How much has changed in 16 years? (Sorry, long one).

2ndtimeround

2ndtimeround

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Hi all,

I'm a newbie here and am looking for some advice. I've just had my first lesson after a 16 year gap! I used to have my own horse and competed in local shows up to the age of 15 but stopped for various reasons. I am really keen to get back into riding with a view to perhaps taking a horse on loan in a year or so just for some fun riding and maybe the odd ODE (if I can ever master dressage that is!).

On my assessment lesson yesterday my instructor said that there is nothing wrong with my riding but that I ride in a very 'old school' style i.e gripping with my knees and using my seat to move the horse forward in canter. Apparently this isn't how people are taught to ride anymore so I'm going to have to learn a new way. Can anybody tell me what this is? I'm happy to learn anything that eases the burden on the horse but if I can get an idea of what I'm going to need to learn I can prepare before my next lesson next week.

Also, my lack of fitness was very apparent yesterday! After a half hour lesson I was shattered and am quite achy today (not so much sore as stiff). I knew this was going to happen but if anyone has any tips for getting back to 'match fitness' as it were I would appreciate them. I already attend the gym 3 times a week and am working on my flexibility as part of a recovery programme from an old knee injury but is there anything else I could be doing? Does anyone find yoga or pilates helps?

Sorry for the long post, I've got so many questions after so long but this forum looked like a great place to get answers.:)
 
2ndtimeround said:
On my assessment lesson yesterday my instructor said that there is nothing wrong with my riding but that I ride in a very 'old school' style i.e gripping with my knees and using my seat to move the horse forward in canter. Apparently this isn't how people are taught to ride anymore so I'm going to have to learn a new way. Can anybody tell me what this is?
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Ummmm...probably a long-winded answer to this one. Maybe as opposed to gripping / pushing, think about stretching so you are nice and long and relaxing your legs round the horse. The elbow-hip-heel stuff you learned years ago still applies though! Maybe see if you can get your hands on a Sally Swift book for detailed info on technique.

Good luck with it all and let us know how it goes :)
 
Also the more you ride, the less you'll feel the stiffness / soreness. And I always recommend Vitamin I* when you're getting back into it after a long break.




* Vitamin I = Ibuprofen
 
Welcome back - no advice, I am still struggling to change my bad old ways. You may find falling has changed since you were 15 too, for some reason it hurts more nowadays!

Good luck and let us know how you get on
 
Welcome back indeed!:D I think it depends on your trainer and what discipline they are specialised in. I was never taught to grip with my knees though but different trainers have different ideas - the best thing you can develop, whatever the discipline is softness and feel - enjoy!:D
 
Welcome back to riding. I am old enough to remember being taught to grip with my knees by having 6d coins placed between my knees and the saddle which you had to keep in position by gripping tightly! Rode like that for many years and then had a break from riding.

When I resumed riding I had a lesson only to be told not to grip with my knees so I share your confusion. I was told to use my hand to pull my inside thigh muscle back so that my leg lay flat and to try to imagine having a flat hand between my knees and the saddle which I didn't want to crush.
 
Thank you all for your good luck wishes and advice.

Eggs-I'm glad it's not just me who was taught like that! The tip of imagining a hand that you
don't want to crush is great-I will try and use that next week.
 
arizonahoney said:
Maybe see if you can get your hands on a Sally Swift book for detailed info on technique.

Good luck with it all and let us know how it goes :)
Click to expand...

Welcome OP.

arizonahoney Sally Swift if going back a bit isn't it? I have her book from years and years ago but I have it in storage so cannot look at the date:p

OP- I went and did my stages just to get into the new way of riding:) To be honest I was told I had an excellent seat I seem to use both ways of riding depending on the horse (well I did):D
 
Hi, welcome!
I've been riding for 13 years now and got my first loan pony nearly 9 years ago - I've recently started lessons on my yard owners horses (my own horse is currently recovering from being broken..!) and she tells me off for riding "in an old fashioned way" too!!
I was always taught to grip with my knees, hands down, but now apparently, its stretch your legs down round the horse, hands up so it pushes your shoulders back.
Lots of no stirrups work once you are more established to the aches and pains will help ;)
P.S...I ride daily, yesterday I rode 3 and I'm aching like MAD today - you never get used!!!!
K x
 
Thanks for that Kellys. The aches have definitely kicked in today but thankfully I am working from home today so don't have to wander round the office doing my John Wayne impression!

My instructor actually got me to do a very small amount without stirrups on Tuesday and I definitely felt myself lengthening my legs and wrapping them round the horse more so a bit more of that will help I think.

Thank you all for your help and advice, I will keep you updated on my progress and will hopefully become a regular around here. It's so nice to be getting involved with horses again after such a long break - I almost feel like a teenager again!
 
Welcome back!

You want to be thinking about sitting on your seatbones rather than your "fork" and you want your legs hanging from your hips, wrapped gently around the horse so that you have the inside of your calves on the horses sides (but not gripping - and coincidentally you can't do that unless you relax your knees - and you want your feet in alignment with your hips so that if your horse disappeared from underneath you you would land on your feet. Easy to say ;).

One thing that has worked miracles for my position is lots and lots and lots of time in the saddle without stirrups - some of it on the lunge. As for exercises, you want to be looking at things that help you loosen up your hips, relax and strengthen your lower back (this will help you absorb the horse's movement) and strengthen your "core" muscles.

Good luck!

P
 
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