My position is terrible.

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gembear

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I got my loan last summer and mostly hacked, with the odd lesson with a dressage instructor. Then due to work commitments I couldn't ride so much for the end of last year so would just hack when I had the time.

I've now released we need to concentrate on schooling for various reasons and i've started videoing while we're in the school.

This has lead me to realize my position is much worse than i thought. I struggle to keep the contact and keep him in a nice outline, unless we're going in a circle. My shoulders are stiff. I struggle to keep my legs still, and so some really weird movement when we're in trot - the only way i can describe it is my heels kinda move up and down as I post which means my lower leg is moving up and down. I also wonder if this is why he doesn't seem to listen much to my aids, because my weird position is confusing him.

It's not something my last instructor commented on O_o

He can be a spooky horse, so i've realised the more i keep his brain engaged the better behaved he is. Plus, i obviously want to become a better rider and learn how to ride properly rather than being a passenger.

Does anyone know how to help? Especially with this weird leg movement I seem to do...
 
gembear said:
I got my loan last summer and mostly hacked, with the odd lesson with a dressage instructor. Then due to work commitments I couldn't ride so much for the end of last year so would just hack when I had the time.

I've now released we need to concentrate on schooling for various reasons and i've started videoing while we're in the school.

This has lead me to realize my position is much worse than i thought. I struggle to keep the contact and keep him in a nice outline, unless we're going in a circle. My shoulders are stiff. I struggle to keep my legs still, and so some really weird movement when we're in trot - the only way i can describe it is my heels kinda move up and down as I post which means my lower leg is moving up and down. I also wonder if this is why he doesn't seem to listen much to my aids, because my weird position is confusing him.

It's not something my last instructor commented on O_o

He can be a spooky horse, so i've realised the more i keep his brain engaged the better behaved he is. Plus, i obviously want to become a better rider and learn how to ride properly rather than being a passenger.

Does anyone know how to help? Especially with this weird leg movement I seem to do...
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Get a good classical instructor, imo they concentrate hugely on rider position to aid horse performance
 
Shorten your stirrups. Put weight through your hips, down to lower leg, then heel and ball of foot...should feel like a stable base of pelvis and lower leg/foot.

Relax your knees...your gripping = foot swinging!.....weight down lower leg will help. Remove upper thigh and knee from saddle!
 
Whereabouts are you OP? An EE instructor would be just the thing as we are taught to focus on the riders position and how this influences the horses way of going, often if you sort the rider out many horse issues just go away as they aren't being hindered any more!

Unless you are reaching for the stirrups in trot don't shorten your stirrups as this just gives you something to brace against and you will ping about even more.

PM me link to vid if you'd like some constructive criticism :)
 
TigerTail said:
Whereabouts are you OP? An EE instructor would be just the thing as we are taught to focus on the riders position and how this influences the horses way of going, often if you sort the rider out many horse issues just go away as they aren't being hindered any more!

Unless you are reaching for the stirrups in trot don't shorten your stirrups as this just gives you something to brace against and you will ping about even more.

PM me link to vid if you'd like some constructive criticism :)
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I'm in West Lothian, Scotland. I don't know of any classical instructors this way :( just putting a video together now to upload from us trotting poles today.

I use to have quite short stirrups and i've actually started lengthening them. I need to get into my head that I don't jump anymore.

Will send across, that would be fab thanks :)
 
We used to be made to do rising trot without stirrups.. that sorts you out lol. OK, so you can't move for the next two days, but hey.

I would think you need to do some work without stirrups so your seat becomes more secure and thus your lower leg will stabilize. Hard to know without seeing.
 
Hi I did 6 months with a centred riding instructor, she worked just on my position, some of it was a bit weird but I do feel it's made a huge difference to my position. I think if you google "centred riding" you may find someone in your area.
 
I know riding without stirrups would definitely help. I have done this before on other horses, but not him - mostly because he can do some big spooks and i'd be on the floor in seconds.

However, he is getting much better.
 
mary christmas said:
Get a good classical instructor, imo they concentrate hugely on rider position to aid horse performance
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Agree with this!

I started lessons with a classical instructor last November and my riding has improved massively although still a long way to go! There are so many things I did wrong that we have started to correct and I can really feel the difference in how the horse goes. None of my previous instructors pointed out my riding 'faults', it was all focused on how the horse went and telling me to do xyz without any real logic behind it. I.e. horse not going in outline so have hands low and wide and basically become heavy handed until she relented! As soon as I had lessons with a classical instructor the attitude changed to "let's see how you are moving and how this is affecting the horse". We are building up a tool box of techniques so that now when I want to do something or the horse does something unexpected I can think how to move/alter my body to get the desired effect.

I used to ride short and one of the things we worked on for months was me riding very dressage length with my legs practically straight. Personally I wouldn't shorten stirrups as think you need to start bulding up muscles.

My legs used to move about a bit when rising. One thing I learnt was I wasn't rising properly. I was using my whole body to stand up whereas you should just use your legs. Try to think of keeping your head level (so it's not bobbing up and down) and thrusting your hips forwards towards the pommel. In turn, turn your heels outwards, rotating your thighs inwards. On each stride think about physically rotating your heel out/thigh in.

One of the first exercises we did was my teacher got me to stand up how I would normally rise while halting. She then got my horse to move forwards unexpectently and I fell back in the saddle. She then got me to stand, turning heel out as far as possible, rotating thigh inwards, tucking bum under you and pushing hips towards pommel. She then got the horse to move again and position was a lot more stable!

You may find if you're used to riding short then your hips may be tight so the above exercise may hurt a bit!
 
Thanks for all your help folks. I've now started making inquiries.

Someone has come back to me to say they'd stopped teaching for a while (they have disclosed the reason) so their insurance has lapsed. They're still open to giving me a lesson to see how we get on but she has stressed about the lapsed insurance so i'm aware.

TBH is an insured instructor important?
 
nikiChristmasBells said:
Lots of great ideas above, but I thought I would also share this with you - hope it helps. :)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=256780857804033&set=a.173444439471009.1073741828.171985416283578&type=1
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interesting and encouraging for people like me :) thank you. I fight a loosing battle with GP saddles during my lessons. The forward placed stirrups plus my long thigh bone means the only way I can get my legs straight down would be by sitting on the pommel.:o
I recently rode in a dressage saddle and hey presto my leg was in perfect position.
Good luck with your search for a trainer OP
 
gembear said:
She's definitely too advanced for me yet! I need to learn how to ride properly first, ha...
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No she's not,if you can walk,trot and canter, she will teach you, she only asked me that i was capable of that as her horse she taught on at the time could be a bit "sharp" but it would be a long way to travel for lessons and expensive.An amazing experience though to ride one of her schoolmasters :)
can I suggest you give Liz Holmes a call she works in central Scotland and may travel to you, shes on the classical riding club list of trainers, i use her and she's very good, Or give Jo Barry a call, she trained with Carl Hester for years and we all know how well he trains people.
 
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