The classical seat and position

[Dave's Mam]

I've got into the bad habit of looking down at the horse. If there's a chance you're doing this, and you feel you have to have a peep every now and then, try looking with your eyes rather than moving your head.

My pilates instructor helped me square my shoulders and lengthen my neck which has brought me into better alignment. I'm more symmetrical. He's also a physio which helps.

I am definitely going to have to try pilates.

 

[Horsekaren]

HOUSTON WE HAVE MADE CONTACT

Literally couldn't be happier this morning!!!!

I am about 20 pages into Enlighted Equitation and using all the tips you guys have mentioned and yipppiiiii, im a very happy girly this morning!!!!!

Im trying so hard not to hunch and have my arms out in front of me, i dropped my stirrups a few holes and started with non just at walk (only lasted a min or two as it hurt soooo much opening my hips)

I have never managed to hold my horse in a contact in trot, not for more than a 3 -4 strides and that is when he chooses to come down, not because i have asked but today focusing more on my arms and upper body i decided today i want that contact and today i got it!!! i know its a bit in and out, one min my reins are a good length and then all of a sudden they are too long (even though i haven't adjusted the length, not sure what im doing)
He had a few tantrums probably because i he is use to me asking him half asked but today i meant it. When he gets nappy i just proceeded to push him through, i hope that's right)

The boy did good, no?
This is literally our first try at this without an instructor and actually meaning it, i was a lit firmer with my rein aids usually i ask very gently but we dont get far.

I'm looking at his head as i struggle to tell by looking at his back and my eye is still learning, at points is he lifting and working from behind?[video=youtube;aFP-9oY9A7k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP-9oY9A7k[/video]

 

[ester]

So as an adjunct to the previous reply you are not helping yourself because you are using your leg every stride which is encouraging you to grip, which mean s you cannot have a long leg/open the hip and are more likely to pitch forwards (I say all this because I have been there!)

 

[Horsekaren]

So as an adjunct to the previous reply you are not helping yourself because you are using your leg every stride which is encouraging you to grip, which mean s you cannot have a long leg/open the hip and are more likely to pitch forwards (I say all this because I have been there!)

i knoooow but my arms aren't straight out in front of me
bloody legs! why wont they just behave themselves, my legs are moving more than his :O

 

[Amye]

So as an adjunct to the previous reply you are not helping yourself because you are using your leg every stride which is encouraging you to grip, which mean s you cannot have a long leg/open the hip and are more likely to pitch forwards (I say all this because I have been there!)

Oh so agree with this. And I have SO been there - and still am!!

When I got my boy he was unfit and lazy and I got into the habit of kicking every stride as that was the ONLY way to keep him going - otherwise we had a breakdown. He is much more forwards nowadays and doesn't need to be kicked every stride but I am massively in the habit and I have to really concentrate to not do it anymore. He is still reliant on my legs, but not as much as he was, because I am still overusing them. Before I can correct myself, he won't learn to carry himself in that pace without my legs. I can do it in walk, but in trot it's like a muscle memory and I find myself kicking, kicking and I have to really really concentrate on my legs to keep them still. I can do it on other horses who go forwards fine - but on him, I'm a nightmare!

You need to work on making him sharper off the leg. So lots of transitions. Halt to walk, think about the correct placement of your legs and don't move them backwards, ask to walk, if no reaction, a BIGGER ask to walk, if no reaction, a sharp tap with the stick. Once he's going forwards, a pat and praise, and concentrate on keeping your hips open and leg steady. I know exactly how hard it is not to just push them along with extra kicks but it doesn't help them in the long run.

I'm sure someone will come along and put it better than that - but it's something I am constantly working on every time I ride and I know how hard it is!

 

[ester]

It is very easy to start doing it on something that isn't thinking forwards, but discovering that as a direct result I was gripping and blocking the forwards movement (essentially riding with the handbrake on) was very enlightening. - that and the more you nag the harder it is to keep the rest of your body still and the less attention the horse is going to pay.

 

[DabDab]

Yes, that's definitely moving in the right direction - your hands were much much stiller as you were flexing through your elbows. Well done!

It's tricky with both you and him having slight contact issues, because there's nothing secure to work the trot into, so you're having to re energise him pretty much every stride - which makes it pretty impossible to keep your legs still. For a while it's almost like you need to not use your legs at all to maintain the pace, and instead just use a whip/your voice/someone on the ground with a lunge whip

 

[Horsekaren]

Yes, that's definitely moving in the right direction - your hands were much much stiller as you were flexing through your elbows. Well done!

It's tricky with both you and him having slight contact issues, because there's nothing secure to work the trot into, so you're having to re energise him pretty much every stride - which makes it pretty impossible to keep your legs still. For a while it's almost like you need to not use your legs at all to maintain the pace, and instead just use a whip/your voice/someone on the ground with a lunge whip

I actually just thought that to myself, two kicks only then keep him going with my crop. If i have a few rides without using my legs and trying to keep them off almost all together then i cant grip ect and have to find rhythm and balance.

I can see my hands are stiller but not still, should they be rising up and down with me, it looks odd so must be wrong lol

I'm waiting for a nose net to arrive as its super hard to keep the contact when he is throwing his head around, he wasn't so bad this morning but last couple of times he has been tossing so much i end up just giving the reins to him so i don't get pulled all over the place.

Lol to think 12 months ago if he had done that napping with me i would have probably got off and cried saying he isn't the horse for me now i just adore him and his quirks

 

[webble]

I actually just thought that to myself, two kicks only then keep him going with my crop. If i have a few rides without using my legs and trying to keep them off almost all together then i cant grip ect and have to find rhythm and balance.

I can see my hands are stiller but not still, should they be rising up and down with me, it looks odd so must be wrong lol

I'm waiting for a nose net to arrive as its super hard to keep the contact when he is throwing his head around, he wasn't so bad this morning but last couple of times he has been tossing so much i end up just giving the reins to him so i don't get pulled all over the place.

Lol to think 12 months ago if he had done that napping with me i would have probably got off and cried saying he isn't the horse for me now i just adore him and his quirks

Much better! Squeeze rather than kick though. He went much better when your hands were still, the more you can keep them still the more he will go forward. Is the head throwing allergy or objection to the bit/ hand movement?

 

[Horsekaren]

Much better! Squeeze rather than kick though. He went much better when your hands were still, the more you can keep them still the more he will go forward. Is the head throwing allergy or objection to the bit/ hand movement?

I'm pretty sure the head tossing is midges and the combination of a big moustache as he doesn't do it in winter and the other day when i rode when it was wetter he didnt toss his head. Nose net has just arrived today so fingers crossed that helps

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

Firstly he looks lovely and you are improving by the day, I see smiles so that's always good and towards the end of the clip he is working nicely for you.
I won't repeat all that others have said above about kicking, but just wanted to ask if your saddle is tipping you forwards? It looks low at the front and I don't think it's helping you with your balance in the clip.
Other than that you're looking a lot more confident and I really love your boy, he's very handsome

 

[Horsekaren]

Firstly he looks lovely and you are improving by the day, I see smiles so that's always good and towards the end of the clip he is working nicely for you.
I won't repeat all that others have said above about kicking, but just wanted to ask if your saddle is tipping you forwards? It looks low at the front and I don't think it's helping you with your balance in the clip.
Other than that you're looking a lot more confident and I really love your boy, he's very handsome

Thank you, he has such a beautiful face, he is a red blagdon with a white blaze on his face (cant tell from my videos) because he is pink he was rightfully names Strawberry at birth sometimes i just look at him and think he is simply the prettiest thing in the world lol i'm biased though obviously

As for the saddle, its an interesting experiment at the moment, it is a treeless Flexee so it will sit lower once im on board. I dont want to blame the saddle (yet HAHA) for tipping me as a lot of people say this saddle does do this buuuuuuuut its because you need to be in the classical position and be strong to hold yourself. The stirrup bars are about 2 inches further back compared to most other saddles so most riders subconsciously pull the leather back when riding classical or fall into the chair position, i have never been a chair rider as im still trying to find my seat bones and get off my fork but the fact im pulling my legs so far back make me think i did this in my old TG. (This is what i've read but ive only ever ridden in wintec and Tg's so i guess others might be different) Im trying to master the right position first then i can decide if the saddle might benefit from a front riser pad... which i think would lift the front :S For now i'm going to continue to blame myself for the tipping as my core is terrible and hips are stiff as iron



He seems much happier in the saddle but obviously without a hard tree he is replying on me to keep myself balanced and he soon lets me know when i'm not

 

[webble]

I'm pretty sure the head tossing is midges and the combination of a big moustache as he doesn't do it in winter and the other day when i rode when it was wetter he didnt toss his head. Nose net has just arrived today so fingers crossed that helps

Ah in that case if the nose net doesnt help my friends horse wears an ears bonnet for midges.

I must say I have been following your progress on her and fb and he is such a lovely horse.

If you find the tipping continues but you like the stirrup poisitioning it might be worth seeing if you could try a pheonix (secong hand budget friendly) or a vogue as I found the newer flexee tipped me but they didnt