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Friday, October 9, 2015

About-Face on Video

It's no secret that I hate video. I just do. I can't explain it. I rarely watch it. When I have it of myself, I mostly use it to take screenshots and make pretty pictures. I'm quite discontent with how I look and how I ride, so the idea of watching myself riding is rather nauseating.

But.

We have the big goal of doing first level (ack!) at the recognized show in May.

someday i will ride the canter not like a monkey
That means I have to get better. My first step was to not only take a lesson (!!) with my fabulous on-site trainer who totally gets my horse, but also to inform her that we were going to step it up and get in on the program. By which, I mean take a lesson every 1-2 weeks. We have an indoor. Weather is a non-issue. We're going to make this happen.

Moment of silence for all the pretty shit I will be not buying the rest of the winter. SOB. GOODBYE CUSTOM MATTES.

The second key is video. I need to be consistent about getting video of myself and my horse and I need to get over my hatred of watching it. Video keeps me honest about myself and shows me what the judge sees. That is critical to improving.

So. I made myself watch my derby videos and am including them below if you're interested. (I am not offended if you're not.) My trainer is totally ok with me handing her my phone and taking lesson video, so that's covered too.

Derby Dressage Intro B(score of 35):



And the ground poles course:

(My apologies--aside from about the first 15 seconds of the ground poles, both those videos are wicked boring.)

And hey! If I haven't lost you yet, there's even video from my lesson.



So here we go. Onwards into first level and video and the modern era!

17 comments:

  1. I hate video of myself, too, but I've found its a little less offensive if I turn the sound off. Then I still see my big butt, but don't hear my big mouth :)

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  2. Video is the best tool for learning. You can hide a lot in pictures, but video tells all :)

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  3. Girl. You are making decisions, and I LIKE IT! Watch out world, it's gonna get fancy over here.

    Plus? No one cares if you have a fancy mattes pad if your horse is fancy. ;)

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    1. Haha! That's exactly what I was thinking about the mattes! I always say if that's what they're looking at (my rack, my braids, etc) vs my amazing horse then we've got bigger problems! Watched the lesson video, she seems like a great coach!! Can't wait to see the continued progress!

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    2. Omg holy typo, tack, Not rack! But hey, maybe someone is looking at my rack too????

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    3. Ha! I'm sure your rack is fab too with a little one.

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  4. Video is really a great training tool! I hate watching myself ride too but it's also invaluable to see what's really happening. Wait till you start yelling at Video Self to sit up or add more leg or half-halt, because you can totally see him start to lose bend/come above the bit/etc and Video Self is not fixing it.

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  5. Yay! It's nice to see you ride, since we live too far away for real play dates. Come to think of it, have I ever seen video of you? l I don't know, but you and C look great.

    I will be your biggest cheerleader for First Level. You got this girl.

    (This is a much more promising post than yesterday's. You're allowed to feel discouraged sometimes because we all do that, and you're allowed to vent those feelings. But I'm glad that's not a permanent outlook for you. Cause you know, you're better than that. And I mean that in the best way possible.)

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  6. honestly i'm pretty happy to read this! it's obvi no big secret that i'm a video fanatic - but it really honestly helps me understand things so much better than just by feel or memory. i mean, sure there are moments where i just want to throttle myself and say 'omg stop riding like that!!!' but... the more videos i take and watch, the easier it becomes to not get so caught up in the self-loathing.

    in any case i think you and courage look great and am so pumped about your journey to 1st level and the bronze beyond!

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  7. I hear you...I really don't enjoy watching video of myself ride either.

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  8. You should be so proud in how you have developed him! That intro video is great. Perhaps you don't see it because you work with him daily, but that trot has so much more swing, looseness and rhythm than it did when you first got him! He looks happy to do his job and is really coming into his own balance. First level? You got this!!!

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  9. I think you both look fantastic. I need to suck it up and ask M to video me sometimes.

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  10. I don't even like pictures of myself riding but photos and especially videos are hugely helpful. Well done on stepping up your game :)

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  11. I have a love/hate relationship with video. I really appreciate how many faults of mine I can pick up on while reviewing it, but....then all I can see is all the faults I have.

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  12. I look like a monkey in videos, but I love them because they keep me honest about my strengths and weaknesses

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  13. You look great, other than your hands. But, I know you know that because your trainer said it in the video about a million times ;). Everybody does that hand thing, it's totally normal. Listen to your trainer, and once you fix it you'll be a DQ in no time!

    I hate video, too. I ride like a drunk spider monkey with palsy, it ain't pretty.

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  14. For what its worth, i think we all look like monkeys at the canter. unless its some GP rider ona GP horse that literally floats, unnaturally so, we all looks rather....blah. Its just where the horses' natural gait puts us in pics. I think you look great in the vid!

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