Using my counter-intuition

I rode in a outdoor that, I'll be honest with you, I didn't know we could use for lessons. It was huge! When we were working on jumping I loved the feeling of cantering away for a good few seconds. Normally in the indoor you have to slow down sooner to not be in the next jumper's way. Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!!

Ok, that being said, I royally sucked at riding yesterday. I'm going through serious growing pains in two directions:
1. Learning to ride horses that respond very differently to rein pressure
2. Learning to jump properly without overthinking it

They're both related.
The horse I rode yesterday was initially Western-broke. Before my instructor told me that, I noticed she was more responsive on a loose rein. She would actively fight me if I gathered up the reins and tried to pull her at all in one direction or another.

And she'd refuse the jump if I didn't have almost a full loop in the reins. Usually my release happens when they're already jumping. This is probably wrong. It's definitely wrong for her. Can't blame her. She probably feels all compressed and uncomfortable. But it's counter-intuitive when you're worried she's going to run out, to just rely on your legs! We had a bounce to a two stride, and we'd usually duck out before that last jump. Could not put the whole thing together by keeping the reins loose and using a good driving seat. Also kept collapsing and it's totally noticeable when the horse refuses because suddenly your hands are on her neck for balance! Busted!!

My brain says yes, my body says no. Just counter-intuitive stuff that I'm sure other adult beginners feel.

Hold me closer tiny jumper

I had to squeeze into a rather full lesson this weekend, after not riding for about 3 weeks. The only horse left has only been ridden a couple times recently. He's known for rushing jumps. I guess at his old barn he was rushed at them constantly and no amount of un-training will get it out of him now. Maybe that's not true. Maybe it is. I am not a trainer.

So in this awkward video below, you can't see that my instructor is walking us to the jump, holding him back until the last moment. We talked a lot about when I should hold him back, and when I should let him go, because holding him back too long means he (rightfully) refuses the jump. Something I have to feel to know the right moment. You can tell from the way my back is arching (that looks really bad btw - that can't be right!) that I'm holding him back between these tiny jumps.

 

This video is in only available in slo-mo because that's what the 11 year old who filmed it deemed most useful to her audience.

 

It was an interesting lesson. Another girl in my group was jumping 3' on the greener horse I rode last time. It's amazing how you can have people of so many different levels get a lot out of a group lesson.

I can't tell you how often it is on my mind that I need to ride more during the week (or even during the month) to improve so I'm not working on basics over tiny jumps