New riders ....

[Princess16]

What did you find the most challenging aspect of riding for you? I have only had 3 lessons and find rising trot difficult - seem to rise out of my seat too much!

At what point did you find it easier to get the whole concept of riding?

Needless to say I am absolutely loving it and sitting on a 16HH is awesome !

 

[Joanne_Stockport]

What did you find the most challenging aspect of riding for you? I have only had 3 lessons and find rising trot difficult - seem to rise out of my seat too much!

At what point did you find it easier to get the whole concept of riding?

Needless to say I am absolutely loving it and sitting on a 16HH is awesome !

The most challenging for me is to school my green gelding while I am still learning how to ride !
With him everything had to be pretty good to get him to go nicely. Timing (as in if I wait to long to react he takes advantage and find ways to avoid working !)
It took me 3 months to start getting the rising trot and when I thought I was getting it I realised that I was not using the correct muscles and pushing myself up with the stirrups. After 2 1/2 years ,I am still working on it (trying to have the lightest seat as possible and to use the correct muscles, to not rise as much, to be able to use my legs when I am up or/and down,etc..).
There is a lot to learn !
Only the last few months I feel that my riding is coming together. My hands are getting lighter, starting to have an independent/lighter seat and using my whole body to control my horse but there is still a lot of work to do !
The important is to have fun and not to compare yourself with others.
My husband managed to get the rising trot in one lesson (but he doesn't have an independent/lighter seat as he only rides occasionally), if he would to put as much effort as I do (I ride 3-4 times a week) , he would be a better rider than I am.

 

[Barnacle]

It's been too long for me to remember (I started riding when I was 4) but my partner recently started so I know exactly what he found difficult. And I've also helped a lot of new riders start out...

From that experience, rising trot is the first thing. Tip: rise faster than you think you have to. As soon as you think rise, you need to be going down again. Since saying this to people I've actually consistently managed to get people to pick it up in the first session... Try it.

The next thing is steering! Or perhaps that's the first thing... But often you don't realise because your horse is a well-behaved school horse and knows to go around the edge. Wait until you have to canter and he/she will be cutting corners all over the place. Learning to keep your hands still and use your legs - let alone your seat - independently, takes a long time. New riders don't even realise these complexities exist. Wait for it

Then cantering... When you canter for the first time - and for a good while thereafter - you'll be bouncing around like crazy and losing your stirrups. I think riding around a school, it's actually very hard to ever learn how to move with the horse properly. Lunge lessons or hacks are much more productive.

I think people progress fastest when they have the basics of walk/trot/canter down in a school setting and then start riding non-school horses. So once you're at the stage of cantering fairly comfortably, I'd suggest looking into a share.

 

[Wiz201]

Rising trot probably, that and the fact that ponies I tended to be put on were the most stubborn and lazy ones. One even walked into an open stable with me on his back.

 

[neddy man]

dont think of it as a rising trot =====think of it as a hips forward and down trot.

 

[Fiftyshades]

There's always more to learn from different people and different horses, no matter what level. Constantly learning. Enjoy the journey and results 😊

 

[Sukistokes2]

remember that you will never stop learning and without the challenge it would not be fun or interesting! There will always be something to improve or tweak. I am currently working on my contact with a new instructor. I have been riding for 40 years and love learning new things and methods.
Rising trot is a hard one to crack but once you get it you will have it for life. Even now I remember the moment it clicked and i could even throw in a cheeky kick as well. I think the mistake most made with rising trot is to push up from the stirrup rather then roll from the knee. Pushing from the foot actually makes the whole thing harder and knocks you off balance.