Riding video, Criticism needed.

Sussexbythesea said:
Ouch do not sit on your pubic bone unless you want a sore daisy ?. (HHO veterans will know that term) I think known as the fork seat.

You’d be better looking at some Mary Wanless videos as she helps explain how to achieve the posture you are looking for.

Basically you are sitting in a chair seat with your legs in front of you. You should be able to remove the horse from underneath the rider and stay upright with your hips and ankles aligned. In your position you will fall backwards. The forward cut of the saddle may not help but you can still bring your thigh back and your heels back so that they are underneath your upper body and you will then be more stable. Once you are more stable in the saddle you will be able to relax your shoulders down and your arms will be less rigid and bouncy.
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Sorry if that's not clear: I am definitely not advocating a fork seat.
 
Silly Servant said:
First of all- well done for getting back in the saddle ! You don't look bad considering you've had a long break!
I won't repeat the good advice already given but just wanted to add that it might help if you think of your knee as the hinge in the middle hinge of the arms of a clock and your thigh is like the arm , moving forwards and backwards whilst the hinge stays in place. The wobbly leg is often caused by the rider trying to stand up in the stirrups as they rise.
Have a Google on Mary Wanless and Ride with your mind , she'll explain the knee as a hinge concept a lot better.
And I can only second the suggestions of lunge lessons, you really do learn so much in those. Closing your eyes as you're on the lunge is actually a good idea too as it's surprising how much more you feel when you're eyes are closed. Well I do anyway!
I'm recovering from a broken back at the moment so I'll be in your position in the summer too.
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thank you that was a really nice post ❤️
BBP said:
Im not a saddle expert but the following pics might help you see why you feel unstable. Imagine if the horse was whipped out from under you, would you land on your feet. In the picture of my horse I’ve drawn a line approx shoulder hip heel. If this horse disappeared I would probably land on my feet and be ok. The second two I screenshotted off your video. One line shows your shoulder to heel, the other is shoulder to hip. If this horse disappeared you would probably land on your bum! Some of this can be caused by the saddle either tipping you and making you work against it, or by the balance being ok but the stirrup bars being set too far forwards. If the stirrup bars are far forwards vs the balance point of the seat, then it will always push your leg forward (unless maybe you jack your stirrups up and ride in jumping position). I couldn’t achieve an even half decent seat until I changed my saddle. Obviously you aren’t in a position to change saddles on a horse that isn’t yours but Perhaps you could discuss the saddle with your instructor at the start of the lesson so you both understand the influence it may have? (I’m no expert so others may come along and correct me!)
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That’s really great! Thank you for taking the time with that xx
 
Trouper said:
Glad your instructor has given you some core work as homework - that was going to be my suggestion. My break from riding was 30 years and I know how tempting it is to "hang on" with your hands!! Get your core stronger and the legs and hands can then do what they are supposed to do. But for a first go - well done!!
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thank you ❤️
 
Thank you everyone who’s taken the time to comment. I really appreciate all of your advice and if you don’t mind, I’ll post another video of my next lesson on this thread and I’ll do so in my lessons after that, for all your good advice as I advance in my lessons. I appreciate all the help. Having my 2 year old colt who will be backed in a couple of years I feel really motivated to get My riding up to scratch for his sake as well as mine. Xx
 


hay guys! Hope alls well and hope you don’t mind me posting a couple of videos from my second lesson. I think you are right who said about the saddle, not sure I get on with it the best to be honest but would appreciate your views on today’s lesson Thank you x
 
That looked alot better.

What I will suggest is this.

With your feet don't think about heels down, put your weight into the ball of your foot and your heels become relaxed a shock absorber. This will help to minimise any chair seat type movement.
Though you have improved massively since the last lesson.

Also do you do pilates?

The neutral spine position is how you should be in the saddle.
None of this boobs out rubbish as it creates a stiffness in your back, ribs and pelvis that blocks the flow of energy from you to the horse.

Where abouts are you? As some riding clubs do a biomechanical lesson on a electric horse.

The above helped me massively as due to my hypermobility I was a classic chair seat rider with straight stiff arms.

You look so much more relaxed this time.
 
I'd rather see you working on your position than on the horse - with better balance (def sack the saddle!) and better control over your hands and seat, you'll find it a lot easier to ride a correct leg yield and control that drifting out to the track you're getting currently. I think some work without stirrups and reins (not nec at the same time) would be hugely beneficial both for you and, indirectly, for your horse, who I think is very sweet.

eta - having looked back, I agree that you look much more relaxed this time and I like that you seem to have lengthened your reins a bit (and I think it helps the consistency of your horse too).
 
Slightlyconfused said:
That looked alot better.

What I will suggest is this.

With your feet don't think about heels down, put your weight into the ball of your foot and your heels become relaxed a shock absorber. This will help to minimise any chair seat type movement.
Though you have improved massively since the last lesson.

Also do you do pilates?

The neutral spine position is how you should be in the saddle.
None of this boobs out rubbish as it creates a stiffness in your back, ribs and pelvis that blocks the flow of energy from you to the horse.

Where abouts are you? As some riding clubs do a biomechanical lesson on a electric horse.

The above helped me massively as due to my hypermobility I was a classic chair seat rider with straight stiff arms.

You look so much more relaxed this time.
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im in brewood next to Wolverhampton and
Stafford in Staffordshire. I have hyper mobility too! So that’s really interesting.
thank you. I’m looking forward to taking all the advice to my next lesson xx
 
JFTDWS said:
I'd rather see you working on your position than on the horse - with better balance (def sack the saddle!) and better control over your hands and seat, you'll find it a lot easier to ride a correct leg yield and control that drifting out to the track you're getting currently. I think some work without stirrups and reins (not nec at the same time) would be hugely beneficial both for you and, indirectly, for your horse, who I think is very sweet.

eta - having looked back, I agree that you look much more relaxed this time and I like that you seem to have lengthened your reins a bit (and I think it helps the consistency of your horse too).
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thank you, I spoke to my instructor today about no Stirrup sessions and she said it’ll be great to do if I feel confident to. She’s actually my friends horse who I am borrowing for practice and lessons. She’s an 18 yo tb mare and hasn’t been with my friend for long but she’s coming along wonderfully bless her. Xx
 
JFTDWS said:
What's her background? She seems to have the perfect personality for you getting back into riding :)
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she was trained as a race horse but never made the cut so was sold as a project wanting a new job, what I can gather she’s done a bit of everything with not much schooling until she came to my friend last year. She tanks at a fence, is very stiff but so willing to try. She’s a lovely person bless her. Xx
 
She is very sweet.

I definitely think pilates will help you.

For hypermobility it's fantastic. You just need to find an instructor that can either do a few one on one sessions or a small group.
 
Slightlyconfused said:
She is very sweet.

I definitely think pilates will help you.

For hypermobility it's fantastic. You just need to find an instructor that can either do a few one on one sessions or a small group.
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thank you, I can’t do groups but perhaps one in one, I’ll have a look. I really find exercise helps, which I’m lacking in at the moment. I find running around after my uncivilised toddler is great cardio though xx
 
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Dwyran_gold said:
im in brewood next to Wolverhampton and
Stafford in Staffordshire. I have hyper mobility too! So that’s really interesting.
thank you. I’m looking forward to taking all the advice to my next lesson xx
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I have had a break recently and have hypermobility and had similar chair seat issues!

I found a wonderful instructor who took away my stirrups straight away on the lunge. The things I found interesting were I think I ram my heels down for two reasons partly confidence (a sort of "oh shoot brace" position which will improve with confidence) and because my ankles wobble because they are so mobile! Thinking about not forcing my heels down but wrapping my lower leg like a damp cloth helped and trying to draw my knee back off the knee roll, by which I don't mean pulling your knee out to the side but bring you thigh back and under you... it's a small tiny adjustment but it helped me.
If you hook your little finger under the pommel (standing, no reins or stirrups) imagine your shoulder blades sliding down you back and relaxing really engage your core and draw yourself into the saddle that, to me is the feel of an engaged seat and core.

I also find pilates and yoga helpful... the yoga (the warrior series of poses) I find helpful particularly for opening your hips and stretching you hip flexors which is essential to bring your leg under you more.
 
Leo Walker said:
I'd look for another instructor. That one is doing you no favours. You need someone to be working with you, in walk to start, to get your basic position better, and then to show you how to maintain that in trot and canter. The saddle is really, really not helping, but there are small things that could be changed that would get you sitting better and that in turn would make everything else easier.
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The instructor is being very nicely nicely. When I begun dressage lessons after a break, it was just walk to trot .. 6 strides, then back to walk. For weeks. A crap trot will result in a bad canter. You need to be using your core. A more stable lower leg etc. You need an instructor who strips you right back to basics. Understanding to open your hips. Dropping the leg and actually sitting into the horse. This takes a long time.
 
It’s possibly awkward but would your friend be open to getting a different saddle for her? It doesn’t fit the horse and would make it difficult for any rider to sit well - and that’s not a great starting point for anyone (or the horse) ?

Big improvement from lesson one though ?
 
Cloball said:
I have had a break recently and have hypermobility and had similar chair seat issues!

I found a wonderful instructor who took away my stirrups straight away on the lunge. The things I found interesting were I think I ram my heels down for two reasons partly confidence (a sort of "oh shoot brace" position which will improve with confidence) and because my ankles wobble because they are so mobile! Thinking about not forcing my heels down but wrapping my lower leg like a damp cloth helped and trying to draw my knee back off the knee roll, by which I don't mean pulling your knee out to the side but bring you thigh back and under you... it's a small tiny adjustment but it helped me.
If you hook your little finger under the pommel (standing, no reins or stirrups) imagine your shoulder blades sliding down you back and relaxing really engage your core and draw yourself into the saddle that, to me is the feel of an engaged seat and core.

I also find pilates and yoga helpful... the yoga (the warrior series of poses) I find helpful particularly for opening your hips and stretching you hip flexors which is essential to bring your leg under you more.
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thats is really great thank you. I’ve got hyper mobile lower back, shoulders, hips, elbows, knees, ankles, wrists and fingers and it’s silly things like my thumbs naturally spring backwards so even keeping them still on top of the reins since starting back I’ve had to think about. I’ve been worse since having my second baby, as with the hormones causing relaxation of ligaments it’s made it worse. I had to make three trips a week to physio for 4months after he was born.
I will send my instructor a message and see if we can try that for the next lesson.
thank you for your reply, I never connected the hyper mobility. Xx
 
Rowreach said:
It’s possibly awkward but would your friend be open to getting a different saddle for her? It doesn’t fit the horse and would make it difficult for any rider to sit well - and that’s not a great starting point for anyone (or the horse) ?

Big improvement from lesson one though ?
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Aww thank you! I would have no idea what to look at when fitting a saddle, I used to get all my saddles and bits fitted by a professional. Im pretty sure that she mentioned having it fitted but I’ll ask her. xx
 
SpringArising said:
You look much more balanced this time round!

What bit is she in? She's constantly thinking about what's in her mouth.
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Aw thank you ? she does fidget ever so much with her head, I was wondering if it’s the bit pinching slightly. I’ll have to get the owner to have a look. I think she’s been told it’s due to her been unbalanced but its worth looking at. It’s a three ring Dutch gag I think. Xx
 
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