Katikins
Well-Known Member
I've started riding again after about a year's break and have got a lovely share horse who is just a sweetheart. So far we have made an excellent partnership and his owners are really really pleased.
Anyway, certain things have been annoying me and was wondering if anyone could come up with some exercises or mental mantras to help. Basically I know that some of the proplems will get better as I get my core muscles back etc (slightly loose seat in trot-canter transitions) but some are irritating me. My worst is my right arm! If I'm on the left rein I can get Tazz going really nicely as my right hand is on the outside so just a nice steady contact and I'm very relaxed with my left arm so just asking for the bend - and obv inside leg (as you should do so obviously he responds well). However when working on the right rein I find it really hard to relax my inside (right) hand and let my left hand take the contact, I try concentrating on just relaxing that arm and keeping legs on but the more I concentrate on relaxing my arm I find that my lower leg gets looser and less effective! I then get my leg more solid and the arm goes all tight again!!
I'm also a nightmare for dropping my shoulders fowards on my trot-canter transitions but this is getting better with my 'sit up you silly cow' mantra
I also find it more difficult to keep my arm(s) relaxed as Tazz is an ex-trotter so does like to fall onto his forehand or fall through his shoulder much more than any other horse I've ridden - so I find that he does lean on my hands a fair bit. Multiple trot-halt-trot transitions do really help with this so I'm hoping this will get better.
And finally, in canter on the right rein he tends to go onto three tracks when going down the straight by swinging his quarters in. Now I'm not sure if this is something I'm doing (probably) but have tried being very firm with my inside leg to try and get him straight again and it doesn't seem to work. I think it is probably something I'm doing with my hands again I just can't figure out what. I've tried asking for more neck bend on the corner and almost doing shoulder in aids down the side but that doesn't seem to help.
OK a bit long and cookies if you get this far - any exercises or tips would be great. It may be that something mentioned makes a lightbulb go off or something.
PS: I am currently looking for an instructor and am going to try out the on-site instructor this weekend... I may well just needs someone on the ground yelling at me but would like any ideas on what to do in the meantime.
Anyway, certain things have been annoying me and was wondering if anyone could come up with some exercises or mental mantras to help. Basically I know that some of the proplems will get better as I get my core muscles back etc (slightly loose seat in trot-canter transitions) but some are irritating me. My worst is my right arm! If I'm on the left rein I can get Tazz going really nicely as my right hand is on the outside so just a nice steady contact and I'm very relaxed with my left arm so just asking for the bend - and obv inside leg (as you should do so obviously he responds well). However when working on the right rein I find it really hard to relax my inside (right) hand and let my left hand take the contact, I try concentrating on just relaxing that arm and keeping legs on but the more I concentrate on relaxing my arm I find that my lower leg gets looser and less effective! I then get my leg more solid and the arm goes all tight again!!
I'm also a nightmare for dropping my shoulders fowards on my trot-canter transitions but this is getting better with my 'sit up you silly cow' mantra
I also find it more difficult to keep my arm(s) relaxed as Tazz is an ex-trotter so does like to fall onto his forehand or fall through his shoulder much more than any other horse I've ridden - so I find that he does lean on my hands a fair bit. Multiple trot-halt-trot transitions do really help with this so I'm hoping this will get better.
And finally, in canter on the right rein he tends to go onto three tracks when going down the straight by swinging his quarters in. Now I'm not sure if this is something I'm doing (probably) but have tried being very firm with my inside leg to try and get him straight again and it doesn't seem to work. I think it is probably something I'm doing with my hands again I just can't figure out what. I've tried asking for more neck bend on the corner and almost doing shoulder in aids down the side but that doesn't seem to help.
OK a bit long and cookies if you get this far - any exercises or tips would be great. It may be that something mentioned makes a lightbulb go off or something.
PS: I am currently looking for an instructor and am going to try out the on-site instructor this weekend... I may well just needs someone on the ground yelling at me but would like any ideas on what to do in the meantime.
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