Last night was a lesson night. Christina and I both decided no jumping, just flatwork. Oh, and since we've started doing shorter lessons (I'm doing a half hour twice a week instead of an hour once a week), she's turned up the intensity in how much effort she's asking out of us.
Which is okay, and something we need, but ugh, last night really sucked.
Before I got on, I hiked my stirrups up a hole to see if they'd help with my two point. Then we did a quick warmup of walking serpentines (in two point) and yes...it was easier to get up and find "my spot" where I need to be to stay up. Christina commented that my position was like...100x better.
That's the good news.
Then my right ankle started yelling at me (which is weird because it's the left I sprained).
I kept trying (she had me doing 20 meter circles in two point at the trot by this point) and I'd get three quarters of the way around the circle and just collapse because of the dang ankle.
So she had me drop my stirrups and do posting without stirrups part of the way around the ring, then sit, then "two point". That was hellacious too and not because of the ankle but because of my thighs (and that, at least, is simply a fitness issue).
So she wanted to do more two point stuff and we dropped my stirrups back to where they normally are. Except then I couldn't get my position to work and was wobbly and when I did it at the canter, my ankle felt like it was just about to give out (at least Kieran gave me some very nice trot to canter transitions!).
All in all, a very frustrating night but at least it brings home that I've got a couple things I really need to work on to improve my riding:
1. Figure out the ankle issue. Whether I just need to do strength/flexibility exercises for them or get better stirrups (though I'm already riding in jointed ones) or both. Or maybe try riding with some sort of brace on for a while, if I can, to provide support.
2. Work on stamina and general fitness. Even if I'm only doing half hour lessons, we should be doing longer rides when not lessoning. And I should make myself really work at it and push through.
Any other suggestions? I'm open to them!
Day 3
5 years ago
3 comments:
You're going to need to be able to two point at every length, and I would worry about hurting the ankle. It may be easier to learn with shorter stirrups, but may be better for your ankles to do it with long. During the actual jumping, your stirrups can be short to provide support, but you'll only be in two point and straining your ankles briefly, rather than constantly. Fitness issues are easier to overcome than joint damage. That's my two cents, anyway.
No worries, I left my stirrups at the slightly longer length today (and put new leathers on so I can be assured they're even! I hate when one stretches so it's like...a half hole longer than the other. This pair I'm going to remember to rotate so hopefully that doesn't happen).
:)
The ankle thing will most likely go away as you practice in two point more.
It wasn't fun building up to riding in two point the whole length of our cross country distance either. But as I did it more the less it bothered me.
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