Vent, I guess.

I have a lot of instructors, as I ride in different groups and such. Most of them teach the same basic things, and they are all great. I've never really had a conflict like this before.
My instructor over the summer told me my leg slipped foward too much. Maybe, at the time, that was true. But somewhere along the line it ended up too far back. Either it wasn't too far foward in the first place or she/I over-exaggerated getting it back farther? I'm not sure. But either way, it seems to slip too far back now. I'm trying pretty hard and did pretty well yesterday.
This instructor also convinced me that leaning foward would make my leg go back. I guess it does but, now I lean forward all the time! I wrote in my journal a week or so ago about a pony I rode who refused to jump. I got him to jump and was SO proud of us! My instructor had me ride him again as, she thought we were good for each other. Well yesterday, I guess just by habit I was leaning foward a lot. Well, he refused to jump! And I don't blame him! Because I was totally in his way!
But, the instructor I rode with this day, was very mean about it. I'm very, very doubtful in my riding now and I'm actually nervous to go back. I feel like I'm a bad rider and like I never want to jump again. She told me that I was teaching her pony bad habits, that she hated my position, and countiously said "Great job guys!" and then proceded to walk up to meand say, "Except for you." She hates to see her ponies in bad situations and particulary loves this one but, she was over the top about it! She's never been like this before, and I've seen other people to do the same thing with the same pony! I don't know what was up with her but nothing gets to me like someone flat out saying I'm a bad rider. And she is someone I have always really respected and looked up to. I have cried about this several times, and I just feel like I don't want to ride again.

A professional trainer should never make you feel like that, she should be using her training to help you. I guess she was having a bad day and it ended up being taken out on you. :(

Try to let go and not take offense, I know it is hard. Go in to your next lesson with her with an open mind and see if it was just a bad day on her part. If she acts like this again it might be time to confront her or take a private lesson to resolve this issue.

*hugs* I am sure you are not a bad rider, especially cause you sound willing to learn and take the instruction.

Thanks. I'm going to try not to hold a grudge.

AWWWW! I'm sorry! Sometimes it seems to me that my trainer knows I have huge potential to go really far with the horse I have now, that she is alot harder on me than the other riders. I just take it as her making me stronger as a rider. And sometimes people have bad days, we are human afterall!

I know how you feel. Some instructors can be so mean and are just much more social with their horses than their riders. Us, as riders, always want to be good and get praise, or at least I do. I always feel so awful after an instructor says something disappointing about my lesson. I have had some amazing teachers and also some awful ones. The bad ones can be a real pain in the butt because it seems like, to me that they always find someone in particular to pick on every lesson. Your instructor sounds like she isn't always this mean, but this time she was. I'm really sorry she made you feel so bad. I know it can be awful to dissapoint, but I beg you not to feel so bad as you won't ride. Think back to the fact of why she put you on him in the first place. It wasn't because you were bad, it was because the teacher thought you rode the pony really well. Focus more on the good points than the bad. *hugs*

Wow, sounds like my lesson yesterday. You are certainly not alone. I went home from my lesson yesterday crying and wanting to barf at the same time from the stress. This SHOULD be fun - and is most of the time. Some days just plain aren't. It is supposed to rain here for a few days - time to get my nerves back in order. Good luck to you - I feel your pain!

Thanks everyone :) I rode a pretty advanced horse yesterday, much harder than this pony and, we jumped without a problem. I feel so much more confident now. :)

I know how you feel. My instructor is great, but when she is sick or can't come for some reason, the substitute is horrible. I've had her twice now and both times she picked me to pick on. At the end of the second lesson with her, I rode the best I could and she finally said "well done!".
I was just like "HA! I can ride!!!!!!"

I hate when instructors pick on certain people :P
One of my instructors will really be on my back if I'm on a horse she knows I can ride well and we're having trouble, but if I'm on a harder horse, as long as I have him under control she won't care.