The Side-Effects of Self Training

When I first bought Rita, I was taking weekly riding lessons at a local barn. It never occurred to me that a trainer would be something I needed, what with my “I can do it myself” mentality. So not surprisingly, once I made my debut onto the rated circuit, my lack of a trainer was evident. I didn’t know the rules of the warmup ring, how to correctly walk a course, how to get myself into a good spot in the order of go. But I figured it out.

Unfortunately, the main side effects of self training are still glaringly obvious in my riding technique. I had no one to tell me “ride from your leg, not your hand,” or, “move forward down this line, then steady up the next.” As a result, I have a defensive style of equitation from riding so many greenies, and that style has been ingrained into muscle memory. So now, under the eye of a top show jumping rider and instructor, my riding was picked apart excruciatingly. Only over this summer did I learn how to actually ride with my legs and how to achieve true extensions and collections at each gait.

My advice? Find yourself a trainer. It’s well worth it.