poles

[gemkat]

Hi all
I come back to riding after a 20 year gap.. and after my first lesson, I was hooked.. but then have a fall after my recent 7th lesson (not good) :eek:. This dented my confidence, which I never had much in the first place.

I was asked to trott over a set of poles by my RI.. The first time,I was slightly unseated, but did not fall. I was told to do this again, same thing happened. The third time (unlucky), I fell and luckily I did not get injured, I have bruised my ride side and my neck is stiff.:mad: The injured part of me is my confidence!!

I replayed the incident in my mind, have I done something wrong, or was it the horse? My RI kept saying I did nothing wrong, nor did the horse.. But then I fell, SO something must have gone wrong..

Has anyone has experience of trotting over poles? The horse refused to go straight over it and went diagonally across and each time it trotted over it, the trott went funny
is that normal and went sideways? Is that normal? Also, did my RI push me to do this before I was ready?

I can do a rising trott well.. and when I tried to do this over the pole, I got unseated.. why? Your thoughts and comments welcomed.:confused:

Liz

[cwb]

Hi Liz,

Welcome back to the fold! I have come back after a 15 year break and am relearning everything and just loving it. The RI had me trotting over poles in the very first lesson :eek:

Yes trotting over poles makes the horse pick up its feet more than normal so the trot gets bouncier - also, depending on the spacing of the poles and the impulsion of the horse, there can be a change in pace, so with a bigger rise and a slowing of the horse you will become unseated.

Sometimes when I am riding Cleo, a lot of horse with big movement, when we trot over poles - especially raised poles - I stop rising and just stand in the stirrups with a slightly bent leg so she can bounce up and down without upsetting my balance.

Your horse will go over the poles in the direction you tell it - it is best just to line it up and then look at some point in the distance at your level - don't look at the poles as you will tip forward!

[fairlady]

what a shame you fell, but it happens to us all sooner or later and some more often than others:D Main thing is you are ok, even if a bit sore and stiff.

CWB has given you the answer as to why the trot is different over the poles.

When you do this and you are feeling a bit unsure, you probably tend to look down at the poles to see 'what the horse is doing', its a natural reaction. However, next time you do it, line the horse up so that you are going staight for the poles and 'KEEP LOOKING STRAIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU' (i.e. the direction you want the horse to go in), try not to look down as this automatically tips you forward, and then you unbalance yourself and therefore increase your chance of falling.

If you are feeling a bit 'unsure' just grab a bit of the horses mane as you are going over the poles for a bit of stability, and security, I'm sure he won't mind:)

[doris]

I agree, with pole work it is essential to keep looking ahead, maybe at some spot on the end wall. If you look down, you will alter your whole position and unbalance yourself, and you will be putting yourself in a forward position making it so much easier to fall off.

[gemkat]

HI thanks for the all your advice and encouragement.. I have to say after the fall, I nearly considered giving up!! Well I have a good 8th lesson. I was given the horse I have been riding since I started.. maybe my RI wanted to 'upgrade' me to a more 'responsive' horse and I was not really ready for it!!

Shd I also consider going to a BHS approved school or there is not much difference between one which is not and one which is.

I would like your views on that too? I am not aiming to jump.. my intention is to buy an old horse (been there and done it type, totally bombproofed) for a bit of light hacking or basic dressage.

Your views?

Liz :)

[rascalboy]

Lol only your 7th lesson, and you're on poles? Cool...
Trotting the poles is what's hardest for me.
When the horse goes diagnolly over, it simply means that he wasn't being forced by you to go over straight. Right now, I'd say that you have too many things to do without worrying if the horse is straight. You'll fix that once you can balance a bit better.
Posting over the poles is hard. Try doing a 2-point (stand up and crouch forward a bit like a jumper, so your weight is off his back.
The first few times you do a 2-point easily over it, then try posting, or sitting over. If you don't post on the exact rhythm the horse is stepping over them, it feels very uncomfortable.
The only thing I think you did wrong, was just not be balanced enough. Actually, that means you really didn't do much wrong...
It might help if someone could lunge you and the horse over the poles. The horse should go over straighter.
Good luck, and I hope you have fun in your next lesson.

[BabyBear]

Where were you looking?

I have more problems with poles and jumps when I look down as it unbalances me and the horse.

From what I've been told you should barely notice that you are moving over the poles - you may just feel the trot changin slightly as the horse lifts its feet more than normal.


Perhaps doing a 2 point would help but I usually just try to rise as normal letting the movement of the horse control my rise.

[amandal]

Don't worry about the qualifications your RI has, if you get on with them and they teach how you like being taught stick with them, experience counts for more.

CWB answered everything else so I won't add anything.:D

[Cobgirl]

Hi there, I love to pole trot, especially without stirrups as it really makes you work hard to find your centre of balance. I think the key is to look straight ahead, keep momentum with your legs on the horse all the time, hands down nice and still and heels down as well. My part loan horse really likes to pick up her feet over poles and although it can feel a bit unsteady at times, this exercise has really improved my balance. I find it better to sit the trot rather than rise. But others might like to rise rather than sit, it depends on your preference. I LOVE sitting trot, that is my preferred gait and I probably do it better than rising trot!

It also helps to centre your horse or pony so that you approach the poles well balanced and centred. I usually place the poles down the centre of the arena. So if you are coming around on the left rein, get into a nice steady trot get to C, start turning, straighten up, then looking straight ahead approach the poles keeping hands down and nice and still, then keep giving the horse impetus and momentum with legs and push over the poles.

Pole trotting is a wonderful exercise - try it without stirrups using a good working trot.

[Rebecca1969]

Without stirrups? That would scare me. My RI had me trot over poles this past weekend. First few times doing a posting trot and the last few times going into my 2 point position. I enjoyed it. But when you say you did it without stirrups were you posting or sitting, must have been bouncy? Then she threw me for a loop and set up a crossrail without telling me:eek: As I come around trotting up to the poles I was like OMG I have to go over that. I think it was good though, didn't give me time to tense up. Thank god it turned out fine and better the second and third time around when I remembered to look ahead. And my school horse Apache is the greatest, so smooth, I love him to pieces:D.