what bad habits do you have while riding?

StormyMoments

StormyMoments

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 March 2011
Messages
2,214
Visit site
well as the title says :o mine is i look down all the time -.- no matter how much i try i still end up looking at the floor :o

how about you?
:o
 
how long have you got? :D

- looking down
- tipping forwards
- i carry my hands too low
- my outside leg has a mind of its own
- chicken arms :rolleyes:

Im sure there are others but I might just depress myself enough to put me off my flatwork sessions tomorrow :p
 
What bad habits DON'T I have might be a more useful question! :p (having riding crisis atm!)
- I have incredibly insecure lower leg position
- I look down. A lot.
- I don't sit straight as much as I should do
- I ride with my hands too far down (a bad habit picked up from RS years ago according to my RI)
- I grip with my knees (ditto above)
Despite the above, I'm trying to work on them all, my hands are improving as are points 2 and 3, and once I get my lower leg security RI says the grippy knees should improve too :)
K x
 
Nearly all of them I think.

Don't bend my elbows enough
ride on the buckle end
sit too far forward (well, you would if you rode my mare who bucks like stink!)
Generally woolgather instead of paying attention
Try to hold the horse to the outside with my hands instead of using my legs

Oh, and I quite often forget to put the saddle on!
 
I look down
I collapse to the right (working hard on this at the moment)
I hold him back with fear though this is getting better
I discovered today (thanks YO) that my left heel creeps up til I'm essentially standing on my tiptoes!
I tip sideways
I bounce a bit in the canter, though this is improving

And I'm dyspraxic, so sometimes my co-ordination goes out the window and I'm telling the poor bugger to do something totally different to what it is I actually want! Bless him, he does his best with me...it's one of those "nice horse shame about the rider situations" ;)
 
The main ones are looking down, thumbs pointing in and occasional penguin feet depending on the horse I'm riding (apparently not helped by my tiny hips!). I have also been known to let my reins get too loose. I have always been taught to use the seat and my voice (not kick, kick, kick, just subtle movements) rather than hands so sometimes they do get a little long. I am working on it all though and so far I have found that they are all getting better because I am breaking in ponies for someone so I cannot get sloppy!
 
How long have you got XD (In my defense I haven't been 'properly' riding for long)

-I look down too much (though not half as much as I used to)
-I, for some unknown reason, lean back too much while out hacking. I don't do it whilst schooling in the arena, but out on hacks I'm terrible for it. Now that I've noticed in pictures I can perhaps try to stop myself....:rolleyes:
-Lift heels while kicking on (then forget to put heels back down)
-'Washing line reins' as my mum calls it, where I don't have a good contact with him


though, I am working on all of these so hopefully I'll have improved soon :p
 
Erm... all of them? :o

- Tipping forwards and letting my lower leg slide back

- Collapsing through my hip on corners

- Not closing my fingers properly around the reins, and "piano hands" (thumbs to the inside)

- Toes pointing out like a penguin's, and raising my heels to kick on so my stirrups slide back to the arch of my foot

That's just the ones I've been working on in today's lesson... let's not even start on the jumping position or gripping up with my legs in canter... :o I think my lovely well-schooled horse is rather wasted on me.
 
I hack on the buckle with one hand on my hip haha :P I must look so rah.

I ride my pony bareback round the lanes looking like a travellers daughter, because she doesn't have a saddle that fits her well enough for my weight and fits my butt :D

Luckily I can ride other peoples horses to a good enough standard to make a business out of it lol.
 
swearing??

normally "what the **** " etc..... :D

and talking to my horse - then again thats just a sign of madness not a bad habit :o
 
I'm having a tendency to ride one handed lately and turn backwards in the saddle to talk to people behind me.
Then there's all the equitation issues, such as my incredibly unruly lower legs, my very shy thumbs and mainly my lack of awareness of where the centre is and what straight feels like.
Oh and my legs come too far forward, I don't keep my elbows bent and up, I sometimes fix my wrists, I always slip my feet too far through the stirrup and I occasionally glance at the floor.

Why am I allowed near a horse?:confused:
 
You can add me to the naughty list of turning around to chat!

It's not my fault I like to chat and my horse has longer legs than other horses I hack out with.

What is the side by side thing you speak of?
 
monkeybum13 said:
You can add me to the naughty list of turning around to chat!

It's not my fault I like to chat and my horse has longer legs than other horses I hack out with.

What is the side by side thing you speak of?
Click to expand...

Well I've heared there's a phenonomem in which two horses of any size/breed/height/age/ability can ride together in perfect unison two abreast whilst the riders merely turn their heads acutely to the side in order to talk to each other:confused::confused::confused:

:D
 
MaisieMooandCometToo said:
There's a thing called riding side by side??!!:confused: I'm told that some people do this so they can talk??!! :eek:
:D
Click to expand...

Not always possible though, narrow trails, one horse faster than the others etc. ;) Bloody mindedness- I am competent, not tidy:)

[Originally Posted by MaisieMooandCometToo
Well I've heared there's a phenonomem in which two horses of any size/breed/height/age/ability can ride together in perfect unison two abreast whilst the riders merely turn their heads acutely to the side in order to talk to each other]

Ah yes, PC Manual page 79, paragraph 3. Bad me ;)

The ability to turn and talk/look is absolutely requisite for trek leaders, nothing worse than sitting pretty, concentrating on one's toes and knees etc then turning to check your customers and finding them littering the ground like so many autumn leaves;)

I used to have the best arguments with an old boyfriend when we were working the racehorses upsides on the gallops, so I can do it if I have to.
 
Last edited:
Lurky McLurker said:
Erm... all of them? :o

- Tipping forwards and letting my lower leg slide back

- Collapsing through my hip on corners

- Not closing my fingers properly around the reins, and "piano hands" (thumbs to the inside)

- Toes pointing out like a penguin's, and raising my heels to kick on so my stirrups slide back to the arch of my foot

That's just the ones I've been working on in today's lesson... let's not even start on the jumping position or gripping up with my legs in canter... :o I think my lovely well-schooled horse is rather wasted on me.
Click to expand...

You are me aren't you?!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top