Mental Block?

Well.. I don't really know how to say what they problem is. My trainer says I am a really good ride for how long I have been riding, and I could probably be jumping higher if this problem wasn't there. I guess I have some sort of mental block? Because sometimes I just can't put things together right. One second I wont be leaning and be doing great and the next I will be leaning in a bad 2-point. Usually that would be when the horse is about to refuse a jump, I just have a thing that says "lean towards the jump!" instead of "push her towards it!"And this mental block will cause me to pop my heals up and all sorts of things. Kind of like I think it's going to make things safer, but really just makes things worse... Any ideas to get this mental block thing out of the way? This would help 10x more then anything.

Maybe you're tired... you should stop before you start to get tired and unfocused. End on a good note. I don't think it's really a mental block.. just if you do the same thing over and over or if you do different things for a long while, then you get tired and your brain gets fried. Thus you ride poorly and the horse doesn't give forth any effort. You both just turn into lazy buckets.

Does that make sense?

Go back to basics.. don't drill yourself on them. But do some good basics, and then try some of the new stuff or stuff that you have some trouble with. Try explaining things to yourself. "I'm a fly on his back" therefore you go WITH the movement.. you push forward.. a fly can't hold back a 1000lb animal. Maybe that'll help

Good luck :) You're doing great!

That actually makes a lot of sense... there was one lesson where I got like... 9 hours of sleep the night before? One of my best lessons I have ever had. Maybe I need more sleep?

Yes that would help, and eating really well before and after you go riding. Horse riding is a sport, you and your horse are athletes so you need to show up in your most healthy condition that you can muster :) That means vitamins, and maybe some cardio exercise (walking or running), getting a good night's sleep, and eating well. It'll help you in the long run :)

Thanks! Actually rode three horses today, got 9 hours of sleep again and did quite will today. Now I just have to get that much sleep tonight for tomorrow's lesson. =)