Though lessons have been… less than consistent over the last 2 months, I still try to make my rides worthwhile and keep my trainers’ voices in my head as much as possible. In particular, there are several often heard phrases that I tell myself over and over, with hopes of eventually never having to hear them again.
From my dressage trainer, these generally include:
Don’t show him what not to do, instead show him what to do!
Get him reaching from the base of his neck!
Engage your core / Think about landing in the same place in the saddle every time
And from my eventing trainer, it’s often:
Shoulders away from the fence!
No leaning over the fence (with my hips/shoulders/head/secret hopes and wishes)
Keep him straight!
and very very often…
What was that?!
or…
What happened there?!
and even more commonly…
Why don’t you just try that again.
What are the mantras your trainer uses with you? What phrases live in your head when you aren’t in a training session? And what are the words that you are basically ready to tattoo on your arm so you don’t forget?
Red on the Right 
Oh my gosh I might need to steal this topic for a whole post!! Off the top of my head, a few notable ones are:
“Shoulders!” usually as I’m getting fetal around a tight turn
“Where’s your left bend?” literally all the time
“He’s a good boy, isn’t he?” when my horse clearly bailed me after I had a potato brain
So many good ones, I need to collect them all 😉
Mostly I hear “Allow” over fences and “Carry your hands” on the flat. Like… enough to where you think I’d be better at it by now.
“Deep elbows”
“Back, give, go”
“Shoulder blades down and back”
And my personal favorite, to help remind about keeping a rhythm, she chants the lyrics to “Uptown Funk.”
Ohh!!! Annie has so many!!!! Let’s see…
Where was your squish point? (That lovely place where you say yes we’re jumping!)
You were dying in beauty (for when you forget your squish point and just sat there looking pretty but not doing a damn thing to help your horse)
The very successful method of not riding and therefore your horse improves
What type of wine do you owe me? (because you fell off!)
And there are sooooooo many more!
I think I hear “Straighten your wrist.” about every other stride. And yet, here it is. No doubt still doing it’s own thing. She’s also been on a kick the last few lessons with “Make him dance!” to get through my head he needs to be more active behind.
Ummm…the ones that really stick out are:
“Close your fingers”
“Relax your elbows”
“Well that didn’t work did it?”
Hm. I get a lot of
“Sit up!”
“Come up in front of the jump”
“Well.. let’s try that again”
“Keep a feel but don’t hold ”
“My god he’s athletic ” (when Zeke beautifully jumps from these ridiculous spots I put him in)
“STOP PULLING YOUR INSIDE REIN!” Said to me EVERY right turn going to a jump
Look up beyond the fence
Keep your weight down (in your heels)
You’d think Trainer would get tired of saying the same thing over and over, but she hasn’t kicked me out yet! LOL
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