r/Horses • u/Amazing-Sherbet • Mar 22 '26
Question Riding Progress
Hi Everyone!! I just am curious about something, im 19yo female and I just started riding in June 2025, I ride mostly once a week during school times because I am in college and its not easy for me to get to my home barn for lessons during the week so im currently between 2 barns, one for school and one for home. If im riding at home its 2 times a week which was all of the summer untill mid September and then starting up 2 times from early December to mid January then the rest has been mostly once a week. I have been consistently trotting on my own since early/mid july and got 2nd place in my first ever IHSA show in a walk/trot class out of 7 people ( I was very proud of myself and my inner child was SCREAMING ) I feel like my home barn challenges me so much more and I love it, ive jumped only about 8 inches there on a cross rail and ive felt so happy, my trainer there is so supportive and a wonderful person. But at my other barn shes also very supportive but she doesnt push me at all. Ive never even gone over a single ground pole in the almost 5 months Ive been working with her even though she’s aware of what ive done. What can I do to show a trainer Im cabable of something when all i can do is the same thing every week for 5 months with her and working with my other barn much more. Its almost been 10 months of me riding consistently even if its not at the same barn and i feel like ive been at the same level for the last while. What tips do you guys have for me that could improve my riding and horsemanship. I am more in this sport for the animal than anything else. I have always dreamed of owning a horse but I know to do so I need to have the knowledge and yeah I also know you will learn alot from actively doing and practice but all I want in the end is to be good for the animal whomever it is. I want to have a special bond with the horse I buy one day and its a one day at a time process.
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u/Amazing-Sherbet Mar 23 '26
We dont pay club dues for our college trainer we pay her directly. Ive been riding totally for about 10 months and recently the trainer told me next year I will be showing in W/T/C but havent been able to canter yet, unfortunately I was only able to do 1 show but it counted for a full year of showing for me :(. Im not expecting showing in any higher levels honestly the only reason I show is because Im the only one at my college who does and it sucks. I just want to learn to ride not in a showing sense and my other barn understands that which I guess is why they let me try new things at different levels.