Western Girl in an English World

(Riding PE)

I rode Tonka today in Saddle 1, which was a nice return after a weekend where I felt like the worst rider in the world. It was nice to get on a horse I have a strong relationship and feel like I was actually making progress. Lisl had me ride with my left hand behind my back for the whole lesson which honestly was exactly what I needed to stop twisting my body. She said I immediately looked more square, so now I just need to figure out how to do that while my hands are in front of me. Jeremy told me that he’s been tying his riders, making them carry weights, taking away their stirrups. He tied a girls ponytail to the back of her saddle. He said he’s torturing them but honestly I feel like that’s exactly what I need. Tie me up, yell at me, make me get better, PLEASE. I never want to feel the embarrassment I felt at the shows this weekend again. 

Tonka was pretty stiff today and didn’t want to lope. When I first asked her we were on the Right Lead she did her normal buck-y bunny hop, and it seemed like she was really stiff in her hind. Her head went down and she definitely tried to get me off. I lost my right stirrup and went forward almost onto her neck (with my left hand still behind my back) but I got it back and made her go, which definitely got me her respect. 

We really worked on getting her into the corners, and moving her over and keeping her on the rail. She wasn’t happy about it but she was going a lot more into her scary corner, so I was pleased with that. It seems she’s less scared of it when Lisl stands in the corner. I basically wouldn’t let her go anywhere else, but rewarded her heavily for any step into the corner. 

I was proud of our downward transitions today, It really felt like the moment I sat deep she knew exactly what I was asking, and I’m proud that I was able to sit the way she needs. I used to pop out of the saddle and I really felt like I wasn’t doing that today. I’m also really proud of my balance today. I wouldn’t have had the confidence or the balance to completely take away one of my hands, and I definitely wouldn’t have stayed on when she bunny hopped, even last year. 

(Team Practice)

I rode Tonka again today in saddle #4. It slid back after just one lap around the arena so I hopped off and moved it up and didn’t have an issue with it afterward. We were outside today and it seems like Tonka hasn’t had many beginners so far this semesters so she was in a pretty good mood. However, she really wanted to cut into the middle and my leg needs to be stronger to stop her. I’m not sure if it’s a mental block or not wanting to grip too much and piss her off or if physically I’m not able to use enough force to get her to move but I need to rely less on my rein and more on my leg and seat to move her over. I was also having issues determining what was her breaking and what was just her going really slow western. Amanda says I need to trust her more and I agree but at the same time it seemed like every time I tried to trust her she broke. I need to find the happy medium between trusting her and letting her do what she wants. Kelli commented that my back looks a lot better and I’m not leaning back as much, but my shoulders still need to be lifted up and forward so that’s my next thing I need to work on.

Another thing I noticed was that I think my stirrups were too long, and I found my toes pointing down to try to reach the stirrups and Amanda kept commenting on it, telling me to get my heels DOWN. She then had me drop my stirrups and honestly my leg got a lot better when I dropped my stirrups, which is how I realized my stirrups might be too long. I was pleasantly surprised by how well I maintained my balance without stirrups, and how I was able to transition between walk/trot/lope without stirrups and stay on. But I was really, really scared. I don’t know if Amanda really knows that I fell off last year and still deal with lasting effects of that concussion, but I didn’t want to seem like I wasn’t willing to do or try what she asked, even though I was really terrified of falling again. I was trying hard not to cry and at least not to cry when I was down at the end where the coaches were sitting.

P.E.

(Team Practice)