First off - I have had a few lessons but mainly just the basics. The rest I taught myself. I practiced hard till I can sit the trot really well bareback and of course in the saddle. I then went on to learning to canter. It was going pretty good and I was getting the hang of it.
However I still don't really know what I'm doing! If we get lucky and are on the correct lead it is great and we can just fly over the fields. I'm not nervous of the speed and we've cantered or even galloped in the field bareback. But especially lately Berdi has been picking up the wrong lead and I find it very difficult to get her on the correct one. I keep my outside leg behind the girth, inside leg on the girth and tip her head to the outside. It just doesn't work.
Also what I've noticed is the when we are trotting she is perfectly attentive and I can her to do anything. But often when we canter she pulls which ever way she wants to go and when I do have to back up my other aids with the bit, she just slows down and keeps trying to turn. She doesn't bolt or anything dangerous - just doesn't listen as well.
I'm going to try to get some more lessons but I was hoping you guys would have some ideas I could try. I'm not nervous of falling, so I don't think I'm tense but I certainly could be giving her wrong signals as I'm not a very experienced rider.
However I still don't really know what I'm doing! If we get lucky and are on the correct lead it is great and we can just fly over the fields. I'm not nervous of the speed and we've cantered or even galloped in the field bareback. But especially lately Berdi has been picking up the wrong lead and I find it very difficult to get her on the correct one. I keep my outside leg behind the girth, inside leg on the girth and tip her head to the outside. It just doesn't work.
Also what I've noticed is the when we are trotting she is perfectly attentive and I can her to do anything. But often when we canter she pulls which ever way she wants to go and when I do have to back up my other aids with the bit, she just slows down and keeps trying to turn. She doesn't bolt or anything dangerous - just doesn't listen as well.
I'm going to try to get some more lessons but I was hoping you guys would have some ideas I could try. I'm not nervous of falling, so I don't think I'm tense but I certainly could be giving her wrong signals as I'm not a very experienced rider.