Keeping a Riding Journal! (Part 2)

Hello again!

I said in part one that I’ve been keeping a riding journal for a year and have found it really helpful. This time I’m going to share some more extracts from my riding journal, and give some ideas about what you could write.

jumped grid of 3 fences, difficult on left rein mainly because the pony I was riding kept napping towards the other horses, need to fix outside elbow towards stomach & keep tummy muscles straight to be get stronger grip on rein to stop napping – worked but difficult

– extract from my riding journal, July 2015

 

practising jump off skills (even though I don’t compete much), 3 fences across the long diagonal, small because focusing on lines & straightness not the jump, the horse I was riding tanked off a bit, he use to hunt in Ireland & can be quite strong, repetitive exercises not best for the horse I was riding as he thinks he’s a know-it-all, jumped from other direction & he was better because he wasn’t expecting it

– extract from my riding journal, August 2015

 

first time ridden pony, challenging but in a good way, sensitive, fast, did Prix Caprilli but with ground poles instead of jumps, when I ride a pony/horse I know is sensitive I tend to give very light aids but my instructor told me I shouldn’t do that, need to keep under the thumb & constantly use lots of rein, rein contact will stop the pony from rushing off & remind him that I’m there

– extract from my riding journal, October 2015

 

best ride ever with the pony I was riding (the same pony as in the July 2015 extract above), in a good mood before lesson, single jump at B & then a long related distance down the other long side, in warm up quite forward going when I kept my leg on but I needed to keep him straight, not as nappy as usual though not perfect, serpentines working on standing up/ironing board/jump position,  had to circle after 1st fence as not straight enough after to jump related distance, need to work on straightness but kept pony forward going & stopped him from napping, my instructor said best jumping seen me do

– extract from my riding journal, December 2015

In each journal entry I always list which horse I was riding, where I rode, and what I did. Then I usually write a bit about what the horse is like, and try to analyse (at a basic level!) their way of going according to the scales of training. To finish I add what I learnt and/or achieved, but generally I try to keep each entry chronological so I might write this earlier if it fits.

And, of course, you can’t forget the date!!!

Hopefully this will give you some ideas about how to keep a riding journal! Let me know how you get on!!

Happy riding!!!

Horse Daydreamer xxx