I've finally started riding again (plus advice needed!)

P

pixie

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 July 2005
Messages
4,987
Location
Malton, N yorkshire
Visit site
So after not having a riding lesson for 5 years due to ill health, uni, lack of funds and no driving license, I now have all of the above and have start riding lessons again. I briefly shared a horse last year, but that didn't last long due to lack of money and driving license! Please bear in mind that I pretty much haven't done any physical exercise during this time and am extremely unfit at the moment!
I used to be a decent rider, and was fine doing all of the below and more, so I do feel rather crap at the moment with my body's inability to ride properly and feeling so unbalanced!

So I had my first lesson 2 weeks ago. It was a 45 min private lesson where I basically did all paces and worked without stirrups for a bit (sitting and rising trot!). Afterwards my thighs were so sore that I was walking like John Wayne for the next few hours!!!!

Since then I decided to make the most of my workplace (I work in a spa at a posh hotel) and actually use the gym (before/after my shift) and advice from the fitness instructors! Exhausting, but I know I'll start to feel the benefits soon
smile.gif


Yesterday I had my second lesson. This time it was a 30 minute lunge lesson to work on my position. LOADS of sitting and rising trot without stirrups, and with my arms in various positions. I felt to much better after it and my legs were really relaxed, so no sore thighs, yay! I was also keeping my weight back and sitting up properly
smile.gif


I've booked in for a group lesson next week, and will probably have another lunge lesson in the future when I'm a bit more fit.

Now, advice time!
smile.gif


Rising trot without stirrups: What are its benefits? I don't think I'm doing it right as my..er.. delicate parts are feeling rather delicate!! Perhaps I just can't do it right yet because my muscles are rubbish? Any hints?

Sitting trot: I am getting back into doing this - fine without stirrups, but as soon as I put the stirrups back my legs don't wrap round so much and I feel less balanced. I don't want to lengthen stirrups, as I find it difficult enough to keep my stirrups when cantering at this length. Which leads me on to my next question:

Cantering: My legs seem to gradually rise up and then unbalance me! Eep! I especially feel unbalanced around corners. How do I fix this? Cantering without stirrups on the lunge?

Canter-trot transistion: It feels VERY bouncy! I can't seem to go from canter to sitting trot. This is why I'm not so sure about cantering without stirrups as I think I'll just fall off! lol Any suggestions?

I can see the future, and forsee lots of you telling me to do a hell of a lot of work without stirrups!
wink.gif


Thanks in advance, you guys are awesome
smile.gif
 
No advice I'm afraid, just wanted to say you are not alone!!!!

Have just started riding again after a nearly 12 year break, I feel so silly and frustrated, and such a cr*p rider its a horrible feeling isn't it when you could do everything so easily before!
mad.gif


I had to try my new loan horse the other day my riding was shameful, bum right out of the saddle in canter, lol. bump bump!
blush.gif
blush.gif
blush.gif
I am so with you on this one!

I am sure with your lessons and my new pony (arriving sunday) we will soon be wondering what we worried about. Good luck hon!
smile.gif
 
Rising trot without stirrups - invented by evil RIs as a form of torture.
Only joking - it's to make you use your legs, your whole leg, not just your knee or calf gripping the saddle.
I prefer sitting trot and canter without stirrups - I sacked the stirrups for canter on Weds on a young horse and it worked much better for us both.
 
Another one here, back riding after 8 years - feel like such a pillock and it's incredibly frustrating when your body won't co-operate.
I'd love to get a horse on loan, but doubt anyone would let me near theirs!
 
[ QUOTE ]

I'd love to get a horse on loan, but doubt anyone would let me near theirs!

[/ QUOTE ]

Keep looking - someone (from here, actually) let me near hers, and I was a strong contender for the title of Worlds Biggest Numpty. I couldn't rug up, hadn't picked out feet for 25 years, had only tacked up by myself once before....

After they'd unwound me from the bridle with martingale and hunting breastplate (what the HELL are all these straps), and picked me up off the floor after the heavy turnout rug flopped backwards off the horse and knocked me over, she STILL let me share the horse. You seriously learn SO much in such a short time once you start getting hands-on with the horse on a daily basis. I'm still a bit of a numpty, but I'm much better than I was.
 
That's just it, I'm fine with general care of a horse, but all the loans I see want people who have ridden for years - yeah, I rode for 5, but now I have that huge gap when I'm all fingers and thumbs - I know what I am doing, it just doesn't look very pretty!
grin.gif

I can understand not wanting some one jabbing your horses mouth, pony club kicking him over a 1ft cross pole, but not all us 'novices' are complete morons.
laugh.gif
 
Everyone says they want someone who has ridden for years, but in reality most people want someone who is a sympathetic rider, won't sock the horse in the mouth constantly and in general will remember that they are taking care of someone else's best friend. If you want someone who is a really spectacular rider and will improve the horse will they are riding it, you generally have to pay that person !! You can learn to be a better rider, but you can't really learn to be a more sympathetic horsewoman.
 
heh, I'm glad I'm not the only one!
smile.gif

I'm looking for a share, but fife seems to be devoid of available ponios, plus I have awful work shifts :/ I think a new job is required, with hours to fit around riding
wink.gif
 
It'll all come flooding back I'm sure.
If you leg is creeping up in canter it is probably due to some tension/gripping somewhere. Just try and keep your legs relaxed and round the horse. Easier said than done of course!
 
Hey hun - I was exactly like this 6 months ago
grin.gif
I had ridden every day between ages 11 and 17 and then had a 5 year break with selling pony and not finding another, riding accident, A-levels, Uni etc. Was very similar to you initially in that I found it difficult to keep my seat in canter-trot and trot-canter transitions and just generally felt a little wobbly and quite nervy. I have found that Pilates and Yoga have helped my seat and stamina no end and would definitely recommend!!
smile.gif
 
Hey!

I had a similar problem as well. I used to be able to do sitting trot really well and could always rise to the correct diagonal during rising trot without ever having to check. Then I had a break from riding and I've never been the same since I got back in the saddle!

I have the same problems with you as well and I'm fine doing sitting trot without stirrups but the minute I take them back my legs go all over the place! I think the thing is to really try and relax the legs, but not so much they flap everywhere and your feet come out of the stirrups. And to try and stay balanced remember to lean back - my big mistake is I often lean forward!

My legs also creep up in canter and I get extremely unbalance in the canter to trot transition to the point that I've fallen off a couple of times! One of my instructors has said the best thing to sort out my legs and seat in canter is to do more work without stirrups. If you feel a bit unbalanced and worried you might fall off, maybe get a couple of lessons on a lunge so there's some security there as well.

Everyone suggests yoga and pilates to help with core muscles but I've always struggled with pilates! Maybe I really need to work on my core muscles and that's why I've been falling off when I get unbalanced!

Good luck though, hopefully you'll be able to nail those problems!
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top