Why can't I seem to hold/ride big horses?!

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spotty_pony

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Well, just lately I've had a few incidents when riding big horses where they have ended up getting too forward with me and have ended up cantering on the roads. Yes, I did pull them up but with a lot of effort! Some of these horses are forward going and responsive but generally thought of as 'easy' and people seem surprised when I struggle to hold them, etc. :( It's getting me down a bit tbh because I want to be able to hold them and ride them like everybody else but anything bigger than about 15 hands I struggle to hold if it's a bit fresh. :o :(

I have been told I have a 'fizzy bum' but I don't think I do anything to cause this to happen - I am confident and try to adjust my riding according to the type of horse I am riding. I am quite tall (5ft9) but also quite lightweight (9 stone) so could it be they are taking advantage because I don't have lot of weight/strength behind me? And is there anything I can do to help me improve riding horses and getting them to respect me? I am fine on ponies, even if they are strong, but I don't know whether this is just because they are smaller so I can hold them easier?

Can anyone help? :o
 
I don't believe your weight or height have anything to do with it. If you are riding horses who are regularly running away with you. Either they are badly schooled animals, or you are not a very quiet rider. Maybe you should think about having some lessons ?

All horses and ponies are physically stronger than humans, so they can all run away with us, if they choose to. It takes skill, not strength to control them.
 
I'm only 5'3 and I have a 16.3 and a 17.1 I'm wondering if perhaps you are riding too physically which you can get away with on small horses but less so on a horse. My main advice would be stop the trot from speeding up before it runs in to canter always have good control of each pace and don't allow any deviation from the pace you set also try to anticipate where they are likely to heat up or misbehave so you can ride accordingly
 
Are you applying your leg at the same time when you are trying to hold them back once they get a bit joyful, perhaps gripping slightly somewhere down your leg without really realising it therefore sending them forward? just a thought.
 
Are they pulling you forward out of the saddle? Or are you getting a bit nervous and dropping more weight into your stirrups to feel more secure, thus pushing yourself out of the saddle? This has always been my biggest mistake and naughtiest habit:o
 
Well I am 5ft 4 and my boy is 16hh and a strong boy at that. I would go down the trainng/lessons/all necessary checks for horse and rider - IF and only if you are experienced with independent hands, perhaps a different bit? I may get shot down in flames for this but, we have French Link snaffle for schooling and dressage, waterford snaffle for pootling around (I get a few surprises too even though he is an angel really) and Waterford Gag for XC, fast hacks etc. But I know I'm not hurting him or pulling at him, it's just the way he is, and I don't have popeye shoulders to supress his enthusiasm. He is an ex-eventer and his way is the fast way and he doesn't want to be taught new tricks (the old dog! Don't despair)
 
Spudlet said:
Are they pulling you forward out of the saddle? Or are you getting a bit nervous and dropping more weight into your stirrups to feel more secure, thus pushing yourself out of the saddle? This has always been my biggest mistake and naughtiest habit:o
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I do seem to have a lot of my weight through my stirrups (I used to have the problem of my legs swinging too far back so I'm always reminding myself to keep them in the right position!) and I agree that this causes my body to tip forwards slightly so this is most likely the cause of it! One of my own boys is quite heavy in front and does require a lot of holding/half halting to get him to lighten the forehand. I am so used to him and his way of going that I think that sometimes I automatically apply the same way of riding with other horses and they (quite rightly so!) protest.
 
If there all running off on the same thing,it's more then likely a rider error. Are you used to riding ponies? It might be worth pausing and seeing whats going wrong,i'm about 8stone and only about 5'2 and i own a 13.2 and a 16hh ex racer,and ride 17hh,if there working in the correct way and frame of mind there should be no issue with weight/size x
 
ShowJumping Superstars said:
I do seem to have a lot of my weight through my stirrups (I used to have the problem of my legs swinging too far back so I'm always reminding myself to keep them in the right position!) and I agree that this causes my body to tip forwards slightly so this is most likely the cause of it! One of my own boys is quite heavy in front and does require a lot of holding/half halting to get him to lighten the forehand. I am so used to him and his way of going that I think that sometimes I automatically apply the same way of riding with other horses and they (quite rightly so!) protest.
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That reminds me - the Waterford does have a poll lightening effect which stops him leaning on my hands if that's any help? Obv along with half halts, pletny of transitions etc
 
I actually have a similar problem - not so much horses being strong but more that I feel I can't ride big ones properly / can't sit to the canter well and feel unbalanced. I have light hands (I hope) and can stop fine - but I also tip forward and feel more nervous on bigger horses. I often feel like I can't hold everything together properly and all my bad habits appear (hands too far up or down / tipping forward / legs all over the place) Whenever I try to ride a bigger horse I feel like a total novice - and I have been riding 25 years!

I am 5'4 and 8 1/2 stone so am used to riding smaller horses / ponies which I think is the problem. I was super skinny when I was growing up, so always got the ponies at riding school, and never really moved onto bigger horses My pony is 14.1 arab x with tiny strides and my horse is a 15.1 tb who rides more like a pony - but even he feels big to me now.

I have decided that ponies are more for me now, and have given up on wanting to try bigger horses.
 
ShowJumping Superstars said:
I do seem to have a lot of my weight through my stirrups (I used to have the problem of my legs swinging too far back so I'm always reminding myself to keep them in the right position!) and I agree that this causes my body to tip forwards slightly so this is most likely the cause of it! One of my own boys is quite heavy in front and does require a lot of holding/half halting to get him to lighten the forehand. I am so used to him and his way of going that I think that sometimes I automatically apply the same way of riding with other horses and they (quite rightly so!) protest.
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Instead of reminding yourself to keep your legs in position, start from the top and remind yourself to put your shoulders back and sit tall. If you concentrate also on your hips, it may feel like you are pushing them forward when he sit up tall, this is more your core muscles being used properly. But this should make your whole position correct and therefore your legs should naturally fall where you want them. Hope that helps :)
 
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