Position and puppy-dog hands

Palindrome

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2012
Messages
1,717
Visit site
Ah yes, noticing that it's slid most of the way out of my hand is a common fault of mine; I don't tend to grip it. It certainly doesn't stick straight out, it just rests on my leg. I still don't understand how it can hang vertically, though, since my leg is in the way, unless my hands were really really far apart! I don't think I'm explaining very well...

I think we can sort of see it in the right picture in your signature? By folding your elbow more and keeping it closer to the body, hand a bit more forward, up and thumb up, the whip should rest more forward.
For mine, the pommel sorts of rests on top of my hand between thumb and index and the whip lays in front of my leg. I tend to have the elbows out like a duck and having to carry a whip really helps me to keep the elbows close to the body and shoulders back.
 

spookypony

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 November 2008
Messages
7,335
Location
Austria
Visit site
That picture is hopefully not a representative image...I believe at the time I posted it, I was apologising for my exceedingly tense posture (first test on new horse)! :D I'll pay close attention on Friday and report back.
 

Palindrome

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2012
Messages
1,717
Visit site
That picture is hopefully not a representative image...I believe at the time I posted it, I was apologising for my exceedingly tense posture (first test on new horse)! :D I'll pay close attention on Friday and report back.

I mean the endurance one on your bay. Dressage pics looking good ;)
 

spookypony

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 November 2008
Messages
7,335
Location
Austria
Visit site
I mean the endurance one on your bay. Dressage pics looking good ;)

Ah! :D That was me throwing my hands away in relief as I was crossing the finish line! :D Sort of "phew, still alive!" before flinging myself to the ground... :D I do see what you mean though. N.B. if you were to enlarge the canter pic of the grey(ish), you'd see that my toe is quite turned out and my lower back very tense. Not a fabulous pic! But I don't have many of her and me yet.
 

prosefullstop

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2009
Messages
1,609
Visit site
Gosh I'm awful with my hands! I have arthritis in my wrists which isn't really an excuse but does make it hard!
I do think here in America they train their riders to be so beautifully stylish. The equitation they do really drills in a good position and they look absolutely lovely.
Until the horse is naughty and then it becomes apparent that a lot are taught to look pretty on well trained horses! They have no real seat at all.
Then there is us hardy Brits :p. Might not look the most correct but we sure know how to stick on!! I think we generally have good feel too. It's amazing how some people here sit beautifully but are not that effective.
Of course I am not speaking about everyone but it something I have noticed on the amature show circuit this summer :).

This a million times over. Lillie Keenan is the young rider hero du jour on the American circuit, of which equitation classes are an absolutely vital part of coming up through the ranks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVT1JPDZyB0

Whereas pony show jumping is how the kids come up through the ranks in the UK and Ireland, which encourages far more risk-taking and tight turns. Pony jumping--as opposed to "pony hunters"--is quite frowned upon in the US, which I find a bit odd.

I do think there's a lot of be said for solid equitation, but it's interesting that the Irish riders (Darragh Kenny, Shane Sweetnam, Richie Moloney etc.) who have come over in recent years to compete on the US showjumping circuit, do phenomenally well, in large part because they are ballsier and "less pretty" than most American riders.
 

spookypony

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 November 2008
Messages
7,335
Location
Austria
Visit site
OK, reporting back after lesson: experimented with letting the whip rest just infront of the leg instead of across the leg, which did allow the hand to be completely vertical. Confess I spent most of the time evaluating my new saddle, though!
 
Top