Position help.

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EmmaChal

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I am very tall for a girl-approx 6ft1, and therefore have over the years without realising it developed a riding position that resembles a crouched jockey!....I slouch, round my shoulders slightly and lean forward. This relates back to being a langy teenager when I used to try and reduce my height as much as possible.
However, this hasn't paid off particulary well with my flatwork position on a horse.....

So how can I improve my position for dressage?I do tend to forget about my upper body as desperately trying to remember everything else when schooling -and when I get nervous etc position worsens!
I feel I need to do a tonne of no-stirrup work, and also do the 'Alexander' technique as I ride ie: think of a string from my head pulling me upwards.
What do you think? Any ideas welcomed. Unfortuantely I have no access to a school, and go up to a flat spot on the Downs to school horse.
 
I have a similar problem in that I look down - it's really annoying cos I forget that I'm doing it. Unfortunately I think the only way is to keep reminding yourself so that eventually you are 'trained' to sit straight. Is there anyone who could stand and watch you and keep telling you?
 
yes, my mother, my instructor! I just tend to forget when schooling by myself and when nervous pre dressage as am desperately trying to get the horse working well. (Though I'm sure if my upper position was more up and back, he would go better, as my balance would be more secure).
 
Ok, heres a photo I found-it is about 2 yrs ago now. I cringe re: washing line reins-no wonder Paris is looking slightly bemused! Poor horse. My general riding ie: leg to hand contact has mightily improved, but you can see from this photo how I am leaning forward.
Position
 
I was a demo rider for Mary Wanless and one of the things she did was to make us put our knees up in front of us (bit like a jockey) to feel our seatbones.... the idea is then to keep sitting on them when you bring your legs back down.... it takes a bit of practice and you have to keep stopping to get the feel back, but trust me it is impossible to tip forward when you are sitting on your seatbones correctly
 
One of the best pieces of advice I had from a friend of mine is too roll my shoulders back and open up my chest, and to close my shoulder blades together. The other bit is a little bit rude but he is a good friend, as I am riding around he tells me if I do not sit up and put my bottom in the saddle he will come and insert something, When I think of this I sit up very quickly in the saddle!!! Hope I have not offended you.

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The other bit is a little bit rude but he is a good friend, as I am riding around he tells me if I do not sit up and put my bottom in the saddle he will come and insert something, When I think of this I sit up very quickly in the saddle!!! Hope I have not offended you.

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lol Gladioli, that is to the point and would also make me sit upright pretty quickly too.
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I have one of those vest things, called shoulders back which helps as it keeps your shoulders back, hence the name.
 
[I have one of those vest things, called shoulders back which helps as it keeps your shoulders back, hence the name.

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But do they actually work?!
 
I am 6ft and is I start to get stressed or tense at all my posture goes to pot but the way I try and overcome it is every time I come to a corner in the arena I do a sense check - where's my lower leg, where are my hands, where are my shoulders, am I tipping forwards....it gradually becomes second nature to 'self-adjust' if you pick a point at which to do 'check'
 
I struggle with this too- I am a fellow 6 footer and have always had trouble opening my shoulders up
i shout at myself all the time when I am riding to stop as I feel the difference when I do open up.
The best bit of advice I was given was by mistake
Someone said (as I rode past at a competetion) "what a lovley horse- I would be really proud if that was mine"

Everytime I ride I think of this comment and how proud I am that she is mine.It certainly makes me sit up. I constantly say
"Im proud, Im proud,,, when i ride,.look like a fool but makes me sit tall!!
 
I have the opposite problem, I'm quite short (5ft 5) and occasionally over-correct. I'm quite short in the upper body and so don't always look as tall as I could be and so sometimes lean back, slighlty behind the verticle. (Especially when jumping green horses /ones that are known to have a nasty stop).
But back to the sitting up! I was always told to open the chest roll the shoulders back and down and THRUST THE BUST!! Try to make the best of what you don't have (in my case)!! BOOBS AND BLADES! Always works for me! If all else fails be proud of being on your horse , show off what the pair of you can do, rather than thinking of the negatives!
 
Core stability is the answer. It helps with all of the problems above.
I have learnt from my trainer and her kind schoolmaster, but I know that some places teach this on a ball and on a simulator. There are probably books out there on the subject.
 
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