 |
| dogs "should" chase cats |
This is a different question. I know when I ride on my own, I try to focus on doing a few things well each ride, whether that's getting my stupid hip angle open, lifting my hands, or what-have-you. Certainly when I ride in lessons, there's always that one phrase that the instructor WON'T STOP SAYING until you actually do the blasted thing.
But let's not talk about that. Let's talk about the one thing you have to leave behind you when you get on.
 |
| horse should move freely |
For me, it's the word "should". Should gets me nowhere. Should creates pressure. Should causes disappointment.
I can try anything I want, but I have to leave should behind.
What about you? What do you forget so you can ride?
It's hard to articulate, but for me I guess 'perfect' is the word I leave behind? At this point, Fiction doesn't have to be perfect, he just has to respond. If he responds, even if it is less than perfect, he gets a good boy. If he doesn't respond, then we try again, still not seeking perfection, just a correct response in the direction we want to move.
ReplyDelete"Distraction" is what I leave behind! There is no pressure from my job, no phone ringing and bleeping, no worries about what I need to do that evening, the next day, the next week, no to-do list, nothing else calling for my attention. When I ride, I JUST. RIDE. There is complete focus, and it's something I need to try and strive for in the rest of my life!
ReplyDeleteLove, this, Alli. This is totally me when I ride!
DeleteSecond distraction. I forget I even have a job or stress or life when I'm in the saddle.
ReplyDeleteCan't. I can't get my left hip down, I can't manage that right hand, I can't get Theo traveling straight. It's a struggle to not tell myself I can't do something, because if I say that, then I won't work on it and it will become true.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say baggage but it is along the lines of distraction. I have a super sensitive horse, so if I let anything besides calm focus creep in we tend to go on a downward spiral.
ReplyDeletePlan. Certainly you have to have some idea of what you are looking to accomplish in your ride. But I'm such a rigid planner, and horses so unpredictable: Will my horse be willing to work this hard today? Will my horse be sound? Will my horse be in the right mental state for this exercise? There are so many variables, that when I approach my ride with a rigid plan, I often leave the barn feeling frustrated that we didn't accomplish what I wanted. So I need to forget about the rigid plan, and work more on making a loose plan for the horse I have that day, and what I can reasonably expect to accomplish with that ride.
ReplyDeleteLeaving distractions behind so I can focus. AlsopPicturing what I do want to happen rather than what I don't.
ReplyDeleteoooh 'should' is a good one! i hadn't really considered this in specific terms, but it's kinda vaguely been on my mind as i bring both me and pony back into work as correctly as possible... my forgotten phrase might be "she won't" - as in, forget the idea that the mare has opinions on things (even if maybe she does) and ride as if she will do (or try to do) anything in the whole wide world if as i ask correctly. and if she's not doing it, check myself first.
ReplyDeleteGood idea for a post! What do I have to remember to forget when I ride?
ReplyDeleteLately I haven't been riding the WB mare for two reasons. 1) because the ground is total slop, but also 2) I'm letting her work out her own inner demons and figure things out for herself, because of 3) she's not doing the things she does just to piss me off or screw with me.
We have come to a point where we are 'stuck'. She is for sale so instead of drilling on her to get past this and possibly making things worse, I'm happy to stay on the ground and let her sort it out on her own. I would rather not create a bigger issue for someone else to sort out.
My other mare- it's easy to let the world slip away by throwing a leg over her back.
Perfection. I get totally discouraged when I can't perfect something, so sometimes I have to turn that part of my brain off.
ReplyDeleteI was taught to leave any negative words out of my mind. When you think a negative word such as "we wont spook at that rock" your mind actually omits the "won't" and only functions on "spook at rock" which sets up a spook to occur. Instead I try to think things like "we will move forward without resistance". I've noticed a big impact in my riding by just changing that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great question! And I love that "should" is your word. I agree with it wholeheartedly and also agree with everyone who posted distraction. I really try to leave all that's bugging me off my horse. And if I know I can't, then I just lunge her instead of riding...
ReplyDeleteIn a similar vein to 'should', it's 'must' for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm still contemplating this. I'm leaning toward either "perfect" or "plan". Maybe "expect". Not expectations of the horse so much. I'm perfectly happy to adjust whatever is needed to match where my mare is at mentally and emotionally.
ReplyDeleteBut. I have these ridiculously high expectations of myself, and I get frustrated to the point of tears when I am not perfectly amazing in saddle. When I let go of those expectations and just exist in the moment where we are both at, we find a lot more success as a team. And while never perfect, we have a better chance of meeting those high expectations when they're not in my brain.
"Sound." Goodness knows my horse couldn't pass a lameness exam to save her life, but she makes it clear she is happy and comfortable doing a bit of riding. I've been feeling especially weird about this this month since I just moved her to a boarding barn, so I feel like I have the eyes of a million "omg why is she riding a lame horse" on me. Whatever!
ReplyDelete