L asked us what opinion did we hold for a long time without realizing it was completely wrong?
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| At one point as he was barred from trail riding because of his career ending DDFT injury, I didn't know I was going to see this view before- I'm glad I was wrong. |
I feel like I've had a ton of these moments throughout my life, so let me just provide you with a list of stupid things I was either taught or somehow embraced at one point:
Past Megan was convinced that... Put him in the double bridle every day until he respects the bradoon, if he doesn't respect the bradoon, he won't respect the snaffle
Present Megan knows that... Yeah, if you're talking about respect in the same sentence as talking about a bit, you're doing dressage wrong.
Past Megan was convinced that... You should use draw reins any time a snaffle is in the horse's mouth and then pull them off at shows.
Present Megan knows that... No, just no. If an artificial aid doesn't improve how the horse goes the very next day after using it once, it's a band aid. Don't give me the build-muscle-first-then-pull-them bullshit, if they truly can carry themselves with the draws, they can carry themselves without. If they can't and they're leaning on them, you're building the wrong muscle. Don't get me wrong, I've used draws, I just don't use them every day like a lot of trainers in this area do.
Past Megan was convinced that... Good trainers yelled at you and/or were mean.
Present Megan knows that...Yelling has nothing to do with how good a trainer is, in fact, many trainers who yell at you are yelling because they can't explain a concept in any other way other than to yell it louder at you in hopes that you will suddenly understand it.
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| Fours, threes, twos on point, ones... well, we got to eight (and still managed a 65+% at our last GP so obviously everything else made up for it) |
Past Megan was convinced that... Once you get [3, 5, 8] one-tempis in a row, fifteen is no problem!
Present Megan knows that... Maybe on a horse without coffin problems?
Past Megan was convinced that... She wanted to be a horse trainer.
Present Megan knows that... Office life isn't too bad while you're watching the rain come down outside knowing that you don't have to a) be in it or b) lose money because of it. Remind me that I like this job when summer comes and I can't take off to go on a trail ride on a Wednesday morning.
Past Megan was convinced that... Going faster at a jump meant there was a greater likelihood that you'd get over the jump safely.
Present Megan knows that... This way of riding leads to a lot of fear and a few concussions. Doesn't stop me from doing it though.
Past Megan was convinced that... When she was a [insert level above what I was riding at the time] level rider, dressage would be easy and it'd be smooth sailing to Grand Prix
Present Megan knows that... Uh no, that's not how dressage works.
| I feel like this fluctuates up and down for a while |
Past Megan was convinced that... When she was a [insert level above what I was riding at the time], she'd be a good rider.
Present Megan knows that... The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a thing. Just because you've been to a certain level, doesn't make you an expert in the levels below. Or even an expert at the level you're at. You can't learn if you don't think you have anything to learn. Also, I'll never be a good rider.
So that's that! I'm sure there are a ton more. I was quite ignorant for quite a long time. And I'll hopefully look back in five or ten years and think about how ignorant I am now.
"If an artificial aid doesn't improve how the horse goes the very next day after using it once, it's a band aid. Don't give me the build-muscle-first-then-pull-them bullshit, if they truly can carry themselves with the draws, they can carry themselves without. If they can't and they're leaning on them, you're building the wrong muscle."
ReplyDeleteTHIS. This is everything.
I can't believe that I rode so long in draw reins every single day. Never did shit for my horse's connection. Not that I was educated enough at the time to realize that. But I feel like everyone has to make that mistake at least once!
Deletelol @ people that use draw reins for every ride. Congrats on being stupid.
ReplyDeleteYah I totally used to, like years that way. There are barns down here where 90% of the horses go in draws every day, it's crazy.
DeleteHahaha, basically all of these. Except the draw reins thing. I always thought my hands were too bad for anything but a snaffle (and, you know, they pretty much still are). Oh and the horse trainer thing. I learned early that horse training is really just people training, and I hate people.
ReplyDeletelol I like teaching people! I just don't like my job being dependent on the weather or on me putting myself in sometimes dangerous situations. But yah horse people can be a special kind of crazy...
DeleteWait, you mean you can't run at the jumps to get over them? This is probably why I eventually realized that eventing is not my thing.
ReplyDeleteSadly it seems like the complete opposite is true, too. You can't approach them for a crawl either. No wonder dressage seems more fun sometimes.
DeleteCarly I learned that last year when I wouldn't keep my leg on the pony because I felt like we were going too fast (you know, because leg means fast and only fast, the second my butt is out of the saddle, I lose all brain function). Ugh I need a seeing eye horse over fences haha
DeleteOMGGG that graph is incredible. INCREDIBLE.
ReplyDeleteI found some boring ones first but this one won me over with "Mt Stupid" because I've lived there for a while in a lot of elements haha
DeleteUmmmmm, I might have been guilty of a few of these at one time or another as well! I sometimes forget how far I have come until I read something like this. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYah I totally set out to write this and couldn't think of anything. Then I remembered I used to ride in draw reins every day lol
DeleteMy list...http://exploringdressagebiomechanics.blogspot.com/2017/03/then-and-now.html
DeleteI need to have that graph blown up and put in my tack room. I really do!
ReplyDeleteSame!! I love it and need to remember that it's the reason why I've never been more educated but also never been less confident. The more you learn the more you realize you don't know!
DeleteLol three cheers to never being a good rider haha! These are all hilarious. And totally relatable. I used to legit feel bad about myself bc I had never had a trainer who made me cry on the regular, when all my hj IHSA mates were acting like that was absolutely the only way to get any training worth a shit.
ReplyDeleteI think once we all accept that we're never going to be good riders, that's when we'll be the happiest! Lol
DeleteThat's so funny you felt bad about that! I used to seek the trainers who would make me feel bad/cry. I mean I do need a trainer I'm a little afraid of just so I won't talk back, but not to the point of being yelled at... and I should just work on my talking back rather than finding scarier trainers. I'm the worst at taking lessons.
I love these!! Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteOf course!
DeleteI was going to second the draw rein thing too. Preach. I grew up riding in a barn where every horse went in draw reins every day, so I have very intimate knowledge of just how badly that can go wrong, and how quickly. Which is exactly why I won't touch them anymore. Seems like everybody has to learn that one the hard way, eh? ;)
ReplyDeleteUgh seriously. I still totally am up for using them in very specific occasions but certainly not for an extended period of time. Like I used them for a 15 minute ride last fall to find out if keeping his ears from stabbing me in the eyes would prevent him from bolting because I was thinking of buying a running martingale and all I had were draws.
DeleteBut every day? Or even regularly? Just no. But you're right, everyone has to learn that one the hard way! Everyone has a horse who they're convinced is the exception to the rule.
Definitely agree with your points!
ReplyDeleteI love this! Way to own it.
ReplyDeleteYours is my favorite of these so far!!
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem in jumping. If I go slow enough my horse will politely stop and I won't have to jump the scarey thing. Clearly I loved it?
ReplyDelete