Here's the new crossties / tacking up area. Isn't it pretty? And so organized? (No, it's not usually this organized - they'd just moved everything over there.) And yep, I slung my saddle over the wall instead of using the saddle stand, because I am a heathen who is not used to niceties such as saddle stands and I didn't notice it. Sigh.
Ok, I don't know what is with the look on my face here. I must've been in the middle of saying something to Clipper. Anyway, Clipper isn't actually pissed off, he's just a lazy old horse. That position was just him stoppping as soon as he was halfway in the right spot in the crossties. He never moved a foot til I'd finished brushing and tacking up and unclipped him.
The spot on his left hind is an old healed scar.
This is the best picture of us cause my legs don't look too horrid here.
The blue tights belong to the BO who was kind of teaching a double lesson. I am (obviously) still working on (fighting with) my legs, so she had me walk around and two-point at each light pole. It's really hard for me to two-point at a walk, without that "push" from the trot, but it also kept me thinking about which muscles I was using to push up, what my torso was doing, where my calves were going, etc.
I dunno. I am very tempted to say I shall never again let pictures of me riding be taken, but that's counterproductive. Maybe I'll make my husband come take pics like once a month so eventually I'll see some improvement. I shudder to think how horrible I looked when I started!
I mean, really, WTF are my feet DOING here? And this was obviously one of the moments when I was not thinking about my torso. At least Clipper looks calm and bored, and I'm not snatching at his mouth.
Ok, the BO was talking and demonstrating exactly which muscles I should've been using to rise out of the saddle with.
MY FEET WHAT FFFFFFFFF I am getting more and more bemused by this.
ANYWAY. That's me, on Clipper, trying to learn to ride. fffffffff!
I went by and paid my stall rent today. I requested a longe line lesson for Sunday - the BO agreed that it would probably be helpful. I think it really will - if I can stop worrying about telling the horse to move forward and turn and all that, I can get this figured out.
Hey, your trees have these green things all over them. WTF?
ReplyDeleteAnd, really, I have yet to find a more unflattering way to be photographed than on a horse. Hell, even when I'm riding I can't look if I pass a window in the off-chance that I see my reflection. Of course, it means that I don't see how horribly I'm riding. Such a conundrum. Do I learn what I'm doing wrong or do I see what a saddle does to my butt? Hmmm....
Anyway, lunge line lessons are awesome. I would always learn so much faster and I can't wait to hear what you discover. :)
-Sara
I know it did seem like a good idea at the time =right...like your blog suggests!
ReplyDeleteFunny!
You shouldn't worry about what ya look like, you're doing one of the best things for your bod, by horsin' around!
...Or ya could just teach the hubby to only take "slim pics".
I have gotten rather good at it and maybe need to travel to market the tecnique!
Thanks for the photos and fun!
..Funny you should mention Lungeing..am ready a great book on that now called "LUNGEING
The horse and rider" by Sheila Inderwick
One of the =3 boxes of books= my sissy gave me with the horse 3 years ago!
Can't wait to hear!
Sheesh, don't worry about the pics. None of us is here to judge your thighs.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like is the obvious independence between your hands and your seat. Looks to me like you need to roll back in the saddle. Tuck your bum under, bring your shoulders back and flatten your spine. When you ride too far forward on your pelvis your calves tend to push backward to balance your weight. It's also much harder to post.
Carol (our coach, a right bitch but a damned fine horsewoman) always wanted to see lower backs that would touch the entire length of an imaginary (and sometimes literal) perpendicular board. This requires tucking your bum under and making contact with your seat bones rather than your pelvic bone. Very important when you really start using your seat aids, but also helpful for keeping your leg in the right position.
Sorry if that is way too much input. Just can from helping our local Level III coach with one of her 3-year-olds so I have dressage on the brain...
I have been wondering what you look like! And you look fine, so knock it off! :-)
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel any better, i have jumped for like 12 years and your walk two-point looks better than mine. My shoulders always collapse. :-(
Cool, yall think the longe lesson will be a good idea. Yay!
ReplyDeleteDP, thanks for the tips! I am perfectly happy only getting in to horses as an adult, but I often wonder how different it would be if I'd learned to ride, correctly, as a kid.
Anyway, I know I'm improving, but I still have a ways to go.
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE longe lessons!!!!! You can learn SO much from them!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy instructor has me do a bunch of twisting exercises on the longe and with my arms out like an airplane w,t,c. They WILL make you develop an independent seat! LOL
Good luck! I can't wait to read a post about how it went!!