How to help my riding? Tips needed

sandi_84

sandi_84

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How can I become less heavy in my right stirrup?
Now I know I'm doing it I'm really aware especially in rising trot that I seem to push into that side a lot more.

Also what are your tips for keeping your lower legs back?
 
Lots of work with no stirrups I'm afraid and also exercises to help you get an independent seat rather than relying on your stirrups.
 
Okey dokey I can do all those things! Not all on Loki coz I think he may either trip over a jump or stop and attempt to eat it ha ha! but I can always get a lesson on another horse :D Actually plan to do one week Loki and every second week someone else to attempt broadening my skills a bit.

Thank you as always :D
 
I've just bought one of those gym/exercise balls (looks like a big beach ball), not sure what came over me really as exercise to me is riding the horse and walking the dog, I've stepped foot in a gym once and embarrassed myself by falling off the running machine, however... saw some exercises with one of these to improve balance, pelvic and core stability and thought whilst we are still on limited riding due to the lack of daylight it would be worth a laugh. It has proved very interesting, and also entertaining for the OH lol.
I agree with the others that no stirrups/lunge work would definitely do the trick but my old girl can buck like a broncho, my friends horse has an awesome spook and neither of us bounce as well as we used to! I watched a video on the horse hero site with Jon Pitts fitness trainer for team GBR, he explained we have dominant side that we balance better on and subconsciously we favour that side. My friend had a go and she puts weight into her left stirrup, every time she lost balance on the ball she tipped to the left to correct it, small losses of balance round corners when riding would probably make her do the same thing, she starts off straight and slowly goes more over to the left.
Who knows if it'll help, I've only had it a week, but its quite fun and frankly I doubt I could get any worse!
 
There's quite a few but some of what I've done include:

Rising trot without stirrups
Standing up tall in all of the gaits, start with walk, when you've mastered that go on to trot and then canter - you'll need somebody with you to help
Walk, trot and canter without stirrups
In rising trot, sit for 2 beats then rise, and alternate with rise for 2 beats then sit.

Just a couple of exercises. I'm sure there are instructors on here with many more.
 
Laura6544 said:
I've stepped foot in a gym once and embarrassed myself by falling off the running machine
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Oops! Hope only your pride was damaged :o
Have been thinking about one of the excercise ball thingymabobs, have heard they can be quite helpful.

Syrah said:
There's quite a few but some of what I've done include:

Rising trot without stirrups
Standing up tall in all of the gaits, start with walk, when you've mastered that go on to trot and then canter - you'll need somebody with you to help
Walk, trot and canter without stirrups
In rising trot, sit for 2 beats then rise, and alternate with rise for 2 beats then sit.

Just a couple of exercises. I'm sure there are instructors on here with many more.
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Sounds good, my instructor gets us to stand during walk for part of the lesson already and I have decided my balance is shocking! :eek:
 
Im am the same sometimes. If I am even just a little nervous during a lesson as soon as we go into trot I tend to tense, without realising it and have more pressure on my right leg/foot. No stirrup work usually sorts that very quickley and also I try to go for a few strides of sitting trot then start rising but let the seat take the pressure and then go with the rythem and let the horse help me to rise one my legs are more relaxed and balance is right. It works well for me so far! :)

Ps. love the sig re; unplanned dismount, wish I thought of that, brilliant!
 
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Sherbie said:
Ps. love the sig re; unplanned dismount, wish I thought of that, brilliant!
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Wish I could take credit for that but I read it in a horsey mag a few months back and me and the mothership had a giggle and decided it was a brilliant euphamism :D

I'm a bit naughty about shoving myself up using my stirrups and not relying on the natural rise and going from my hips, would hate to post a video right now as people would probably hunt me down and remove me from the school in shame :o I blame my huge break in riding and lack of excercise in between, I used to be a lot better but now i'm having to learn all over again and erase bad habits all in one go! :rolleyes: At least I'm conquering my motorbike hands - sideways with thumbs on the inside :rolleyes: One of the instructors tells the kids to imagine carrying two cups of tea, tilt your hands and you spill it. I imagine coffee because I can't function without it ha ha! Oh well, I'll get there slowly but surely :)
 
either way its good !
I have to say im very much like that, when I started riding at a young age and also riding as a teenager, I was always taught stay on, do not pull on the horses mouth that was it. Now back at riding school to help confidence and learn properly(yes there is a reason that dosent work for everyone lol) We have 3 between my sis and I but not ridden by us atm for other reasons. it is difficult after a break but you will get there, you seem very determined to do well and noticing your weaknesses I bet the positives out-do them though :)
 
Sherbie said:
either way its good !
I have to say im very much like that, when I started riding at a young age and also riding as a teenager, I was always taught stay on, do not pull on the horses mouth that was it. Now back at riding school to help confidence and learn properly(yes there is a reason that dosent work for everyone lol) We have 3 between my sis and I but not ridden by us atm for other reasons. it is difficult after a break but you will get there, you seem very determined to do well and noticing your weaknesses I bet the positives out-do them though :)
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Thank you :D I was taught the same principles too, glue on your butt, elastic in your arms, weights in your heels :D I think those are maybe my best bits because they were pretty much drilled into me and now I couldn't forget if I tried ha ha! :D

We've managed to acquire 5 between the mothership (2), big sis (2) and myself over the last year! :eek: Atm I'm the only one who rides mine regularly as mum's mare and sisters gelding have pretty much been turned away over the winter months (a bit unintentionally I have to say) mum's new gelding is brilliant as a working livery and is very handsome so gets a lot of work and big sisters little mare is a saddle club pony so usually gets her fair share of excercise too :D Have to say in fairness my sister has a huge amount on her plate and finds getting time to ride really difficult but she is there without fail every day to muck out and check on the horses and mum is getting back into the riding soon - she's booking lessons every week starting this friday - after taking a tumble out on a hack... or should I say unplanned dismount? ;)

I'm definately more critical of myself than anyone else is but I don't get down on myself about the things i'm not doing right anymore (major step!) I just try to figure out how I can improve, I think thats going to be one of the keys to my hopefully becoming a better rider :D

Did you have quite a long break from riding too? How are you finding your lessons going? Hope the confidence is coming back! It's so easy to loose and sooo difficult to get back isn't it :o
 
I struggled with confidence, I had a 4/5 year gap after my old girl bucked be off and I fractured my spine. I agree that was the hardest thing to overcome and I'm still working on it now, its worth it though. I realised how much I'd missed it even when I'm in agony after a lesson, I'm sure my muscles didn't ache this much before! Got on a friends horse the other day and although he is normally a saint he had a big spook with some gentle bronching (nothing too bad) but I had to really sit back and move with him, I also think I became very tense because of what happened when I got bucked off before....anyway, was walking like John Wayne for 3 days! Pathetic! What state would I have been if I'd have fell off?
 
Laura6544 said:
I struggled with confidence, I had a 4/5 year gap after my old girl bucked be off and I fractured my spine. I agree that was the hardest thing to overcome and I'm still working on it now, its worth it though. I realised how much I'd missed it even when I'm in agony after a lesson, I'm sure my muscles didn't ache this much before! Got on a friends horse the other day and although he is normally a saint he had a big spook with some gentle bronching (nothing too bad) but I had to really sit back and move with him, I also think I became very tense because of what happened when I got bucked off before....anyway, was walking like John Wayne for 3 days! Pathetic! What state would I have been if I'd have fell off?
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Ooh ouch! Fractured spine sounds really scary! :eek:
Well done you for sticking to your saddle! I can't do broncing, I manage to sit about 2 then I'm off! Don't think I get into defensive position quickly enough and tend to end up flung forwards from the get go :rolleyes:
I'm the same, my 16yo self would have been fine, no soreness and bounce back quickly after falls. Now over a decade later I'm pretty achey after lessons and find getting back up and getting on with it after falls hard work :rolleyes:
 
Must be a scottish thingl hehe!
Yep I would say that would be an unplanned dismount. Its good that she is going back for lesons, some people can look down on that but its better in the long run. Dont I know about it!
Being your worst critic is not always a bad thing, it shows you WANT to do well and asking questions rather than just going with the flow and hoping for the best.
My confidence is still shot but coming along, lots to work on but got a good instructor and supportive family. It will take time and frustration is the most stressful thing but it was all come good in the end (I hope :) ) Keep me posted on your progress. xx
 
I've been 'back in the saddle' for about 3 years now and (I'll regret posting this) haven't fell off yet. In some ways I wish I had because I used to fall off all the time and it didn't bother me but sometimes I'm tempted to just fling myself off and get it out of the way!
 
Sherbie:
Ha ha! Naughty! ;):D
Yeah I'm really proud of her for getting back on and not having a cry, I would have! She rolled down a hill and got extreamly muddy! :eek:
I'm positive it will all come good for you! You sound like you've got the right kind of people around to help you when you need it :) I think the main thing is when you get little moments of clarity or sheer joy out of what you are doing that'll be a major confidence boost for you, it definately is for me, and it helps to tide you over when things don't go quite as planned.

Laura:
Noooo! Don't tempt fate and don't throw yourself off! ;) That's pretty good going though! Anticipation of a fall sucks especially for me if I'm going for a canter! I sometimes feel the same, if I fell off more often it probably wouldn't phase me so much as it did when I came off the last time as long as my intructor shouts at me to get back on that is :D
Luckily I've only come off once in the last six months and only came away with a numb bum cheek as I landed squarely on it ha ha! Sat on my butt in the middle of the school, legs straight out in front and one of the livery's fathers trying to keep a straight face ha ha! :rolleyes:
 
I would echo the lunge lessons but also get yourself checked out by an osteopath to ensure that you are level to start with. Tension on one side of the body can indicate that you are out of alignment.

Then I'm afraid its just a case of practice and a good instructor.
 
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