Tips on maintaining riding position on a young horse?

[sleepingdragon10]

I'm struggling a little at the moment with my position and was hoping someone could point me go the right direction.

Riding Lukey is like riding a slinky! He's either shooting off which means I get left behind, or he slams on the anchors(usually due to his being nosey!) and I end up on his neck. I feel it's due to instability in my position and was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to stay in balance? I don't have an arena to ride in atm so have to school out hacking. Thanks

x

 

[thumperbos]

The 'old school of thought' would be to get yourself a helper and get on a lunge circle at trot or walk (whichever you feel most comfortable with) and cross your stirrups over the horses' neck infront of the pommel of the saddle or take them off the saddle completely. Let your legs hang down as they want to naturally, and you should find your point of balance.

However, seeing as you don't have an arena, is there a field you could practice on your own in?

 

[sleepingdragon10]

There are a couple of fields I can use...I feel that 70% of the problem is caused by me not being able to anticipate what he's going to do next!

 

[Rowreach]

I've got one that used to be like riding a moving pavement - one minute he'd be shooting off in front of you, and the next shooting out behind

Firstly, make sure that your saddle fits both you and yourself comfortably, and it's as secure as it can feel for you. I found full seat breeches really help me with the youngsters

Secondly, I would recommend using a balance strap (if you haven't got a "real" one, just buckle an old flash strap from D to D - a balance strap is better than a neck strap because you can maintain your seat and an upright position and still have something to hang on to (if Anky uses them, I am not ashamed to

).

Your youngster needs to learn to carry you in a proper position, and not be able to compromise you as he is at the minute

Hope this helps

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Thanks, it does help enormously

He is a monkey, it's a very odd sensation, doesn't help that he's only a shade over 14hh, so when he does go, it feels like there's nothing there to sit on!

 

[Burnttoast]

Work on improving your core strength - try pilates. If you ride with your core engaged it helps to anchor you into the saddle and stops your top half going every which way!

 

[Weezy]

Neck strap - never to be underestimated when on a youngster!

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

Sorry no further practical tips to add, but if it makes you feel any better your not the only one unble to keep their position on young horse!
When we first broke in Beau who is 16.3hh and loooong striding my mum and I though that some how, over the 4 mnth horse break while we moved continents, we had forgotten how to ride!
He threw us all over the saddle and out thights ached permanently from trying to stay in the saddle, and it was only after a few months that we realised that his 'green unbalanced' paces were just really uncomfortable and the minute we could convince him to carry himself a bit it was like turning an old bouncy Susuki into a Rolls Royce =)

 

[sleepingdragon10]

I tell you, my back is killing me this morning after riding him yesterday. Weezy, i'm going to hunt through my tack box later and see what I can find...might just help me stay with him abit more. It's taking me time to adjust going from a big, lumbering 16.2 to my diminutive little chap!

 

[MrsMozart]

yay, the joys of riding youngster

. Trotting down a lane, never knowing just where your butt is going to come down

I usually, when not going ar$e over t!t, have a fairly fluid seat when on youngsters lol. I find that as long as I try and make sure my heels are down, the rest of me usually stays roughly where is should. Hand position depends on what we're trying to do/accomplish, the ground conditions, and how the ned is responding at that moment. Balance has to be fluid due to youngsters tendancy to not knowing where all their legs are and tripping and generally leaving a leg lying around doing nothing

. In canter, I like to get them to get their balance by doing long slow-ish canters out on hacks, rather than in a school. I also keep m'butt up a bit to encourage freer use of the back.

I also freely admit to using a five point competition breastplate and not being afraid to grab it

. Really wish I'd been using it last week

.