The deeper I am getting into this industrhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5088080186798053425y, the more I am learning I do not know, and it is scaring me. It is very frustrating trying to get answers when all you have is the internet and a few books. No one ever bothered to teach me anything about proper conformation for any disciplines. Up until I was about 15, no one even bothered to teach me much about equitation except for "heels down". For months I have been attempting to teach myself about correct movement in hunters and what makes it. Now a community on LiveJournal has me frantically trying to learn about balanced movement. There is very little helpful information or examples online. This is the particular video. It was posted in the community bad_riding, so as I watched it for the first time, I was looking for what was so appalling. All I could find was the lack of lead changes. Apparently the horse has no impulsion and is working off her forehand. The fact that, going back and watching it, I can not distinguish the way she is moving from videos of horses that are supposedly going well, other than more hang time of the limbs. If this is something so basic, why can't I even tell when a horse is going well, let alone ride one?
I am stuck at home, I haven't seen a horse in 3 months, I have no job, and I have to go back to community college in the fall. I am seriously missing Onalaska. I feel like none of it was real, like it's just a dream. When it comes to riding, I feel like that kid that got held back in school repeatedly, so now they're so old they'll likely never graduate. I feel like I can never come near to knowing as much as I even want to, let alone be a competent trainer. I am tempted to look into equestrian schools, if not for my future once I get a degree, but just to do some catching up on all the stuff I DON'T know.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Onalaska, Wales, and where to next?
Wow, life's just sort of swept me up and I forgot about this blog! I spent what was probably the best summer of my life in Wisconsin, met lots of wonderful people and horses, learned a whole lot, and lost my favourite horse. Over the spring and summer I became very attached to Deacon. For all our stupid little problems, we had just as many awesome little times. We ended up smoothing it out and taking grand champion in our division at the year end awards. In October he coliced and died. I don't want to go into it here, but you can read about it here.
In November I made the decision to leave. The position was supposed to be temporary, and it was time for me to let someone else have their chance. Besides, I was very excited about my trip to Wales that was supposed to be way more than a trip. I planned on sitting my BHS stage 1 exam at the very least, staying three to six months.
Because I didn't have a visa and I couldn't technically work, we decided to make it a 6 week trial period, with the intention of coming back in the fall if I liked it, which I was sure I would.
My time in Wales was wonderful and I'm very grateful to the family for opening up their house and riding school to me and taking me in. It was almost exactly as I had expected, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. My living conditions weren't great at all, which I knew about before I came. Cardiff was pretty much how it's described in the Torchwood novels and the people were just as friendly as I'd heard they were. Showjumpers ride differently, however. Horses move differently from hunters, and as much as I wanted to try something new, it got irritating when people are talking about your flaws all of the time, when in actuality they are not flaws but things that come from hours of practice. Apparently I tip forward, my heels are too far down, and my toes stick out too far. Ok, so they do stick out but still.
The plan while in Wales was to come home and get a job, buy a car (because my Jeep finally died) find a local barn to teach lessons at, and in the fall go back to college and then eventually by a little paint or quarter horse cross.
Since I can't seem to get any job at all, I'm now on a quest for another live-in job, this time something that pays too so that I can buy a car soon and then a horse. I'm trying to stay in the midwest, but we'll see how that goes!
In November I made the decision to leave. The position was supposed to be temporary, and it was time for me to let someone else have their chance. Besides, I was very excited about my trip to Wales that was supposed to be way more than a trip. I planned on sitting my BHS stage 1 exam at the very least, staying three to six months.
Because I didn't have a visa and I couldn't technically work, we decided to make it a 6 week trial period, with the intention of coming back in the fall if I liked it, which I was sure I would.
My time in Wales was wonderful and I'm very grateful to the family for opening up their house and riding school to me and taking me in. It was almost exactly as I had expected, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. My living conditions weren't great at all, which I knew about before I came. Cardiff was pretty much how it's described in the Torchwood novels and the people were just as friendly as I'd heard they were. Showjumpers ride differently, however. Horses move differently from hunters, and as much as I wanted to try something new, it got irritating when people are talking about your flaws all of the time, when in actuality they are not flaws but things that come from hours of practice. Apparently I tip forward, my heels are too far down, and my toes stick out too far. Ok, so they do stick out but still.
The plan while in Wales was to come home and get a job, buy a car (because my Jeep finally died) find a local barn to teach lessons at, and in the fall go back to college and then eventually by a little paint or quarter horse cross.
Since I can't seem to get any job at all, I'm now on a quest for another live-in job, this time something that pays too so that I can buy a car soon and then a horse. I'm trying to stay in the midwest, but we'll see how that goes!
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