Are you a 'natural' rider?

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MizElz

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Some of us are, some of us arent. There are some infuriating people who can get on any horse and make it look easy; some people who have never ridden before, who are put up ona horse for the first time and look instantly like they were born in the saddle. I know someone who is a very, very talented show jumper - he is one of those people who could go into the ring after two years off and still be on top form. He and his brother used to compete as children, and his mother will say even now that he had the talent and natural ability, whereas his brother did not. But what his brother had was a greater capacity for concentration and dedication, and quite often, he actually did better, even though he was nowhere near as effortless a rider!

I myself am very much not a natural rider. I have always had to work hard at it, and the differences between me and my friends at Pony Club was always very stark. I had two friends in particular who were so natural it would make you sick - they could get on the trickiest of ponies, and still get a tune out of them. Then there was me, with my push-button ponies, falling off at every opportunity, and chickening out of the silliest little things
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It was only my first non-push-button pony who set me on the path to being a 'rider', not just a sack of potatoes heaped not too tidily in the saddle! The greatest breakthrough for me was at Stoneleigh with Ellie in 2002 - the grandmother of one of my PC friends was there to watch, and as Ellie and I went in and jumped our final round, she said, very loudly, 'Isnt that Georgie, the one who was always falling off?'
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My lack of natural ability means that after a year of having no lessons at all, I probably look like a novice again
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It's just one of those things that if I dont work at, I lose it, very quickly.

So - how about you guys? Would you consider yourselves a 'natural' or not?
 
Nope, I have to work damn hard, and even then I'm still crap
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I can stick on (I have superglue on my jodhs at times it would appear) but I can't do anything remotely "fancy" at all. hey hoy, Im happing pottering around, with the odd bucking fit
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My cousins however, are completely natural and its very annoying as they are all younger than me. Damn things
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Absolutely, categorically not!! I'm about as supple as an iron bar and like you have to work very hard.
However, I never give up, am very determined and am completely committed to my horse ( or should that be needs committing!!
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I have to work at it, and after a number of years concepts are finally falling into place

I have spent years watching others more talented and doing the whole sighing and wishing that i could look like that so when someone did the sighing and saying I wish I could look like that to me, I was so made up... I was grinning from ear to ear. However, horses have a way of reminding you not to be too cocky so two crashing falls later and loss of confidence I have been reminded of humility and that I really do need to keep working at it
 
definately not - but it is something that I always have to work at.
If I take time out from jumping at the moment I find I lose my eye for seeing a stride very easily

And I get very annoyed with people/hids in particular that do find it natural / effortless - but that is probably me being intolerant
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I wouldn't call myself a natural rider! However I never had easy ponies or horses so had to learn to adapt and get lots of super glue for my bum!!!
I think I try to work hard at my riding! Although I am not as confident as I used to be!
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No, I know a few people that it just comes so naturally too. I don't think I am a bad rider but I have had to work to get to where I am. I have only had Pickle as my own horse (who isn't remotely naughty!) do ride the bad RS horses sometimes but I don't think I could manage full on badness!
 
I'm not particularly natural, but not particularly bad either. My co-ordination can be rubbish sometimes - learning new things can take me a while, but my balance is good, and I generally get on well with a variety of horses.

when I was younger I was naturally very brave which meant I improved quicker - however I am not so brave anymore
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I wouldn't say that i was natural but my sister is. We both sat on a pony before we could walk, but i think the reason there is a difference is because my mum use to worry about me a bit more (there is a 9 year age gap and i'm the youngest) and i grew up when health and safety appeared. I never had easy ponies and i tended to lose my confidence where as my sister couldn't care less what she sat on and still doesn't. But i think i am getting there and i ride better now than i ever have done.
 
I'm not but my bloody sister is - put her on a horse and she looks like she was born there. I have to work really really hard at my riding - makes the good achievements feel all the better though!!
 
I think it all depends on when you start! I maybe one of those "natural" riders, but it kinda comes as second nature when you've been riding since you were 4. I am not by any means a fancy rider, can't remember how to do things like shoulder-in i don't think, but i've only ever had one lesson with it, and that was years ago! I just like to enjoy my horse now, really can;t be bothered with the fuss that comes with the rest! Definately not as brave as i used to be, but then your don't tend to bounce as well as you get older do you?!
 
hmmm good question..not sure really, I do think I'm good at staying on in sticky moments...hence being the yard test pilot!
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and have always been told that I have a good seat...(nothing to do with super glue I borrow from my farrier mind
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) and I can maintain a good secure seat bare back....but that's just balance and practice and of course for laughs
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! and I think I can adjust to different horses and feel I have a good understanding of them to get the best out of them if left to my own devices...I work confidently around them so yes I do consider myself a natural, of course don't mean that in a big headed way at all but I seem to do ok and have enjoyed every pony and horse I've ever had or ridden or worked with.
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so I duno really...just in my blood.
 
I'm not a natural at all. I've generally always had tricky ponies abd have a good seat but i'm not good at anything fancy and i lose my confidence easily.

I appear to be more of a natural with ground work and in-hand work. i can't jump for toffee and don't wish too!
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I would say im not but I can pick things up fast and might look like I know what Im doing. My brother on the other hand who doesnt sit on a horse one year to the next can jump on my wild WB and jump him over 3'3 and make it look bloody easy!!! HE DEF ISNT ON MY XMAS LIST!!! LOL
 
I think you may have natural balance or confidence (or perhaps even feel) when riding, but to be a good rider it is 99% sheer hard work! It is just not possible to put a novice rider on a horse and for them to automatically have a good seat, posture etc, these things take many years to develop and only with a good trainer.

I think (generally speaking) there are many good riders in Germany, but this is not because they are all naturals, it is more likely because they follow a much more structured and disciplined path.
 
Hmmmmmmm a famous dressage trainer once said about how i ride "she's not, and never will be the prettiest rider, but because of her understanding is a very effective one"

I was happy with that!
 
No, i am one of life's pedestrians, i am about as far from a "natural" rider as its possible to be. i have confidence, but little balance or "feel", and I do have to work much harder than other people . I'm getting there, though, very slowly, and i WILL be a decent rider eventually.
 
Yes..I would say I am a natural..
Right from word go it felt right and I looked right and found it really easy.
My daughter is the same. She took to riding just like that, has always looked right in the saddle, finds it really easy and straightforward ad rides well.
Having said that...neither of us are particularly ambitious when it comes to rding and are quite happy just trudling around out hacking.. we just happen to find it really easy
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I think because I am very slim with a straight back I look more pleasing on a horse than possibly more talented but dumpier riders. My sister doesn't ride from one day to the next, but because she is slim and sits tall and has long, lean, legs always looks pretty good, though she is a distinctly average rider.

I have put a lot of work into improving my leg position and seat so I know they are far more effective then my sisters, although I may not look any better to the untrained eye. However, I now seem to have rubbish hands. I always ride in a very light contact because I know my hands are not consistent.

I think some people naturally look better on a horse than others. I am not sure if that makes them 'natural' riders - just reasonably fit, athletic and supple.

A
 
pmsl... well I think I'm natural on a horse but am most definitely not slim, fit and athletic anymore..

I think being a 'natural' rider is more about a feel for riding than a look...
 
I dont look the part most of the time, but my first proper instructor and the guy I used to ride for/hunt with said I was a natural on a horse, even if I wasnt technically brilliant
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In otherwords, I am quite effective, can stay on but aint that great to look at!!
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[ QUOTE ]
pmsl... well I think I'm natural on a horse but am most definitely not slim, fit and athletic anymore..

I think being a 'natural' rider is more about a feel for riding than a look...

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, ditto. I'm definitely of the dumpy rider variety. My old instructor at college said it was odd but me and another girl both sat in a certain way that made horses want to go well, even though we both had really short dumpy legs and were definitely not of athletic build.
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Sorry guys, I wasn't saying dumpy types couldn't ride well - quite the opposite if you re read my post.

I suppose I was thinking of people that get on a horse for the first time/don't ride very often. Some look like a sack of spuds, but some (like my sis) actually look irritatingly good. In my experience, tall elegant people with good straight backs usually look nice on a horse, even if they don't really know what they are doing.

To me, that was the only way I could view the thread as apart from that I have no concept of a 'natural' rider. All the riders I admire have worked hard at their craft. You develop a feel for a horse with experience - no one can just leap on a horse and ride like William Fox Pitt for example - it takes years to learn that sort of 'feel'.

A
 
Not at all, I have to concentrate on my position,
I struggle to achieve 'feel' and have to work really hard to improve.
On the up side I'm great at the groundwork/handling/horse care side and can manage difficult horses, my stickability isn't bad either
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no worries Arabelle
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I just think being a natural doesn't mean you don't still need to learn..
IMO, its someone who just gets it. They don't have to work hard to improve. They have a natural feel and horses generally go well for them. It just clicks
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This is an interesting discussion.

I suppose I think that riders we see as 'naturals' probably DO work incredibly hard to improve. What is the saying - genius is one tenth inspiration and nine tenths perspiration.

I am sure there have been studies showing that musical 'prodigies' actually practice far more than 'ungifted' children. Part of the their talent is there ability to keep going until they get it right.

I believe as a boy, David Beckham spent all his spare time practicing football skills fanatically.

I guess the direction I am taking this is that so called 'natural' riders make it look easy, but no one rides like an angel unless they have really put the work.

A
 
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This is an interesting discussion.

I guess the direction I am taking this is that so called 'natural' riders make it look easy, but no one rides like an angel unless they have really put the work.

A

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But I think some do. OK maybe not like an angel but I do believe it's quite likely that compared to his peers David Beckham was always a better footballer .. a natural.
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