, I think it might be similar, or like blinkers… the same effect, anyway
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counting is pretty much my bff, tho i usually count 1-2 until about 4 strides out since i can’t see much beyond that haha. Eli looks great with your new camcorder! and hey, if he likes the fly mask i’d stick w it too 🙂
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I’ve always counted in lines, just not to singles… one more thing to work on!
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I hate long approaches for the exact same reason. I’m not great at seeing my strides more than 3 strides out, but I do count 1-2-1-2 as I approach and that helps a lot. It gives me something to think about without messing everything else up. Most of the time.
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I definitely found that when I was counting, I could ride more forward and I didn’t pester Eli so much.
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