How to keep my upper body still when horse is walking, tips please

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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The cob that I'm riding at the school I go to is quite lazy in walk although she is much more forward going in trot and canter. Because I have to use alot of leg and then back it up with a whip whilst she is walking to get her going forward i'm finding that my upper body is working too hard and my instructor is picking up on this also.

So does anyone else do this and any advice on how to stop myself from doing it! Also tips on getting a horse more forward off the leg in walk, I've only just started having lessons again after hacking out on my own horse for 6+ years and i've now realised how many bad habits i've now got xxx
 
Sorry, can't help on the upper body thing, but for getting them more forward in walk; transitions, transitions and more transitions I'm afraid! :) Can't remember who it was but there was once a trainer to said to aim for 100 transitions in every session.. Admittedly I don't think anyone could do that, but it's a good thought! :) xx
 
It certainly is easy to get into bad habits on your own horse!
With this lazy cob perhaps if you 'walk' with your hips, in time to her stride, you would have more success than using a lot of leg to get her walking out. If you make sure that you are using your seat and sitting up tall this should keep your upper body over your hips.
 
It is a difficult one when the horse sounds extremly lazy and hard work, i think you need to work on the horses forwardness and then your body.
Lots of transtions up and down will get it listening to your leg more. lots of turns and circles school moves so the horse isn't bored might spark her up a little. don't just go round and round.

Hope this helps but without seeing you and the horse it's not easy to give advise.
 
To keep lazy horses in front of my leg, I usually apply leg, and if the horse does not immediately respond, I send them forwards in canter (the lazier the horse, the faster the canter). A few of these 'transitions' seems to work wonders on getting them forward thinking.

Make sure not to nag with your leg - your aids must be clear and the horse must respond immediately. Good luck :)
 
Agree with Nutkin! I kept my horse at (non working) livery at a school, and had joint lessons with riders on school horses. They are masters of 'sussing' out riders in a split second, and it was amazing to see the same horse responding to different riders. The trick was to get on, and the first aid to walk, if not responded to instantly, was backed up by another 'ask' and a firm tap of the whip, going forward into trot or canter if necessary. The horse seemed to wake up, and decide this rider was worth listening to, and was then much easier to work.
 
I think I'm being too polite at the moment because she's not my horse, the instructor says I'm being too nice aswell and says I'm doing all the work and the horse is doing hardly any. Thanks for your tips, see how I get on next time xx
 
to keep your upper body still when walking you need to be "walking" with the horse. you sound like you're concentrating so hard on keeping him going forwards that you are blocking the movement of your hips. This actually has the effect of telling the horse you don't want to go forwards.

Instead try to move your hips in time with the walk. Keep you middle soft so that it acts as suspension. when you need to kick you do it without changing anything above your knee. this way you stay still and give the horse the right message, making it easier for you both. As nutkin says, try not to nag, remember to be clear.. sqeeze, nudge, nudge and flick with the crop, smack.
 
Well your upper body will be moving around because you are working too hard with your legs and seat to try and keep the horse going. If you ride a different more forward horse you probably won't have this issue.

So the key is to get the horse walking out more.

You said it was a riding school horse and this is a common problem with riding school horses, they get waaaay to used to being allowed to slop along and dawdle in walk. You will have to be quite tough and disciplined with this horse every time you ride. But if you are really consistent you should find that the horse starts to get the idea and responds more quickly in time.

I would make sure that you always have a plan, and that the horse is always being asked to travel. If you want to let it stretch then it can but it does so in a forwards marching walk. If you want a rest yourself halt and have a rest (I know it is normally not the best thing to do but it is with horses like this - trust me).

Ask firmly for your transition, with a smart tap with your leg rather than a big squeeze, and if you don't get an immediate response back your leg up with a flick with the whip behind your leg (you need a long schooling whip). If you don't get a response to that go for a darn good crack with the schooling whip.

Then don't keep nagging with your leg and seat, let the horse carry you forward. When she stops marching briskly forward, flick her with the whip and send her forwards again. At first it will feel like you are beating her up every three strides but eventually she will start to walk for longer before you need to flick her.

Include transitions in your schooling, but make them definite and firm. In upwards transitions ask once with a little kick, and if she doesn't jump of your leg use the schooling whip. In downwards transitions make sure she goes straight into a nice forward walk rather than just falling on her nose, if she comes down to walk and doesn't keep moving briskly, give her a flick to remind her.

If you get a poor lazy transition do it again ASAP.

If you keep following all of this every time you ride her she will improve. Obviously as she is being used in lessons you will have to do this every time you ride her as not everyone will work this way. But she will get the idea quicker and quicker. I used to ride a horse that was very similar and it is hard work and frustrating but it is possible to overcome.

I did dressage with her and the biggest problem was free walk on a long rein, the minute you let the rein out she nodded off to sleep, so we did lots of practice, and she got a flick with the stick at the begining of each free walk.

We also did school her sometimes using a dressage whip in both hands, which worked an absolute treat. Loads better than just one. However if you have got just one schooling whip, and the horse is being really switched off what works well with a lot of lazy cob types is giving them a smack behind the leg, then on the shoulder, then behind the leg again all in quick succession. It is really surprising what difference this makes, just something that gets their attention when they are switched off and ignoring the aids.

Not advocating beating her up, but being insistent, firm and clear.
 
Thanks so much, putting it that way really makes sense Katt and thankyou to everyone else too. I do ride much better when I'm on a more forward going horse and as I said I'm much better in trot and canter when this cob is more forward going.

The instructor said that she very much tries it on and can suss you out in seconds, my cob was very similar and also ex riding school but because she was mine as was alot firmer with her. I need to be as firm with this cob too!!
 
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