Low, low, low. :\

I rode a lot as a kid. For years I took lessons from several different instructors. I started Western, then went English (don't remember what type) for a little while, then took huntseat lessons on some AMAZING show-quality morgans, then moved and took lessons in huntseat for a few years before having several coerced interactions with the dirt and losing my nerve.

All of these places didn't teach me much about horsemanship. All had the horses tacked up and ready to go when I got there. I'd show up, ride, and leave. At the last place, I had to untack and groom the horse before leaving, but that was it. I read books, and thought I knew a little something from that, but I really didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did. I've learned more here in the last few months than I did in all those years of riding and reading.

I'm not sure I can blame the instructors, though. My mother only recently told me that she had told them all not to push me, because if I got frustrated I'd quit. So, for the most part, I was left to just fart around and do my own thing, with the instructor throwing out tips or mild criticisms every now and then. Mom's recent admission actually explains a lot of things that puzzled me at the time, like my last teacher seeming frustrated with me but not explaining why, a few comments she made here and there, why she didn't keep trying after my first (very horrible) attempts at jumping, etc.

I guess I can't really blame my mother, either, though. She was probably right. I always wanted to be good at everything RIGHT NOW and quit a lot of things I could've been great at when I ran up against a challenge.


edit: I rode saddleseat on the Morgans, not huntseat.
http://www.boxerworld.com/rescue/excuses/