Side Saddle help!!

[Meadon]

Hello!

I think there is a couple of people on the forum who ride side saddle but can't remember who they are.

I've been riding side saddle for the last 7 months. Most of that time my side saddle was being restored so was just having lessons and using my instructors saddle. Now my saddle is all finished I can ride till my hearts content (I love it sooooooo much). My horse has taken to it brilliantly, considering she can be very slow in the school she now bolts around (after the intial chasing up) and gets very excited.

Only problem I'm having is cantering with both legs facing into the school (if that makes sense lol). I find gravity wants to pull me and makes me twist in sometimes. I know your right shoulder has to be pushed back but finding it really hard. I think because I'm unbalanced my horse is and then just does a few short strides of canter and breaks into trot. Any advice out there please? Also going from canter to trot I feel a bit bouncy, but don't get this with both legs out.

I do need to pad out the fixed head. I have no probs when both legs are facing out of the school. I took her into well fenced field today and let her canter at full pelt and it was brilliant. Felt well and truly secure and it's much more fun, especially in forward seat. She absoultey loved it and I think it give us both an adrenalin (sp??) rush. It's just in the school we have probs.

Any help would be great

 

[Shilasdair]

I had a few lessons for a laugh in my lunch hour at work...with a very experienced side saddle lady.
I know exactly what you mean about cantering 'with your legs inwards' - I felt I was going to somersault backwards off the horse.
My instructor told me to keep my right shoulder back, but also to squeeze my legs together - and this did cure it for me.
Mind you, when after my second lesson, she whacked a jump up...on a horse which wasn't allowed to do jumping astride as he was so fizzy....I had more doubts.
S

 

[Meadon]

Glad it's not just me then lol. Yeah, I just feel like I'm going to go splat over the side of arena fence at times. I have to admit I nearly did thanks to a low flying aeroplane come over the school the other day. Impressed with the jumping Shilasdair! I've seen my instructor jumping and it amazes me, don't think were quite at the stage yet. I'll remember the squeezing the legs together!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Impressed with the jumping Shilasdair! I've seen my instructor jumping and it amazes me, don't think were quite at the stage yet. I'll remember the squeezing the legs together!

[/ QUOTE ]

I wasn't at all impressed with the jumping idea, I can assure you...

The squeezing your legs together really worked for me - got rid of the 'wall of death' centrifugal force effect.
I hope it works for you too...
S

 

[FMM]

It does feel horribly unconfortable - but sidesaddle riding was never meant to be around a small arena if that is of any comfort. There is even talk in showing classes that they will only go on one rein in the class and not do a change of rein onto the "wrong" rein, although this has yet to happen. It is really a matter of being very aware of your seat bones and shoulder and making sure that you are sitting on the saddle squarely. If you ride astride and put more weight onto your inside seatbone you will immediately feel how much you are unbalancing yourself and the horse.

Try to practice in a straight line as much as possible before you start going around corners. Get your trot sorted out on that rein before you start worrying too much about canter.

Now - where are the pics so we can see how lovely you and your horse look sidesaddle?

 

[Meadon]

Thanks for the replies! Yes I agree with you FMM about side saddle orginally not intended for the arena. I'll pm you some pictures FMM, too embarrassed to put them up lol. Both my horse and I looked like we have come through a hedge backwards on the few photos I have.