Positional weakness - any advice?

[RachelT]

Hi everyone,

I wasn't sure whether this was the right thread to post on or not, but hopefully someone will be able to help me!

I have been riding for many years, but after a break I am now extremely nervous (not all the time, but sometimes!) I am beginning to learn to control these sudden attacks of nerves, but I feel that the weaknesses in my riding position are actually making things worse for me, and more importantly, the horses I ride.

I am capable when I can turn my brain off...

I hold a good position in walk and strangely, in sitting trot (well, I have been told so, but I bet I'll be proved wrong!). However, my rising trot is - I feel - quite weak. I am forever feeling as though I am reaching for my stirrups - and I am not riding too long, as I am perfectly comfortable in walk and sitting trot. My lower leg comes forward all the time in rising trot - sitting trot is much better, as is canter.

But in canter, I tip forward. I have tried having countless private lessons to correct this, but I am having real problems. As soon as I correct one element of my position, something else goes wrong! Sit back, then legs come forward... legs back, then tip forward... it's so frustrating as I want to move more into dressage, but I feel as though I am back at square one! Once I have improved, and feel more secure, I know that my nerves won't be as bad - but until then I know that my riding position is very weak and needs sorting out!

Would I benefit from a session on the equi-simulator? Am I right in thinking that this is the best way to iron out positional problems? I just think if I could sort out my position whilst not on a real horse, so that I don't have to think about too many things at once, then I would be much better off.

So many questions, not enough room! Well done if you got to the end of this War And Peace-length post!:D :o

Rachel

[Mike]

Do you always ride the same horse and particularly saddle or does this happen whatever you ride - just trying to get an overall picture.

[RachelT]

No, I don't have my own horse at present so I'm riding lots of different ones. I do have more luck some days, so perhaps some of this is down to the saddles - mainly leather general purpose. It's true that when I rode one particular horse for a while, my position improved - maybe the saddle was better.

However, my tendency to tip forward has been an issue for so long that I don't think I can blame the saddle - if I've had a particularly bad lesson, say if I've been nervous for whatever reason, I'll lean forward more. This happens to the extent that the muscles in my lower back physically ache from me sitting in such an unnatural pose. But if anything, I sit too light on the horse and put too much weight into my stirrups - I don't bang about on their backs - but it can't be nice for the horses either. They must be wondering what there is to get worried about, with me doing my best to crawl up their necks! :rolleyes:

[Mike]

I wouldn't be so sure it's not the saddles you are having difficulty with. It might be one of those circles you can't get out of, the saddles tips you forward - you tense - the horse picks it up - you tip forward more. I've been there - often.

Is there anyway you can try a model with the stirrup bars set much farther back like the Thorowgood Heather Moffett GP - there are quite a few of these about. Is there anyone you know with one? They can make a big difference to your position.

I'm sure Sue or Heather will have some ideas as well.

[Kerry's Partner!!]

I'd just like to say that I admire you for how you've put your problems into words (and been brave enough to say them). I am not able to advise you re your position problems, I'm sorry. But I can really relate to you saying that your anxieties will not be sorted out until your position is etc. That's exactly how I feel. All the while I have felt like this my position has improved bit by bit (2 yrs on) but it's still not ingrained enough (and it's nothing to shout about anyway) to be automatic when my horse feels a bit like she's rumbling underneath me. I have had a little go on Heather's simulator so I can understand Mike's advice. I wish I had that simulator (and Heather) here so that I could gather some real experience which is not at the expense of my horse, and so gain some confidence!!

[RachelT]

Well, it feels good to know it's not just me!

It really is a vicious circle. The frustrating part of it is knowing that I am capable of coping with whatever it is I fear (I've been bolted with, sat bronco bucks, ridden mad horses and the rest of it in the past). But having had a break, for whatever reason (probably too long a break after a particularly bad experience) my confidence has evaporated. If something happens, I react instincively and cope with it, but I really feel as though it's my nervousness and anticipation of things happening that makes situations much worse.

Whenever I feel slightly as though the horse is going too fast, or is on its toes, everything I know and everything I've been taught goes out of the window. I know that I should rise slower to slow the trot down. Instead, I tense up and I lean forward. It's like a ticket to run off for the horse. But I can't seem to break the cycle!

I can see my faults but am seemingly unable to correct them, as they only occur in certain situations and by then, I am in that downward spiral. I tense, the horse wonders what there is to worry about, so they tense too - I end up making it all happen and I want to stop it! In reality, I need to go back to basics when I know nothing bad is going to happen, and sort out exactly why my lower back is so weak.

The REALLY frustrating part of this is that I want to further my career in the equine world at some point, specifically in equine behaviour. I would also dearly love to be able to specialise in teaching nervous riders, as there are so many of us out there and I've had such bad treatment in the past - but I'm never going to get there if I can't get this sorted out. (As you can imagine, riding without stirrups can be a nightmare - being tense just doesn't work! - but I need to be able to to get anywhere).

So what comes first, the chicken or the egg? I believe I need to re-establish my position before being able to progress - and it doesn't seem easy!:rolleyes:

[Maria]

Hi Rachel

It is possible to solve these confidence/position issues - and without a simulator, although that will speed things up. You need to find a good, sympathetic instructor that you get on with and ideally some suitable schoolmaster horses.

When I first went on a course with Heather - 8 years ago or so pre-simulators - I was a nervous wreck complete with an inbuilt foetal crouch (or "fatal" crouch as Heather calls it). On the assessment lesson I rode Butch who was forward going and responsive - Heather asked me to canter and I panicked and wailed no, I can't, and turned into a quivering heap. Heather put me on the lunge and sneaked Butch up into canter - and it was fine. The next day I started with a much more positive mental attitude and tackled everything I was set to do - with enthusiasm if not finesse. Much to Heather's relief as she said afterwards that she thought she would have to send me home on the Tuesday as given how nervous I was on the Monday she didn't think she could help.

Then I found a good instructor at home to back up the odd course with Heather. He knew when to push me and when to back off and let me work things through. My mad cob has also helped - she's bright, forward going and a real delight when she's going well, but she's not easy to rider. The challenge has always been to improve my riding so that I enable her to develop her full potential too. Foetal crouch just makes it easy for her to go along on her forehand which is bad for her.

Now - like anyone - I get minor crises of confidence - but I'm more able to recognise them for what they are and find a solution.

Whereabouts are you?

Maria

[RachelT]

Hi Maria,

I'm in Hertfordshire!

I can also turn into a quivering wreck if it's really bad - the other day I wouldn't even trot, for goodness' sake, as I became convinced that the horse was going to run off with me. She wasn't at all.

I just do feel so stupid when it happens :(

It's totally a mental thing that starts it though, as I can overcome it with the right mental approach. This is one of the reasons I can't wait to have my own horse again, as the thought that I am responsible for a horse's education and that they are depending on me somehow makes me behave rationally!

Send me to the funny farm now!:p