Mary Wanless demo

[Peanot]

I went to a Mary Wanless demo last night with a couple of friends and watched as Mary took us through her life of riding and learning. She had us do some small exercises with our seat bones and pushing our fists together with a partner. All about our position and bearing down with our tummy muscles.
Quite interesting. She also showed us exercises with the rubber gym balls. Then later, she had 2 riders with their horses, pointing out their poisitons and the horses way of going, and then moved them about a bit and then pointed out the way of how the horses were going. Actually much more forward, better. One girl got it quite quickly, but the other struggled a little bit although both were better.
Yes, this morning, got on Rox in the manege, and decided to try the moves out, only to find that I already bear down and use tummy muscles already, so pleased about that. But position must be a little `off` as didn`t change Roxy`s way of going. I did feel tho that I was leaning forward a little in the trot, but do you find that some people teach one thing and then someone else will tell you different?
Riding is sooooo confusing.
Anyone else ride the Mary Wanless way?
I would love to try one of the Equisimulators. It`s all electronic now.
Just thought I`d tell you all.

 

[Jemayni]

Hey, I went to a MW demo last year. I really enjoyed it, but I have to confess it didnt make any difference to my riding when I put it all into practise. However, my Mum got really into it and it has made an amazing difference to her riding, more the stuff that relates to leg position though.

I found it all very interesting, Im quite into science so I really enjyed the biomechanics of it all!

Not sure where in derbyshire you are, but there is an equisimilator on the borders, my PC uses it for dismounted rallies!

 

[Pasha]

I was lucky enough to be picked to be a demo rider for the Mary Wanless demo at Oldencraig last Saturday (17th March)... if anyone was there you would have seen me on my bay Arab.

Mary said that I naturally bear down which is good, but I was hollow backed and tended to lean back a bit too much. Her colleague also sorted out my legs as they tend to rotate outwards a bit.

Luckily for me, my instructor highly rates Mary and came along to the demo, so now he can sort my legs out and tell me where i'm going wrong.

I feel much more secure in the Mary Wanless position and the improvement this week has been amazing - our lateral work and extensions are 100% improved and his canter is alot bouncier and not so flat!

Would highly recommend it to anyone!

 

[Oldred]

I went to the Norfolk demo in the week. It was excellent - and I have used her methods for years after reading her books and going on a residential course with her and using her videos. It does take a long time even using her methods but I think the difference is you do actually 'get there' if you stick with it whereas floundering around trying different trainers who don't address your particular biomechanics issues can be a waste of time. I also teach riders and use her methods alongside ideas I have discovered that work myself.

At the demo we watched two horses transform in front of our eyes. Her perception of what is wrong with a rider's technique is brilliant - she is very, very experienced at what she does.

My experience of the training of myself, and I admit the first few pupils I tried her methods on, was that there is a tendancy to overdo the use of muscles and 'bearing down' etc. In fact I now tell pupils to take it gently and build rather than put them off the whole idea by doing it to the max immediately.

If anyone gets a chance to see her demo - go, its worth it.