Can't keep my balance

[bman1354]

I have ridden a particular horse for two lessons. He seems to me to be very long and I have a very hard time keeping my balance on him. Today, I almost felt like I would fall off on the left side as we were circling to the left. My instructor tells me I should sit up straighter but when I do I feel like I am going to fall over backwards.
I haven't had this experience with other horses. Can anyone suggest what I might be doing incorrectly? Or is it just that this horse happens to be very long. Thanks.

[laura jeanne]

I can't think of why this would happen on one horse and not another. It's all about balance. Are you looking up and ahead or maybe looking down and losing your balance?

[Nazdaq]

are your stirrups too long so you are reaching for them? that is the only thing I can think of that would cause this. :D

[Cobgirl]

Some horses and ponies are more difficult to ride than others. When I first rode Mollie, as she is a cob and very wide, I found her a very comfortable but difficult ride as well, if that makes sense. I could balance very well on her but I am only 5' 3" tall (on a good day) and striding such a wide back caused me a few problems with leg position.

I was unbalanced as well simply because I had not ridden for 40 years. Some riders prefer pencil slim horses and others like me, prefer a more chunky back to straddle! I think though it is good that we all ride different types of horses and I hope that you get to grips with this horse soon. Sounds like you just have to try different things to sort out your balance, best of luck!!

[NoviceNic]

Maybe the horse in question isnt balanced. Thus throwing you off your balance. Captain used to do this with me when he was unbalanced.

[cvb]

I have ridden a particular horse for two lessons. He seems to me to be very long and I have a very hard time keeping my balance on him. Today, I almost felt like I would fall off on the left side as we were circling to the left. My instructor tells me I should sit up straighter but when I do I feel like I am going to fall over backwards.
I haven't had this experience with other horses. Can anyone suggest what I might be doing incorrectly? Or is it just that this horse happens to be very long. Thanks.

you don 't really give us much information to go on ... is this in all gaits ? what type of horse is it ?

If, for example, you told me this was mostly in trot - my suspicion would be that this horse has quite a long stride with a bigger moment of suspension than you are used to. This will show up any inbalance in your own position so you need to check lower leg, feet, weight through the leg, and that you are not iver-rising but letting the horse move you.

[bman1354]

Hi everyone. I had balance problems while trotting- not so much a sitting trot but while posting. The sitting trot was very bouncy although I didn't feel the balance problem as much as I did while posting.
Sorry I don't know what kind of horse this is-but he is very long and lean.

[cvb]

Ok - then I would suspect this is a horse with a longer stride and moment of suspension than you have been used to. Often the rise in trot is quite "mechanical" at first i.e. you are consciously rising and sitting and making that happen, rather than it being a feel and a response to the horse ?

Plus if the lower leg is out of balance - this makes the rider's rise more of an effort, and it needs more managing.

That will all come out in the situation you describe. Do a chekc of your position and balance, and try going sitting first, and then letting the horse create the rise a bit more ?