Do you feel your flatwork position is "correct"?

[BroadfordQueen]

I was just wondering if you could answer a very basic question for me please (see poll). It would be a MASSIVE help! Thank you!

 

[AFlapjack]

I put lean to left/right but its more of a twist to the right rather than lean

 

[xloopylozzax]

Mine would be a, I can ride in a classically correct position, but I dont always depending on how effective I have to be.

If all the buttons are in the right place its easy.

If you are still putting them there, or correcting things then you get an "odd" position occasionally. Comes down to being a rider or a passenger IMO.

My worst thing would be my heels when this happens! or my wayward right wrist (darent post what my mother calls it!!)

ETA- I ride centrally with my body weight though, no tipping/leaning or slouching!

 

[stencilface]

Nope. I can feel myself being wonky, but I don't think I am AS wonky as my instructor says I am, the corrective things she's had me doing in the past, definitely push me the other way, but maybe she's trying to straighten me by going too far the other way? I want to buy myself a lesson on a mechanical horse...

I also tilt forwards/look down, esp riding in front of new people as I am self conscious about what they might think of me

 

[Daytona]

No I tip forward at times, and can be a bit wonky in how I sit. I very aware of my faults though and work hard when riding to correct them .

 

[2horsesnomoney]

This is a really difficult question, many people think they are in a classic position however on the ground instructors can see something different. This is why the use of video analysis and mirrors are invaluble. I am suprised to see in your poll that more people know they are "wonky" - good instructors make all the differance!
x

 

[vam]

Can there be an option for all of the above?!

I tend to tip forwards more than anything but not as badly as i used to, i can also collaps to the right which makes me lean that way slightly and i can also slouch at times. I guess it depends on what im doing/working on at the time as what other habits creep in.
So no not perfect at all!

 

[Jesstickle]

As vam really

My mine fault is tipping forwards (got told it showed that I rode race horses when I went for a lesson on Sunday ) but I do all of them at times Although usually not all at once

 

[Burnttoast]

I put lean to right/left. In the spring my weight was off to the left. That's now sorted, and instead I'm now leaving my right hip behind (GAH!!). Tortuous lunge lessons on extremely sensitive horses are helping me with that And lots of video. It's enough to make you weep. And I don't even have a horse to benefit from all this work

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I tip forwards but I blame this on 2 factors: 1. I ride racehorses so am constantly up and bent forward at the hip. And 2. I have ridden Shetlands all my life so kind of lean frward slightky to make me appear slightly smaller on them

I also haven't had a lesson since 1997 ... Oops!

 

[Jesstickle]

I tip forwards but I blame this on 2 factors: 1. I ride racehorses so am constantly up and bent forward at the hip.

At least I'm not alone! I tend to refer to the way I ride as the brace position.

My lower leg is pretty ok but sadly no one asked about that. It's probably the only thing I like about the way I ride.

 

[mtj]

I put lean to left/right but its more of a twist to the right rather than lean

Another twister here, but hit the lean box.

 

[racingdemon]

apart from a)..... all of the above, depending on what i am 'trying' to do & who I am riding!

 

[Billykid]

No, I twist to the left quite often and I lean forwards... Poor ponio

 

[CrazyMare]

When I ride a horse I tip forwards a bit, more on my older mare than the younger one - although if I put the older mares saddle on the younger one, I find I have to remind myself to sit up more - Maybe I need to put the youngers saddle on the older & see what happens.

I went to a mechanical horse session with KirstyHen, and we were both told we were in good positions, but both said we have faults that weren't as obvious on the mechanical horse....

 

[MegaBeast]

none of the above, my position is pretty good and equally level (confirmed by simulator with sensors) but I do tend to carry my hands too low.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

I put lean to left/right but its more of a twist to the right rather than lean

^^ This. My left shoulder sits about 2inches forward of my right.

 

[Santa_Claus]

i haven't voted as don't feel the options best describe my positional faults

I bring my lower leg too far forward mainly as I only have a jump saddle. This in turn means the rotation of my pelvis isn't quite right and I am known to look down which in turn means my shoulders round forwards.

I also have lower back issues so I am often not straight in the saddle.

All of the above are being worked very hard on though

 

[Baluga]

I tip forwards, I suffer from a bad back after an accident when I was younger - riding is the worst thing for it and after a bit I start going forward

 

[frannieuk]

I ticked a although I'm not perfect (very far from it!) but I don't have any glaring faults in my flatwork but sometimes I may demonstrate many of the below options when things aren't going to plan - Loopylozz puts it far better than I do!

 

[3bh]

Nope - I tend to ride defensive, slightly tipped forward and with shorter pedals than is "correct"(!) and due to a sacrum injury (from being launched from a breaker!) I have to ride uneven in stirrup length, i do sit quitely and balanced on horses though even though technically unlevel.
. However when I am pushed to it (with the scary instructor!) I can ride "classically" and it comes easily, but as I do a lot of breaking and riding of problem horses I am used to shorter stirrups and sitting in a light seat that is quick to react defensively, rather than sitting tall and deep. Does that make sense!

 

[WestCoast]

I was trying to work out if there was some way of prompting of I'm off centre - like something sharp that would stick in if I'm not completely level.

Paula

 

[BroadfordQueen]

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful!
PaulaG, your not too far wrong with why I wanted this research!

 

[zizz]

Couldn't vote as there was no option for stable upper body but chicken wings and out of control lower legs!!!

 

[Littlelegs]

Mines ok courtesy of a very scary ex boss, & a very particular schoolmaster. But I used to have a habit of dropping my inside hand a few inches & slipping the inside rein. (cured by aforementioned boss threatening to remove the rein entirely on a horse I found challenging with two reins). And I did used to slouch a bit. Something nobody picked up on till same boss. Being thin, not holding myself & sticking my stomach out in bad posture really wasn't that obvious.

 

[Bethie]

I've ticked (a) but not sure I'd describe myself as perfect! I do work very hard to keep balanced and central and now have enough body awareness to feel when a crookedness is creeping in and know exercises to correct it (off horse generally) so issues are sorted out quickly.

 

[Spendtoomuch]

I ticked tip forward and lean to right.

I don't lean everytime, normally when concentrating very hard on something.

I also know I lean forwards however is only now noticeable in canter, after a lot of work. I started tipping after a bad fall which has lead to a very bad back so tipped as it hurt less like that.

I have worked a lot to stop myself but find when back is very bad I start doing it and have to correct myself.