Wednesday, July 3
Jul. 4th, 2024 12:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
I got up in decent time so that I could audit (watch) Patrick Sullivan give lessons to other people.
The weather was nice, but everything outside was still wet from all the rain we've been having, so the lessons were indoors. I kind of think that might be easier for people, since the smaller space and less distractions can make it easier to keep your horse focused.
I got there around noon, and I watched him teach right through until 6 pm, and didn't feel bored or tired at any point. I was really impressed with his style of teaching, which was deceptively casual and friendly, as he was a very keen observer and was very effective.
I was a little taken aback at how good everyone was, even when some of them I would have thought were more "beginners". It makes me feel like maybe River and I have been stagnating, because everyone else's rate of improvement seems so rapid.
Here's where that competitive thing comes into play, where you feel a little threatened by how good everyone is becoming, because you worry about competing against them, worry about whether or not you are any good. It would be so much nicer not to have that dynamic, and only feel good for their success (which I also do feel for them).
I do feel a bit like River and I have slowed down our rate of improving. Like a lot of things, that first little while your skill growth can seem pretty fast because you're learning a lot of the foundation things, but it's harder to gain the advances that take a lot of time and skill.
I learned a lot from watching these other lessons, and I got the chance to try some things with River today, as I worked with him for a while after everyone left, as they all went at 6 pm, which is actually when I would normally work with him.
I really did try to put more of my own energy into things today with him, and I saw a real response in him to that increased energy. I can't always bring that, but maybe if I could do that more often it would help him to feel more energetic. Kind of like how it feels if you're a student, and your teacher is tired or not very creative, you have a harder time staying engaged in the material.
It was also a big physical effort, Liberty work and riding horses is physically challenging work, and it's also a lot of mental engagement.
Anyhow, I had fun. I had my speaker that ties into the phone, and I played my "fun playlist". I didn't even bother focusing on the Freestyle or the patterns in the show, as I think we've got a decent handle on those, and I'm also a bit tired of them. I really did want to do something energetic and more spontaneous with River today.
At the end, we were both pretty sweaty, but I think he had fun today. I know he was really participating and paying attention instead of "mailing it in".
I came home and let the animals out into their larger pastures, as I didn't have time to do that before I left earlier in the day. They were kind of mad at me, because they would normally have already gone out, but what can you do.
My Sweetie got home and we caught up with each other's day for a while, and watched an episode of "Justified".
I got up in decent time so that I could audit (watch) Patrick Sullivan give lessons to other people.
The weather was nice, but everything outside was still wet from all the rain we've been having, so the lessons were indoors. I kind of think that might be easier for people, since the smaller space and less distractions can make it easier to keep your horse focused.
I got there around noon, and I watched him teach right through until 6 pm, and didn't feel bored or tired at any point. I was really impressed with his style of teaching, which was deceptively casual and friendly, as he was a very keen observer and was very effective.
I was a little taken aback at how good everyone was, even when some of them I would have thought were more "beginners". It makes me feel like maybe River and I have been stagnating, because everyone else's rate of improvement seems so rapid.
Here's where that competitive thing comes into play, where you feel a little threatened by how good everyone is becoming, because you worry about competing against them, worry about whether or not you are any good. It would be so much nicer not to have that dynamic, and only feel good for their success (which I also do feel for them).
I do feel a bit like River and I have slowed down our rate of improving. Like a lot of things, that first little while your skill growth can seem pretty fast because you're learning a lot of the foundation things, but it's harder to gain the advances that take a lot of time and skill.
I learned a lot from watching these other lessons, and I got the chance to try some things with River today, as I worked with him for a while after everyone left, as they all went at 6 pm, which is actually when I would normally work with him.
I really did try to put more of my own energy into things today with him, and I saw a real response in him to that increased energy. I can't always bring that, but maybe if I could do that more often it would help him to feel more energetic. Kind of like how it feels if you're a student, and your teacher is tired or not very creative, you have a harder time staying engaged in the material.
It was also a big physical effort, Liberty work and riding horses is physically challenging work, and it's also a lot of mental engagement.
Anyhow, I had fun. I had my speaker that ties into the phone, and I played my "fun playlist". I didn't even bother focusing on the Freestyle or the patterns in the show, as I think we've got a decent handle on those, and I'm also a bit tired of them. I really did want to do something energetic and more spontaneous with River today.
At the end, we were both pretty sweaty, but I think he had fun today. I know he was really participating and paying attention instead of "mailing it in".
I came home and let the animals out into their larger pastures, as I didn't have time to do that before I left earlier in the day. They were kind of mad at me, because they would normally have already gone out, but what can you do.
My Sweetie got home and we caught up with each other's day for a while, and watched an episode of "Justified".
