riding great big hairy one

[allijudd]

the alst couple of days different people have watched me ride and said that my 10 yr old dales is very like a just broken green 4 yr old...

this is not really a probelm (apart from the temper tantrum he had today!)

<u>but</u>
he motobikes round the corners and it takes alot of leg to keep him upright..so much so my i think i might have pulled and very underused muscle.

short of putting my bulk into the opposing stirrup can anyone suggest a way of balancing him when im riding....

 

[Louby]

You may already be doing this but ride inside leg to outside hand. Dont give your outside hand away and if need be short term fix it to your saddle on the outside then give and take with the inside hand ie vibrate your fingers and if he gives to you (correct bend) reward him with a quick loop of inside rein.
I would practice in walk and trot getting the correct bend, support him with outside leg behind the girth otherwise he will fall out through his shoulder and keep your weight to the inside (on left rein, more weight in the left stirrup) Keep your inside leg at the girth as a support, Its really hard at first as you feel so odd but by putting your weight to the outside he will become even more unbalanced. Oh forgot, plenty of half halts and transitions to try and keep him balanced.

 

[allijudd]

ive treid all of that and feel really unbalanced, it is very difficult to get him to walk into the rin (ie the space left) and it is only really on the one rein....

 

[Louby]

You will feel really unbalanced for a while, it may take weeks or months for him to feel better. I used to feel like we were going to fall over and wanted to lean the other way to componsate, its an awful feeling but you have to stay as square as possible and not use your arms like you are riding a bike round a corner. If he doesnt go off your inside leg, give him a tickle with the schooling whip to back up your leg. My problem was Im used to forward going horses so when I got my 4 yr old it was awful as my legs were useless and he didnt respect them.
It will take time but it will come together in the end.
Maybe it would be worth having a few lessons with a good instructor, I have one nearly every week when I can afford it! Ive rode for over 30 yrs and thought I could ride but its wasnt until I had this instructor that Im finally getting a feel, its amazing and Ive got so much more to learn.
Good luck, Im sure you will sort it.

 

[allijudd]

im more worried that we are going to fall over...

but on the plus side we are managing to go into a canter....(only a few bucks now!)