chilworth23
Well-Known Member
how to keep your leg on?
how would you explain?
- Thread starter chilworth23
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chilworth23
Well-Known Member
anyone?
lauraandjack
Well-Known Member
Squeeze and keep squeezing?
schneeko
Well-Known Member
Difficult, I think.
It depends on the horse. I ride a little welshie, my leg is always on her sides but not doing anything, I just squeeze a bit to give her my aids, but she is very speedy so you don't have to 'kick'. With the new forest pony, I keep my legs off and then give him a sharp nudge, followed by a tap if he ignores me, because he's lazy. With my tb, I wear spurs. I have my legs on his sides and mainly control him with squeezes and just use the spurs if he comes off my leg or if i'm asking for lateral work or collection because he is very responsive and only needs spurs for refinment. I ride most horses in a way that suits them.
That kind of doesn't answer the quesion. It just shows that it's very difficult to explain 'keeping your leg on' because it's different on every horse.
It depends on the horse. I ride a little welshie, my leg is always on her sides but not doing anything, I just squeeze a bit to give her my aids, but she is very speedy so you don't have to 'kick'. With the new forest pony, I keep my legs off and then give him a sharp nudge, followed by a tap if he ignores me, because he's lazy. With my tb, I wear spurs. I have my legs on his sides and mainly control him with squeezes and just use the spurs if he comes off my leg or if i'm asking for lateral work or collection because he is very responsive and only needs spurs for refinment. I ride most horses in a way that suits them.
That kind of doesn't answer the quesion. It just shows that it's very difficult to explain 'keeping your leg on' because it's different on every horse.
jhoward
Demon exorcist...
Id say leg on comes from the seat down, my mare is very quick/sensitive off the leg i find i can control her, speed her up etc from my thigh down.. my heels dont need to touch her to tell her to go on etc.
Letslip
Well-Known Member
Have always been told to imagine the horse is like a tube of toothpaste that you have to feel at all times down the inside of your legs, lightly squeezing to keep the contact and then as you need more impulsion etc to increase the amount of squeeze on the tube!! 
chilworth23
Well-Known Member
liking the toothpaste tube idea, im trying to explain to a child and it just resulted in poor pony getting tons of kicks, then kid looked confused when i said that wasnt what i really meant!
jhoward
Demon exorcist...
get the kiddie to ride with knees up on the saddle and say no heels and explaine in kiddie talk about pelvis and gripping and ungripping with calfs etc. (providing kid is at an age to understand ) basically take away the urge for kid to kick with heels.. or take legs aways from saddle to thump pony with all of leg! (god I used to hate teaching kiddies..)
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
I helped with RDA for a while and the teacher was fab. She had alot of pupils with various problems but they all understood 'hug the horse gently with your legs'. 