My new instructor has turned everything I thought I knew on its head!

metalmare

metalmare

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She is absolutely brilliant and I have no doubt that what she is doing works even if other people would maybe do it differently.

There are so many things that I have learnt like keeping a very straight back and using my seat to push the horse forwards that I have either been told wrong or I have misunderstood somewhere down the line because she is teaching me to let my back become so soft - she says I am far too straight. And she is trying to get me to take every ounce of tension out of my body so that I am so so soft.

Here is the bit that feels really weird but it works; for lateral movements and cornering she actually gets me to sit right over in the saddle so that if I am leg yielding to the right I left seatbone feels almost in the centre of the saddle. This opens my left hip and allows the horses back to move over and me to use my leg properly. It feels so exaggerated though. Perhaps it doesn't look as odd as it feels? Will it become more subtle?

I just wondered whether other people had had their riding completely altered for the better and did it feel this strange?

And do other people adopt her methods? She is a big fan of Molly Sivewright (sp?) and was trained by her so I think a lot of it comes from there.
 
My instructor is wonderful like that - she also tells me to soften my back, and my god you can see the result in the way Chloe goes, it's quite weird actually!! The moment I do this, everything else just slots in (shoulders less rigid, there whole arm and wrist aren't locked) and it is so much more comfortable for Chloe and I.

I am glad she works for you, she sounds brilliant!!
 
Hmmm. I have been trained for the last 2 1/2 yrs by someone who competes at Inter I. But I hit a brick wall. Have had a 'riding school' type instructor for last 3 weeks who has totally changed my position, taught me to support with the outside leg, and to use my seat to slow into downward transitions. She has also taught me to soften my elbows (and everything else), to this end, my horse has decided that she likes to work in an outline!
 
That sounds quite similar to my situation.

The mare I'm riding isn't mine, she's a school horse, but the riding school I'm at doesn't buy horses, it has them on full loan. As a consequence they're not your typical school horses.

This particular mare I have ridden for years and never had much success with. She is quite challenging for me anyway because she is a very big boned 16 hander. The height isn't an issue but her width takes all of my legs up (they're only little). I looked at myself in the mirrors earlier and I looked daft perched on top.

This mare will use any excuse not to work and needs to be ridden very softly and allowed full movement of her back. If she gets contradictory aids (ie being asked to move forward by someone with a tense seat, like the old me) she completely switches off and starts taking the proverbial. But ride her softly and allow her to round her back and she is a different horse with some nice lateral work in her. Hey presto she goes from lazy horse to horse who wants to canter all lesson!

My new instructor has made this transformation in me in just an hour and a half of lessons and suddenly I can actually ride this mare and ride her well!

The other great thing about my instructor is she isn't holding me back. She seems to have lots of ambition, has been doing loads of lateral work with me and wants to find a better horse for me to ride who is more highly trained in dressage. There is a mare there but I don't know if she is still used for lessons.

So I'm really excited about becoming a better, more efficient rider!!
 
this sounds very much like western riding...I have had to learn to complete change my seat and work much more with the horse...not allowed to lean just have to sit there and relax...very weird but completely works...keep going with it...you have a much better understanding of the horse
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The problem with being told to keep "your back straight" is that the human back isnt straight - the spine has a curve.

Straightening your back often involves slouching. You can feel this just by sat in your chair and feeling what you have to do to try and straighten your back (usually bring your bum well under yourself so you're not sitting on the part of your "seat" that you should be). The back should be allowed a reasonable amount of curve in it to stay relaxed and thats vitally important.

In regards to using your seat.... mmm thats a tough one. Im split on this. On the one hand, too much seat causes the horse to hollow away from you which is exactly what you dont want. On the other hand, it can help to reinforce aids on a horse slightly lazy to the leg and is useful for more collected movements (i find it physically impossible to gain collection without). Soooo for me its a fine balance in that area
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As for shifting your weight during lateral work. I do it slightly differently and try to *feel* the seatbone more to the side im wanting to go. Be careful not to turn your lateral work into more of a weight yield (you seem some riders literally forcing the horse over by throwing themselves out of the side door!)

Its great you found a trainer you click with
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Its very hard to do that
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I had some classical training after riding for many years, and the emphasis was on weight placement and allowing the horse to move more freely, the more tense a rider is, the less energy can move feerly through the horse. I found it very difficult and yes it did feel very exaggertaed and strange to begin with. But the more you do it and the more your muscles learn to work in a more relaxed and soft way the less you have to move. I got to the point where a slight shift in seatbones could have the horse cantering and doing shoulder in, all by placement of weight and positioning. It really is the best feeling when you are that in tune with a horse and its way of going. The most positive outcome is a softer more relaxed 'true' way of going for horse and rider!
 
I really aspire to that. I'm not sure that I'll ever get to that point but the nearer the better! I may have another youngster in the future but I don't want to do that until I am 100% confident that my riding is going to give the horse a positive and straightforward start in life. At the moment my instructor is working on all sorts of problem areas - my elbows seem to have a life of their own - and it seems so much to take in but I'm sure that eventually it will all come together and I can't wait.

I'm raving after every lesson about what I've learnt - that's the way it should be!
 
Exactly!
Good luck and when it gets hard(which it always does!) just think about the joy of having a happy content horse underneath you!
Hope it all goes really well, is one of the best things you can do!
 
Thanks! I believe in self improvement so I won't give up - although I will probably want to scream at times!
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Talking of self improvement it's time for me to go and do my guitar practise.

I really believe in working with horses - they do so much for us, it's not much to ask that we focus on improving our riding and management and making life easier for them!
 
My instructor is also big on softening your back and relaxing your elbows - one top tip she gave me, is imagine that you're holding two teacups on saucers in front of you!

As soon as she suggested it, hey presto, relaxed elbows!
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It's also important, she says, not to try too hard... and to remember to enjoy yourself!

I also have a habit of tensing my upper back when I'm about to transition to canter, or when the horse is speeding up... I don't even notice it, until she tells me to relax, dammit!
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I think I do try too hard!

Part of my trouble is that I had a long period without any instruction and I have ridden some unpredictable horses. As a result I think I ride defensively, squeezing myself onto the saddle waiting for trouble.

It's a wonderful feeling easing off and feeling the horse relax beneath you!
 
LOL - I like that one!

I was actually taught another surprising thing today, which caused me to spill ALL of my gin and tonic! Before doing a shoulder in, when taking up the right rein, she asked me to do it with my knuckles facing up (keeping my left hand the same). Then as I applied my right leg aid to 'roll' my hand back to its normal position so bringing her head right slightly ready for shouder in. She is trying to improve my contact so I guess it is linked.
 
She sounds very good, far to many people i watch have an over active seat! They are refured to by "saddle sha**ers " becuse it looks a bit obscure!.

Your seat imo should be still and very back soft so you can absorb and feel movement.

Lets hope things carry on going well for you.
 
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