Balance

[sockonmyhead]

Hi
I've now been riding for about 2 years, and obviously there's still so so so much that I need to learn, but one concept that still evades me is that of balance.
How is it achieved?
How do you know when you're out of balance?
:confused:
Sam

[manwell]

lots and lots of lunging with no struips and reins are the best way to learn and sometimes the most painful lol

[ilovemyboys]

you are off balance when you are only on one side of your horse or slightly tipped and closer to the ground on one side hehe! im sorry i have a really smart mouth and shouldnt pick.. sorry

[horseygal90]

Lunging without stirrups will help, also get your instructor to stand behind your horse when you're riding away and she can tell you if you're sat squarely in the saddle or not.

[sockonmyhead]

thanks folks!
i can never decide whether i'm unbalanced or not...i certainly don't feel as though my weight is more one way than the other, but seeing as i didn't really understand it i couldn't tell. my (rather critical) cousin comes riding with me (she's been riding since she was little - i only took it up a couple of years ago like i said in my previous post!) and has never said that i'm unbalanced - she's usually more interested in the fact that i never know where i'm going lol (i tend to get lost in the little jump courses that my RI sets).
just wanted to know how i could tell if i was unbalanced really.

[spicegirl]

If possible, it is helpful to have someone video you while you ride. Make sure part of the video is head on and part is from the back too...you will be able to tell if you are balanced by this...does one shoulder drop more than the other, is your head tilted to one side, is one hip higher than the other, etc.