In Search of Confidence: Seeing Progress

He is the best at series posts.

NOTED: Contest results will be up tomorrow!!

I decided to turn this into a series, because it seems to be an on-going theme for this blog anyways.

Last time, I talked about the things I'm doing to actively develop my confidence so I can be the best rider for my horse. I guess I should maybe do a post about how the MOST CRITICAL INGREDIENT is always always ALWAYS the right horse.

But maybe this entire blog is about that. Let's call that the meta narrative and move on for now.

So with all the work I've been putting in on developing confidence, I scheduled a lesson with our awesome biomechanics teacher on Saturday. I decided to do flatwork because A) I wanted some solid guidance on what to work on and B) my newly-found jumping confidence needed to marinate a little more before I wanted to test it in a lesson. Let's just say lessons haven't been universally positive experiences for me and I want to let the confidence take root before pushing it like that.

downhill over the vertical like badasses

This is more my issue than the instructors' and I know that. I'm not knocking instructors, but I'm playing the hand I have, so easy on the lessons for right now.

Anywho. We did our flat lesson. We worked hard. Courage had brilliant moments and flailing moments (yeah, he still does that apparently) and I rode through it all and made progress and at the end, I almost felt a little bit cheated.

Because at no point was I afraid for my life or worried that I'd get hurt or anything. It was just a lesson. There was no super human feat of courage (ha!) or mental fortitude to just survive the hour. No, I kept my brain engaged and learned the whole time and that was it.

Huh.

yup, did that

Then comes Monday. My mental schedule indicated that it was jump day, so redheadlins set up a fantastic course. She's doing this great thing right now where a course goes from cavaletti up to a large (for my brain) oxer with everything in between. That way we don't have to get off and on all the time and we ride forward and jump and the bigger jumps build themselves into the courses. I 100% approve.

Courage and I had a solid warm up, then rolled through the cavaletti. I was happy with how I was riding and the decisions I was making.

We got close and I wasn't terrified.

And then we jumped. And it was awesome. I had my leg on and eyes up and rode forward and the little man was brilliant. He was balanced and listening. It didn't even matter how tall the fences were. I pointed him at them and rode straight. When he said "are you sure?" I could answer "YES!" It wasn't my best jumping form of all time, but it was hands down the most comfortable and confident I have ever been jumping on him.

I'm completely thrilled. Utterly happy. Can't wipe the smile off my face. It feels so good to be back here.

What a great birthday present.