First lesson on mechanical dressage horse

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Cobbytype

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Well, it's nearly 5 years since my bum sat in a saddle. I lost my retired horse last year and miss everything horsey so much, but just didn't fancy having riding lessons. So, last week I took the plunge, booked a lesson on a mechanical dressage horse and went along today for my first lesson.

When I first got on the horse, it felt very high up - it's 5 years since my head's been that far above the ground and I felt quite nervous. I did wonder if I'd be the first person ever to fall off the perfect schoolmaster before it had even gone into walk!

I did better than expected in the assessment, but my legs... my oh my, my wobbly legs. They were fine(ish) in sitting trot (which is very smooth and easy to sit to), but waved all over the place in rising trot. Like a pendulum they went backwards and forwards and I couldn't keep them still. And they turned to jelly afterwards, which was embarrassing as I had to go supermarket shopping straight after the lesson. I leaned on the trolley and shuffled around the aisles to hide my drunken, shaky, jelly legs:-)

So tonight, my back aches, my legs ache, my shoulders ache and my bum's a bit sore too. Happy days, can't wait for next week's lesson:-)

Hopefully I'll be able to concentrate a little better next week, as I found it all a bit tiring and my legs wouldn't do what my brain was asking them to do and then everything stiffened up. I think the lessons are going to be really useful in improving my riding technique and accuracy. And hopefully my legs will stop swinging around too!

For those contemplating a lesson on a mechanical dressage horse - go for it, it's great fun and a really good way to learn how to improve. And the canter... I could have sat there all day!
 
wow well done! What a GREAT idea to have your first lesson on a mechanical horse. I love them, but only just have enough time and energy to sit on my own live horse. I bet you will get really good really quickly. Keep us posted! :)
 
Thank you Mistletoebiano:-)

I always thought that I sat with a twist on Jasper, so was surprised to see that I was straight.

It's nice to be able to concentrate on your own riding and to see how bad the bad habits are. My hands are very, very soft - a little too soft, but I'd been told that over the years, but didn't like to think I was being rough on my horse's mouth. My gentle half halts went ignored by the mechanical horse:-)

I don't think I'd have found the time (or money) to have lessons whilst I was riding my horse. I only wish that mechanical horses were around all those years ago when I first went for riding lessons, as I think they help so much with balance.

I'll update as I progress:-)
 
This is great to hear, we have a mechanical horse, locally and I'd love a go, as like you I feel I sit crooked and as I have a youngster I want to be ultra careful, not that I wasn't with my old boy. The only thing that puts me off is it is £70 and that is a lot of money! Would you say it is worth it?
 
Hi,

I went to Centauredsport, which is at the Lincoln football stadium. They have an offer on for January and my fitness session was £15 for 30 minutes. I think the price is more for a proper dressage session (I'm not sure how much it is), but my lesson today was just a general assessment with nothing too fancy. It was plenty for me, as I haven't ridden for nearly 5 years and prior to that I'd only hacked for several years, so I'm not up to doing anything too complicated at this stage. It's about 12 years since I last had a lesson and I couldn't even remember the aid to canter (my horse just went with a squeeze as he knew me so well).

I can't wait for my next lesson, but my poor old muscles are like jelly this evening and I think I'll be really stiff tomorrow.
 
Hi Lucyloo,

I found my local one by Googling a few different search terms e.g. 'mechanical horse dressage lesson Lincolnshire' 'dressage simulator Lincolnshire'. I can't remember which search term got me to the info/website, but I'm sure a similar search including your local county/counties will show the places near to you that have a mechanical horse.

Having put on about 10lbs since I last wore joddies, I went in a pair of comfy, stretchy sports trousers, but I think jophurs would have given me a bit more support - my legs are really sore tonight:-) It's a bit too depressing to go out and buy new bigger joddies, so I'm planning on getting slimmer over the coming weeks...
 
Glad you enjoyed it, this is where I go too ... isn`t she fab for reassuring you :)

I go again on the 21st of January (the day after pay day lol) and I can`t wait, it`ll be my 3rd fitness session. I know what you mean about the canter too ... fabulous ... wait until she has you and Teasle doing the flying changes and passage lol :D
 
DJ said:
Glad you enjoyed it, this is where I go too ... isn`t she fab for reassuring you :)

I go again on the 21st of January (the day after pay day lol) and I can`t wait, it`ll be my 3rd fitness session. I know what you mean about the canter too ... fabulous ... wait until she has you and Teasle doing the flying changes and passage lol :D
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Yup, DJ it was a lovely way to ease myself back into riding and on a cold, damp January day, the warmth of the office was good too.

I'm really stiff today!

I think it will be a while before I'm up to doing flying changes!

Isn't it funny how we ride for years and years and then someone says "oh, you need to do this" and the thing you've been struggling with all those years suddenly has a simple solution. Sharon gave me a very simple tip on leg control and there was an immediate improvement in my lower leg position.

That mechanical trot is so weird and it's going to take some getting used to - rising to it was a real effort and made me feel very awkward and unbalanced, but sitting to it was a lot easier.

Enjoy your session on the 21st:-)
 
It sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love to have a go on one, but I live in Cornwall, and I think the closest one to me is in Southampton. If I'm ever somewhere with one available, I'd love to have a go, although I dread to think what they'd tell me! I know faults have crept into my position over the last year, as it was my final year at uni and I haven't had the chance to ride as much :(
 
Cobbytype said:
Yup, DJ it was a lovely way to ease myself back into riding and on a cold, damp January day, the warmth of the office was good too.

I'm really stiff today!

I think it will be a while before I'm up to doing flying changes!

Isn't it funny how we ride for years and years and then someone says "oh, you need to do this" and the thing you've been struggling with all those years suddenly has a simple solution. Sharon gave me a very simple tip on leg control and there was an immediate improvement in my lower leg position.

That mechanical trot is so weird and it's going to take some getting used to - rising to it was a real effort and made me feel very awkward and unbalanced, but sitting to it was a lot easier.

Enjoy your session on the 21st:-)
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She`ll have you doing flying changes at your next lesson lol ... It is wonderful though, I especially like how you have time to really think about what your body is doing, am I tense, am I breathing where is my weight, is it to the left or right, and then how the time just riding the simulator allows your body and muscles to stretch and release :)

The sitting trot is easier, but that said, you don`t have the same momentum from the rising trot as you would from a real horse, so it does make it harder work on you. It`s amazing how the little tweaks go such a long way to help balance you up, and working on your muscle memory now really helps for when you`re back in the saddle for real ... I love it :)

Penumbra said:
It sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love to have a go on one, but I live in Cornwall, and I think the closest one to me is in Southampton. If I'm ever somewhere with one available, I'd love to have a go, although I dread to think what they'd tell me! I know faults have crept into my position over the last year, as it was my final year at uni and I haven't had the chance to ride as much :(
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No sure where abouts in Cornwall you are, But Heather Moffett has one, and she`s in Devon :)

http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/sim.htm
 
Penumbra said:
It sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love to have a go on one, but I live in Cornwall, and I think the closest one to me is in Southampton. If I'm ever somewhere with one available, I'd love to have a go, although I dread to think what they'd tell me! I know faults have crept into my position over the last year, as it was my final year at uni and I haven't had the chance to ride as much :(
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My first time in the saddle in over eight years was 9th Dec 2014 a Birthday gift from my best friend. After getting badly broken (permanent back injury) and massive confidence issues. Tried getting on a 16.2 two a year ago but ended up in tears when my foot went in the stirrup. I wish there was something like that over here it sounds like fun. The feedback would scare me to death.I can imagine my old UK instructor s voice saying give up immediately and never inflict yourself on a living horse EVER! Are you paying attention Miss? Err yes Miss S. :)
 
Oh OP I've had a lesson with Sharon too, she's fab isn't she. I've been meaning to book another lesson as my right leg seems to be having a mind of its own at the minute so I must get another booked. I only wish my own horse had a canter as comfortable :)
 
coloured_c0b said:
Oh OP I've had a lesson with Sharon too, she's fab isn't she. I've been meaning to book another lesson as my right leg seems to be having a mind of its own at the minute so I must get another booked. I only wish my own horse had a canter as comfortable :)
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Hi Coloured Cob,

Yes, I enjoyed the session a lot and the canter was oh so easy. But that bloomin' medium trot - ouch! I only wish I could afford to go more often. Good luck with the wobbly leg:-)
 
I had my second session on the mechanical dressage horse today, but just had a hack around the virtual course. My steering was a bit dodgy, my half halts were either too sharp or ignored and my leg aids were pretty poor too. Apart from that it went well and I'm nowhere near as stiff as last week.

I'd forgotten just how difficult it is to ride well - ignorance is bliss when you just hack around on your own horse and he knows what you want, regardless of how vague your aids are. It would appear that Charlotte Dujardin can stop worrying about my amazing dressage skills for the moment:-)
 
Tee hee, know what you mean about riding well ... it`s so easy to become complacent, what our horses have to put up with eh? lol ... Glad you had another good session :)
 
Okay well-ish then:-) Yes, our poor horses must be psychic sometimes in reading what we want them to do:-) I'm just glad that I'm not as stiff as last week - the day after was not pleasant!
 
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