New Here Need Tips

[NewRider101]

Hi everyone :),

Im new here and i like to ride. :cool:
I can walk off the lead and trot on the lead. I still use a monkey grip for the trot. :o

So will soon begin learning my balance, i havent ridden for a while because our horse was lame and had a sore eye. He is now better and i will begin to learn to ride again.:D

Does anyone have any tips on improving my balance??? We also bought an exercise ball, if anyone knows of any ball exercises that will improve balance.:p

Thank you for reading this message ;)

luke :)

[cinammontoast]

Apparently bike riding is meant to be v helpful cos it strengthens your legs/balance and people keep telling me to grip with the calves, not the knee. Let us know how you get on.:)

[sancho]

Hi there and welcome!.

You'll gets lots of useful advice :)

[Gruntfuttock]

Hi NewRider101, welcome aboard ! Sorry i don't have any tips on improving your balance, except for as much work as you can bear without stirrups...but I have to ask - what is a monkey grip? :D

[Mistertron]

Hi and welcome :). I have heard that an excercise ball can help with balance but ive not tried it myself. Let us know how you get on!

[Julz]

Hi NewRider101, welcome aboard ! Sorry i don't have any tips on improving your balance, except for as much work as you can bear without stirrups...but I have to ask - what is a monkey grip? :D


hi there, was wondering myself what a monkey grip is......lol

Marieclaire - why were you told to grip with your calves? surely if you do that the horse will want to go faster - away from the pressure of your legs? Also, unless your leg position is perfect, your leg will have to come back to grip with calves, and so the rider will end up tipping forward, raising the weight off the back, encourageing the horse to go faster...

I was always taught to grip with the thighs..... but now i don't grip at all, and manage fine....

[Nazdaq]

You shouldn't grip anywhere, your calves should just lightly rest against the horses sides, hugging it gentley, NOT a death grip! As far as balance goes you just need to ride as much as possible, also sitting on the excersise ball and engaging your abdominal muscles to keep the ball from sliding out from under you should help. You can also try some other pilates, this is great and I use it regularly. Hope that helps. :D

[NewRider101]

A monkey grip is like a leather bar that attatches to the d-rings on your saddle, so it comes across the front of the saddle, its there for you to slip a finger under so that you dont pull on the horses mouth, and its easier to slowly get better balance!;)

thanks for all the comments!:D

[NZdressage]

Apparently bike riding is meant to be v helpful cos it strengthens your legs/balance and people keep telling me to grip with the calves, not the knee. Let us know how you get on.:)

Bike riding is good but, idealy you shouldnt grip with your legs at all, when I ride I have no leg on only when I want to give an aid, otherwise if I rode with leg on all the time the horse wouldnt know what to do! If you are a new rider marieclaire then I understand its harder, but its good for you to know this so then when you get better you can work towards this!

[NZdressage]

I still use a monkey grip for the trot. :o


luke :)

To be honest on my very good dressage horse, I ve only just taken it off the saddle! And I have been riding for ages! He went through a stage where he was trying to work with more power, but as a result made him strong in the hand, the monkey strap was good on occassion to hold on to and give my arms a rest!

[horseygirl123]

Hi and welcome to NR :D

As far as balance goes, it comes with time, the more you relax into the saddle, the better your balance will come.
As my old RI used to say "hours in the saddle my dear, hours in the saddle" ;)

And no, you dont 'grip' with your legs at all, let them hang lose around your horses side, open up your hips, let your lower leg hang nice and long, heels down and 'hug' your horse with your lower leg.

Lots of work without stirrups on the lunge will help tremendously ;)

[gone24now]

Hi! In response to your balance, I did a lot of work with no stirrups, but also riding with no reins on the lunge line with my instructor. Doing rising trot(posting) with hands on the hips. It has helped my balance incredibly. It is a bit of a challenge at first but the more I did this my balance improved dramatically. Also on the lunge with no reins, I would do a rising trot and then drop the stirrups and do a circle of sitting trot without stirrups, and then on the fly catch the stirrups again and rise trot. All without reins or holding on to anything but thighs. Don't worry it will come!:D