My computer has been down for a while so haven't been able to post but thought I would update you on my exam results. The riding was a bit of a nightmare. The first horse I got was a lucky choice for me as I was used to riding him - a nice cob called patches who isn't quite as sluggish as some of the other cobs. I thought it started off well and the sitting trot seemed okay although I messed up the first canter as he didn't respond to my aids the first time I asked for canter but thought okay I can still pass as long as I get it right on the next horse. Unfortunately despite the fact all my lessons have been at the exam centre, I haven't really been given the chance to ride many of the thoroughbreds. However, my instructor assured me it was highly unlikely I would get them in the exam as they are all quite big and I am only 5"2 but as luck would have it they gave me a 16"3 thoroughbred next the biggest horse in the exam. Couldn't seem to get a ryhthum in trot and then he started shying so they stopped the exercise briefly and the caller was instructing me to hold the reins looser - oops. Then I panicked a bit and didn't hear the instructions to cut from the back of the ride across the school to the front and left it too late and had to cut diagonally.
Think I knew I had failed for sure when the examiner decided to switch half of the exam onto a third horse before the canter and light seat trotting and cantering over poles. Sure enough I failed the riding although was chuffed to pass the three horse care modules.
Examiners comments were "Although showing awareness of the fundamental requirements of this section, as yet she does not have sufficient balance, security or co-ordination for the required standard. Work is required to develop these key areas in order that she can more easily follow the natural movement of the horse, maintain a more elastic rein contact and give aids with greater clarity, She also needs to develop more awareness when mounting, dismounting and adjusting tack whilst mounted [ I thought my mounting and dismounting was fine but who am I to argue the other comments were probably fair generally and especially so as I didn't perform my best in the exam],
Showing posts with label horse care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horse care. Show all posts
Monday, 2 July 2012
Monday, 12 September 2011
BHS Stage 1 - Back to college for some riding lessons
With the winter looming (and with it the end of the trekking season), I have been wondering what to do about riding this winter as loaning a horse last year didn't work out quite as planned. I have been thinking about lessons for sometime and most of the riding schools only do private lessons when I am available i.e when the kids are at school. I was feeling quite envious of my young friend off to college to do horse riding and horse care full time for two years and couldn't resist taking a peek at the college prospectus even though I can't really justify a full time course at my age with two kids I am not likely to find a job with horses that covers the childcare.
I was chuffed to find though that they did one day part-time courses for the British Horse Society (BHS) Stage 1 exam which covers horse care and riding and at £400 for the year it actually compares very competitively with the cost of lessons at a riding school so I rung up to see if I could get on the course.
Next thing, I knew I had a riding test the following day where I was expected to walk, trot and canter in a schooling ring reasonably competently. having only had a few lessons at a walk with a small amount of trotting but never having managed it around the corners only on the long straight bits. I didn't even have time to have a few riding lessons first to brush up and didn't know what the leg aids were or what a diagonal was or that you were meant to hold your whip on the inside hand. Never the less, I gave it a go and when she said my riding was borderline for entry, I started up with the blagging and think I scraped through more on the gift of the gab than my riding skills. The horse in the test was lovely and very forward although was expecting something slower but think when they said it would be an easy horse they meant safe and compliant rather than slow. Still at least she was easy to get into a canter, something I was worried about having only ever cantered in large open spaces in a relatively straight line. Apparently my reins were far too loose and my position not good and my riding lacks discipline, so decided definitely a good idea to get a few lessons in before I start next week to avoid making a complete fool of myself in front of the other students.
My first riding lesson, last week, was harder work than i expected after it was only and hour and I normally ride for four hours but working in the school is a different kettle of fish than a hack in the countryside. I trotted without reins, and then without stirrups, I had a go at cantering but apparently the reason the horse kept going back to trot was because my position wasn't great. It was fun but I was absolutely knackered after an hours one to one lesson. Got two more this week before I start my course and have had to invest in some new kit. I have been told gloves, body protector and hair net are all compulsory as well as the normal hat jodphurs and boots. I never normally ride with a body protector but will probably think about wearing it out hacking now I have it as I reckon the chances of a bad fall are probably higher out hacking than in a school.
I think it will be really good for me as when i started riding I just wanted to have fun and didn't like the idea of being told what to do all the time in a lesson but have reached the stage I think my riding is as good as it's gonna get without formal tuition and looking forward to it now and feeling sufficiently confident in being on the horse, I will be able to listen to their instructions rather than panicking about falling off unlike when I had my first lessons last year.
I was chuffed to find though that they did one day part-time courses for the British Horse Society (BHS) Stage 1 exam which covers horse care and riding and at £400 for the year it actually compares very competitively with the cost of lessons at a riding school so I rung up to see if I could get on the course.
Next thing, I knew I had a riding test the following day where I was expected to walk, trot and canter in a schooling ring reasonably competently. having only had a few lessons at a walk with a small amount of trotting but never having managed it around the corners only on the long straight bits. I didn't even have time to have a few riding lessons first to brush up and didn't know what the leg aids were or what a diagonal was or that you were meant to hold your whip on the inside hand. Never the less, I gave it a go and when she said my riding was borderline for entry, I started up with the blagging and think I scraped through more on the gift of the gab than my riding skills. The horse in the test was lovely and very forward although was expecting something slower but think when they said it would be an easy horse they meant safe and compliant rather than slow. Still at least she was easy to get into a canter, something I was worried about having only ever cantered in large open spaces in a relatively straight line. Apparently my reins were far too loose and my position not good and my riding lacks discipline, so decided definitely a good idea to get a few lessons in before I start next week to avoid making a complete fool of myself in front of the other students.
My first riding lesson, last week, was harder work than i expected after it was only and hour and I normally ride for four hours but working in the school is a different kettle of fish than a hack in the countryside. I trotted without reins, and then without stirrups, I had a go at cantering but apparently the reason the horse kept going back to trot was because my position wasn't great. It was fun but I was absolutely knackered after an hours one to one lesson. Got two more this week before I start my course and have had to invest in some new kit. I have been told gloves, body protector and hair net are all compulsory as well as the normal hat jodphurs and boots. I never normally ride with a body protector but will probably think about wearing it out hacking now I have it as I reckon the chances of a bad fall are probably higher out hacking than in a school.
I think it will be really good for me as when i started riding I just wanted to have fun and didn't like the idea of being told what to do all the time in a lesson but have reached the stage I think my riding is as good as it's gonna get without formal tuition and looking forward to it now and feeling sufficiently confident in being on the horse, I will be able to listen to their instructions rather than panicking about falling off unlike when I had my first lessons last year.
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