Lower leg

[MissJessica]

Advise please?
Did a lot of work on not nagging and keeping lower leg still.
Struggling, and keep subconsciously squeezing! Really disappointed in myself.
Exercises? Tips? Any advise welcome.
Thank you.

 

[Equi]

Does she need constantly nagged on? If so can you try a schooling whip? You could tie your stirrups to the girth so they are unable to come out much so you won't get as much leverage. Also try taking your feet out and spend a few circuts holding them still, only focusing on that at the time so you won't forget to not squeeze.

 

[Elbie]

I used to do this!

It was something I had to really try and think about not doing. I started doing it the other week after a lesson and we were cooling off. I was just subconsciously tap tap tapping away with my legs and my instructor just said "stop nagging, what are you achieving? Is it making her do anything?" and I had to say no! Now I try to think of everytime I use my leg it is because I am asking her to do something.

I started lessons with a new instructor who picked up lots of bad habits with my riding and I've basically been deconstructed and rebuilt again (the renovation is still in progress). The first few months were focused on my 'position' being correct and the speed/impulsion of the horse was irrelevant. Therefore as I was so busy thinking about what I was doing, how I was sitting etc and not thinking "right we need to get going, she's going too slow" that I just forgot about the nagging!

Sorry no exercises or tips but I suppose what I would suggest is just really focusing on it for a few schooling sessions and making sure you only use your leg because you want to achieve something.

 

[*sprinkles*]

I think you have to think about why you are nagging. Is it because your horse is lacking impulsion? If so work on getting her thinking forward again with the help of a schooling whip. I used to be trained by an old school dressage coach and he hated to see sluggish horses. He would have me hold a schooling whip in each hand and forbid me to use my legs at all. You end up using them very sparingly as you do regularly when using a schooling whip and it really causes you to think about the aid you are giving the horse as isolated instructions rather than a constant background drone. You could also try riding without stirrups for a few sessions as I feel like having your balance to concentrate on could stop you from over focussing on using your legs constantly and it's physically harder to nag with your feet out of the stirrups anyway. I think a lot of it is about having better body awareness as you could be finding you're doing this without even thinking about it. I always found Pilates to be great for improving this and being more aware of what my body was actually doing in space. If your horse is really sticky to keep moving forward try hacking out and reducing the schooling getting your horse marching forward and improving his/her fitness and stamina will help when you come back to schooling as the horse should be more freshened up. I feel they can get a bit sick of being in the school though it is difficult at this time of the year. Lots of quick transitions and pole work can help with getting your horse thinking forward also.

 

[JillA]

Try being a passenger - just sit and wait and concentrate on doing nothing with your lower leg! It's amazing what they can do if we let them - my boy can be lazy so I leave him alone but when he gets too slow I do an upward transition. He soon learned that being too lazy cost him more effort, and also to be ready for that transition which could come at any time. Schooling whips are good but they can soon become desensitised.

 

[_GG_]

Tie whoopee cushions to the inside of your calfs. ONLY do this if your horse will be ok with it and not react badly, but it worked really well for a girl I used to hack out with. She said she tried it in desperation and it worked because it made her realise a/how much she was doing it and b/made it really easy to stop.

 

[JillA]

Love that idea _GG_

 

[CobsGalore]

Tie whoopee cushions to the inside of your calfs. ONLY do this if your horse will be ok with it and not react badly, but it worked really well for a girl I used to hack out with. She said she tried it in desperation and it worked because it made her realise a/how much she was doing it and b/made it really easy to stop.

Haha this is brilliant!!

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

What helped me when did this was to do talk out loud what I was doing and what I needed to do. I also only let myself give squeeze certain amount of times in lap of arena and chose just before places he might try and slow like gate.

Also found using schooling whip good, just a tiny tap, if did not get response from squeeze, followed direct with little tap.

Like you I used to nag with leg, still do sometimes without meaning, and did it without really realising. So my RI had me working on being more body aware and the talking out loud thing really helped. I still do that but not a whole running commentary, now its more little things like instructions to myself 'sit back' 'half halt' inside leg on here' and to him/both 'on you go' if rhythm dying and do a squeeze or squeeze/tap at same time.

 

[MissJessica]

THANK YOU
Fantastic feedback, I had a sharp horse and I've done a lot of chilling, de-sensitising, being calm and quiet work and now he has gone a little too the other way and I have become less self aware. A lot of your comments revolve around the thought, energy, leg, TAP method and now I know he won't explode I think it's time to dust off the whip!
And hopefully start hacking more now the weather is improving and nights are staying lighter.
Xxxx

 

[showjumper96]

I used to do this a lot, tapping lightly with my lower leg every trot beat, my instructor told me that horses will switch off to your leg and become 'immune' in a way and just switch off to it, this made me think otherwise and not only have I stopped doing this but my position has become so much more secure. If your horse is ignoring you, don't pester by nagging, tell him once and if he doesn't react, tap behind your leg with a schooling whip to back up your aid, it wont take long and you'll have a horse who really respects your leg aid and moves off your leg! good luck