It's Just Like Driving a Car

Sam, with Nicole and Kayla,
rode J for me when I was sick.

It is my first lesson in over a week. I haven’t been able to ride as I have had the flu. This did not stop me from putting in a full week at the office (I love my job) but I was too weak to ride. It is not a good idea to be lightheaded and dizzy on a horse going over fences. Even I have my limits. So I asked Samantha (Sam) to fill in for me one day and then gave her the rest of the week off.

I could tell Jaliska missed me and that she was looking forward to our ride. She was so excited when she saw me that she kept turning circles in her stall. 

This was further confirmed when I went to put on her bridle and she just stood there, casually munching on what she knew was to be her last bite of hay, for at least an hour.  Normally when I approach her with the bit, she turns her head to the side as if to say “how rude of you to interrupt my morning snack.” It is rude, I agree. But the Prix awaits and missing a full week of riding has me further convinced that when I do reach my goal, I will in fact be the world’s oldest Grand Prix rider.

My lesson goes great for the most part. I have two major take-a-ways:

1. LEAVE MY HANDS ALONE i.e. stop fussing with them when preparing for a jump and, 
2. Stop sitting hard on her back after clearing the jump

I know I have been told this already but I seemed to have forgotten today. I blame it on my illness.

Actually, when you think about it, it really is amazing all that I need to remember when riding. Here is a list of what goes through my head at any given moment:

1. Did I start and stay on the right diagonal?
2. Is my back relaxed?
3. Is my seat soft?
4. Am I holding the reins properly i.e. hands at the right spot above the saddle and up towards her neck with my thumbs up and fingers closed in and around them?
5. Are the reins making a straight line to her mouth, taunt yet soft?
6. Are my elbows moving with her versus rigid?
7. Are my heels down and slightly pointed out?
8. Are my stirrups angled in towards my outer toe and is the upper ball of my foot resting on them properly?
9. Are my shoulders down, chest out and back straight, not arched?
10. When approaching the jump, do I look at it, locate the right spot for takeoff and adjust as necessary so that when she launches it is not too close or too far from it?
11. Did I frame her with my aids in preparing for the jump i.e. heels down, leg on, seat firm and body angled slightly forward while looking ahead, between her ears?
12. Oh yeah and did I breathe prior to the jump (to relax me) and then shortly thereafter (to relax her) and again at every corner?
13. Did I keep my hands forward and not sit hard on her back after she cleared the jump?
14. Did I ride her straight after the jump versus cutting the corner?
15. Is she on the right lead after the jump and if not, did I get her on the right lead?
16. Is there another jump I should be preparing for and if so am I looking at it with my framing aids in gear?
17. Did I remember to pat her for being such a great horse?

I am stopping now but know this list could go on FOREVER!

When my trainer points out yet another error, I defend myself by saying “there is a lot going on in my head,” to which he says, “Victoria, do you think about how you drive a car or do you just drive it?” I think of my list and then I remember Rule # 1:  Never talk back to your trainer. So I just nod in agreement, I just nod.