Cowgirl up Even If You Hit the Ground

When I am not regularly attending college, I work at a boarding stable that offers lessons for young riders to learn about the show world. That is where I come in, Im the coach. I absolutely love every minute of teaching the kids but this last week I have came upon a few problems that I found rather troubling at first, but then I had to remember what it was like to be a young kid learning to ride a horse. I remembered what it was like the first time I was thrown off a horse!

My first problem this week was a little 8 year old girl I give lessons to once a week. She is the type of little girl who can ask 100 questions and never take a breathe, but the other night she wasnt as talkative. I thought maybe she was just tired and continued on with the lesson, asking her to trot within 15 minutes of starting. That is when all hell broke loose! She cried and screamed and told me she quite riding. This confused me at first because she has ridden for awhile and then I was told why. This little girl was bucked off a pony and dragged about a year ago, and then I understood, this little girl just needed to Cowgirl Up. After about 30 minutes of negotiating on my part and yelling from her part, she got up the courage to trot. Someone asked me later if it made me mad that she yelled at me, and I had to think for a minute "Is it ever fair to be mad at a child for a legitamate fear"? All I can say is Im proud she got up the nerve to try it, and she succeeded just like i knew she would!

My second problem this week is that one of my other girls I train was thrown off her mare. We did just start teaching this horse to lope so it was understandable that she threw a fit. My rider immediately got up and re mounted the horse. I was so proud to see her to this, but then when I asked her to try it again she looked at me and asked, "Can you try it first"? Now as an instructor I know it is my responsibility to make sure these horses are safe for the kids but at the same time, I dont want to be thrown off either! So after about 5 deep breaths and some persuasion for myself, I got on and made the mare behave ( not easily!). After I got the mare calmed down my rider got back on and brought the horse to a good lope. I never thought teaching lesson would make my heart swell as much as it did right then.

Seeing both of those young girls over come their fears and knowing I helped them do that made me feel so good. I know that we will come across more problems like this as the lessons continue, but I know my kids will become winners by next summer. So the lesson for the week at our stable is "Cowgirl up, Even If you Hit the Ground"