I just so annoyed after today
I was on a new horse called Maggie and she is really nice on the ground, good to tack up and pick her feet out. There were four other people in my group, all on small ponies and about 7-8 years old (I'm 14). Because there were 5 people in my lesson we were taking up a lot of space and the lesson before us had four people in it so there wasn't enough room for everyone. I get told to quickly tack Maggie up when I'm still picking out her feet so half her feet weren't picked out and I have to tack up really fast.
I get into the school and get on Maggie and straight away she is misbehaving. She won't go forward until I have kicked her 4-5 times, and before going forward she went backwards. One I'm on the track she won't stick to the side, if I pull on the reins she just moves her head and if I use my leg she ignores it. I was in front most of the lesson and going at a snail’s pace but when I wasn't Maggie would want to overtake the horse in front. She also kept throwing her head around and will NOT keep it still. I let her have some rein, I took in all the rein, I took my hands off her neck, I put them on her neck, I gave her a kick, I ignored it but she would not stop.
Then we went onto cantering. When it was my go I got Maggie into a trot and was told to go sitting so I did but I'm not good at sitting on good horses so when she started pulling her head forward I couldn't do it so had to go rising. I think I managed to do one stride of cantering but that was it. I felt so angry with her, like she was doing the opposite of everything I asked of her I know it’s not the horses fault, but she was just really annoying me.
One I had messed cantering up, I got told that It was because she was unbalanced and needs to lean on the rein. I was also told that I need to build up arm strength to stop her pulling me forward. How am I supposed to do that though with one lesson a week? My instructor said that because I didn't start riding when I was young I haven't been able to ride the trouble ponies so I'm not used to it. I suppose that’s true, but why put me on a horse that I can't do anything on?
I also feel really stupid when I'm untacking. I was asked to get Maggie's rug but I didn't know which one it was (they are all in the hay barn and it’s really dark in there). I get told it’s the "checkered blue one", so I pick up one. I walk over to Maggie with the run and get told it’s the wrong one. I get walked back over to the rugs and my instructor points out the right one and says it in a way that makes it seem obvious which one is hers.
My mum seems to think that all lessons at all stables will be like this and that the only way to avoid this is to actually own a horse (which is never going to happen). Surely not all stables have horses like this though?
I was on a new horse called Maggie and she is really nice on the ground, good to tack up and pick her feet out. There were four other people in my group, all on small ponies and about 7-8 years old (I'm 14). Because there were 5 people in my lesson we were taking up a lot of space and the lesson before us had four people in it so there wasn't enough room for everyone. I get told to quickly tack Maggie up when I'm still picking out her feet so half her feet weren't picked out and I have to tack up really fast.
I get into the school and get on Maggie and straight away she is misbehaving. She won't go forward until I have kicked her 4-5 times, and before going forward she went backwards. One I'm on the track she won't stick to the side, if I pull on the reins she just moves her head and if I use my leg she ignores it. I was in front most of the lesson and going at a snail’s pace but when I wasn't Maggie would want to overtake the horse in front. She also kept throwing her head around and will NOT keep it still. I let her have some rein, I took in all the rein, I took my hands off her neck, I put them on her neck, I gave her a kick, I ignored it but she would not stop.
Then we went onto cantering. When it was my go I got Maggie into a trot and was told to go sitting so I did but I'm not good at sitting on good horses so when she started pulling her head forward I couldn't do it so had to go rising. I think I managed to do one stride of cantering but that was it. I felt so angry with her, like she was doing the opposite of everything I asked of her I know it’s not the horses fault, but she was just really annoying me.
One I had messed cantering up, I got told that It was because she was unbalanced and needs to lean on the rein. I was also told that I need to build up arm strength to stop her pulling me forward. How am I supposed to do that though with one lesson a week? My instructor said that because I didn't start riding when I was young I haven't been able to ride the trouble ponies so I'm not used to it. I suppose that’s true, but why put me on a horse that I can't do anything on?
I also feel really stupid when I'm untacking. I was asked to get Maggie's rug but I didn't know which one it was (they are all in the hay barn and it’s really dark in there). I get told it’s the "checkered blue one", so I pick up one. I walk over to Maggie with the run and get told it’s the wrong one. I get walked back over to the rugs and my instructor points out the right one and says it in a way that makes it seem obvious which one is hers.
My mum seems to think that all lessons at all stables will be like this and that the only way to avoid this is to actually own a horse (which is never going to happen). Surely not all stables have horses like this though?