Saturdays Super Simulator Session in Suffolk

[PoppyAnderson]

i can't believe there aren't more of these simulators around. must work out cheaper than keeping a few long-suffering 'beginner horses', no?
!

I took my OH for his first ever 'go' on a horse to the simulator in Cheshire. He did 1 session then declared that he wanted to try the real thing next time and I tend to agree that there's nothing quite like the feel of a real horse. Especially with gung-ho men who think it's simples and we women make too much of it all! He found it easy and was quite the natural but something with it's own mind that goes in it's own direction unless you tell it otherwise would soon demonstrate that there's quite a bit more to it than simply being able to remain on a simulator!

 

[Mrs Pink]

Fascinating stuff, thanks to all of you for doing reports, I know I'm wonkey , just need it to come North now

K - interesting re: the forceps side of things, one of my sisters has serious neck problems and after scans etc. her Doctor & physio have put it down to how she lay in the womb, she now blames Mum for everything lol

 

[Rosiefan]

That was very interesting - thank you for the report and the vids.
Did it feel like riding a real horse? I've never focused on that particular portion of the rider's torso before so as a non-rider I can't tell how realistic the whole exercise is although I can see how useful it could be for the rider.
I wonder if I can persuade Rosie to have another go. Becky very kindly let her have a go for free before she was allowed back on a real horse after she crashed so we all have a very soft spot for her.

 

[kerilli]

That was very interesting - thank you for the report and the vids.
Did it feel like riding a real horse? I've never focused on that particular portion of the rider's torso before so as a non-rider I can't tell how realistic the whole exercise is although I can see how useful it could be for the rider.
I wonder if I can persuade Rosie to have another go. Becky very kindly let her have a go for free before she was allowed back on a real horse after she crashed so we all have a very soft spot for her.

Wow, how nice of her. See if you could get Rosie along for the next group session maybe? It can't be that far from her I guess.
Yes, I thought it definitely felt like riding a real horse. I shut my eyes frequently, to help me ignore the confusing visual input (mirror to front and side, in a room, people all around etc!) and concentrate on the feel, and to me it felt amazingly like a real horse.

 

[Twiglet]

Great report, and sounds like a really interesting day. Have heard such good things about Becky, and Ashen is meant to be a lovely place.

I had a series of simulator lessons years ago, with Michelle Cogger....found them fascinating, and is even better if you take your own saddle, to help recreate the position you have at home. Also found I always ached through my core for days afterwards. Would highly recommend, may well visit Becky after this report

 

[Jo C]

Twigs if you fancy going up together let me know

 

[LEC]

The Mules sister has one in Salisbury

 

[imr]

Great report guys - having been hoping you would post - now quite keen to give it a go as you all seem to have found it worthwhile

 

[TarrSteps]

The Mules sister has one in Salisbury

Now that's interesting . . . perhaps we need to organise a Southern day as well?

 

[only_me]

Sounds brill - Would love to do something like this but not sure it exists in Ireland yet

 

[RLD]

Thanks for the reports - I think I'm going to put a simulator lesson on my "must do for 2012" list!

A couple of Qs - How long a session did you each have? Did you feel you had enough time or could have done with more?

Also do you feel someone newer to riding would benefit as much? I'm trying to think of friends who I could persuade to try it with me but don't want them to have a wasted trip.

 

[meardsall_millie]

A bit late to the party as ever......

It really was a very useful day. I found it beneficial to concentrate solely on my position, as inevitably in lessons the focus tends to be very much on how the horse is going.

I've spent the majority of my riding life being shouted at to "sit up and put your shoulders back" - as I'm sure most of us have , to then be suddenly told that I do that too much was a bit of a shock!

I hacked both of mine out yesterday and, like BeckyD, really spent time focusing on my position (and repeating my little mantra over and over in my head) and found the new stuff started to bed in and become much more natural. Luckily for me, Baydale is also my instructor, so she knows where the problems are and she'll be able to reinforce that through my lessons.

One word of warning to those planning to go for a simulator (or as I keep calling it - stimulator - but I'm told that's a completely different thing ) session - just remember that not all simulators will be equal - or rather the person giving the instruction won't be. I think we all agreed that our day was so beneficial because of Becky (our instructor). Make sure you get recommendations from someone else who has been, otherwise you're just sitting on a plastic horse looking at pretty squiggles on a TV screen!

 

[scullysdad]

Not sure that anyone else in the UK has a "Strider" except Becky - I thought there were only 3 or so in existence! I had a 3 hour session with Becky several years ago and that was the reason I take my horse up to Ashen whenever I can for one to one training - if you think the simulator is fab, you will be blown away by learning on a live horse with Becky!

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

How long a session did u have????

 

[BeckyD]

How long a session did u have????

We had 45 minutes each (I think), and it flew by. I think 45 minutes to an hour would be good. Longer if you can afford it!

 

[enzo1990]

I also have found sessions Strider+Becky extremely helpful. I am not, unfortunately, a shining example of what can be achieved, since 10 years ago I had a stroke, which while probably now detectable by no one but my horse, continues to affect my balance and timing. Or maybe I am an example, since I do still ride my rather cheeky horse.

 

[Burnttoast]

Just come to this - looks really interesting. I've been wondering whether to go for ages so I should make the effort in 2012!

Becky suggested a fairly radical-sounding whole body treatment and I'm going to look into it. Something to do with remodelling the fascia. Eek.

Was this the thing she suggested? I was searching online for a bodyworker and found this, which looks really interesting. http://pilateseastanglia.co.uk/bodywork/structural_integration/

 

[Shipley]

I have been 4 times and can see an improvement its great, JoC let me know if you fancy it I will always go any excuse lol!

 

[Harriettie]

I've been as well - for a weekend.......it was great. I'm nowhere near as competent as you guys (in fact I'm scared to post in CR) but it made a massive difference to me in terms of realising that maybe I can ride, well, a bit! I had to get Becky to change the stride as well to more like the paces of my chap.

The teaching technique is based a great deal on Ride With Your Mind principles and I have managed to source a localish instructor who teaches in the same way as Becky and cites Becky as her mentor. The use of imagery is very different, none of this 'sit up' malarky, to the extent that at one point I was being encouraged to sit in a way that I felt was completely hunched over. But as someone else has said - judge the impact of what you are doing by looking at the resonse from the horse.

I have never spent so long talking about my seat bones as I did in one lesson but now I can achieve a sort of half pass just by using my seat bones I also sweat less than my horse every time I school him..........which is apparently what it's supposed to be like!

 

[kerilli]

Was this the thing she suggested? I was searching online for a bodyworker and found this, which looks really interesting. http://pilateseastanglia.co.uk/bodywork/structural_integration/

No, it's called Anatomy Trains, by Thomas Myers. I'm looking into finding a practitioner in this sort of area.

 

[dingle12]

Do they do any up north ? would love to buy a session for a friend.

 

[Auslander]

Now that's interesting . . . perhaps we need to organise a Southern day as well?

I'd love to have a go if there's a Southern session. I have ridden Trigger (National Riding Festivals rather less high tech version) many times, as I was one of the team who organised the festival, but I think he's a welsh cob who has never had a days schoolig in his life! You have to give him a Pony Club kick to get him moving, and heave on the reins to stop him. Fun, but not really educational!

Having ridden at a reasonable level, before being forced by circumstances to take a long break, I think a few sessions would do me a lot of good - and easier than finding a suitable horse. Current ride has been hopping lame since pulling a shoe off weeks ago!

 

[vallin]

Sounds brill. If anyone fancies organizing another day I'd be up for it. Would be interested to see what my lack of butt clenching ability on the left has done to my riding ability (don't ask, accident involving a bog, a very large hole, and me now having a load of muscles that don't work down my left side :/ )

 

[SonnysHumanSlave]

This was fascinating, loved seeing/listening to all your videos.

Im am only 15mins from Sudbury, So I think Im going to ask about at the yard to see if some other girlies want to go with me.
Did you do 30mins each?
Does it feel like a real horse?

 

[scullysdad]

Does it feel like a real horse?

Lol - no it is hard and made of fibreglass, not at all cuddly!

Obviously it only moves on its compressed air rams but mimics the horse moving in a straight line at the various gaits.

 

[kerilli]

Does it feel like a real horse?

Obviously you missed few times higher up in this thread where I said that when I shut my eyes and concentrated on the feeling it felt just like a real horse...

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

Ive booked my session, but not till April!!

 

[glitterfuzz]

Theres a whole 2 days of mechanical horse riding lessons on 11th/12th Feb at Eland Lodge - £15 for 30 mins - you can enter on the website http://www.elandlodge.com/events/event/297/

Heres a little clip from one of our summer adult camps http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150340519558552

 

[BombayMix]

I rode a jumping simulator once...I tell you what when asking from a gallop back to canter it was incredibly hard mouthed

 

[Baggybreeches]

Becky liked that the design on the back pockets of m_m's breeches meant that she could see if she's straight from the back, that could be useful to anyone on here who teaches so I'll be sitting at the end of the arena in the future, bellowing at everyone to ride down the centre line away from me in a straight line.

The canny old lady who I choose for routine dressage torture like me to wear a particular jumper with a horizontal pattern for that exact reason!!

Sounds and looks like fun.