Rubbish Rider Woes

Dumbo

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I'm very lucky to have a gorgeous warmblood. Bought for my OH but he's become a weekend rider and so I'm riding more at the moment. He's a talented horse and I'm itching to get out and about with him- we just have one big obstacle in the way, I really can't ride him!
He's 17.3hh and I'm 5'6ft so admittedly he is too big for me and I struggle to hold him together despite him being responsive and quiet. I've mastered rising trot but can't sit or ask for canter to save my life!! He's so bouncy and I end up flapping all over the place when asking for a transition.
I have a jumping lesson booked but going to die of embarrassment when I can't even get him to canter.
I have a 16.2hh that I can sit to easily and been having lessons on an other horse and always get complimented on my canter transitions! Argh it's so frustrating that I can do it well on any other horse, just not my own!
Any advice and tips appreciated!
 

sarahann1

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Breathe, no really, go right back to basics and ask for your transition on the out breath, you can tense up as much when your breathing :)

Practice sitting trot on him, no stirrups etc etc and you'll soon loosen up, just don't hunt me down later when your abs are screaming in pain :D
 

be positive

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I would cut out the sitting trot until you have found the canter button, either stay rising and ask for canter, it really shouldn't bother such a big horse if you do that and is going to be preferable to bouncing and flapping aimlessly or do transitions to canter from walk he should again find this easier and you certainly will.
The chances are once you find the buttons he will become sharper to canter for you and you will find it easier to sit for just the few strides required to get into canter, at the moment it is probably a vicious circle, the harder you try the more you bounce, the more he tenses against you and wont go into canter, break the pattern and it will get easier, you could even try from a forward seat or over a small fence and see what happens.
 

j1ffy

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I fully sympathise - whenever I get on a new horse I have a mental blank with canter transitions so just be glad you only have the problem with one ;) The breathing really helps, I also like to do walk-canter as it gives me (and the horse) more time to get organised and figure out where the buttons are. Some go off an inside leg and some from an outside leg so some trial and error may be needed. Finally, count down to the canter '3, 2, 1' as you breathe out and think 'up' into the canter as you reach 1.
 

blood_magik

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Keep practicing - it will come.
My big guy is 17.3 like yours and when I started riding him again after a break, I felt like a complete beginner. :redface3:
My biggest mistake was not preparing enough before I asked for the upward transition. I'd go sitting, he'd get confused and tense up, and we'd end up shooting off around the arena looking like an upside down banana.
 
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