Student Riders

[tim k]

Just had a few questions for you all as I saw a few things happen in a novice/beginners lesson at a riding school today and I wanted to know what was going on.

I know there´s another thread about stirrup length but some of us who have long legs just find it difficult to absorb the sitting trot (tell me, can I absorb it with shorter stirrups by making a physical adjustment - ie. without cutting part of my leg off ?). For me the easiest way to absorb all the horse´s movement is actually on the lunge without stirrups.

People seem surprised when I tell them that I haven´t fallen off yet, but I think this is because I have been saved by my long legs !

Also in canter I have noticed that some riders seem to absorb the movement much better. Is there anyway of feeling when you are on the vertical or in the correct position if you don´t have access to mirrors in the school ?

I have noticed that some riders seem to be able to control impulsion very well in all of the horse´s gaits and get a nice smooth start to a well controlled canter. So what is the difference in what the rider is doing to achieve a controlled impulsion rather than uncontrolled impulsion ?

[Shmon]

Hi Tim,

I, too, find it easier to ride the sitting trot without stirrups. When I ride it with stirrups, it's harder for me to stretch my legs around the horse. When I do sitting trot with stirrups, I concentrate on stretching down as much as possible, and keeping my rib cage lifted and lower back loose. Your lower back absorbs much of the movement and concussion of the sitting trot. Without stirrups, it's easier to stretch up and allow your back to move than it is with. Make sure you breathe, and try and concentrate on keeping your rib cage lifted and lower back loose.

A lot of riders get nervous at the canter, especially if they're new. Nervousness causes tight, stiff muscles, which results in bouncing! When you're relaxed at the canter, you allow your lower back to absorb the canter movement (much like in the sitting trot). When I canter, I sit in a "half-seat" - kind of a middle ground between three-point and two-point contact. I still have 3 points of contact (seat and both legs), but I sit lighter on the horse's back by rotating my pelvis forward and sitting more into my thighs than deeply into my seat. If you're not sure you're riding the canter correctly, ask your trainer! Getting videotaped is also a big help. The main thing is to relax, breathe, and go with the motion of the horse. The canter is a wonderfully relaxing gait.

There is a big difference between impulsion and speed (speed = uncontrolled impulsion), and usually those riders who create impulsion in their horses are more advanced. When you ride the horse forward, from your leg into your hand (so that they accept the bit), you have impulsion. The horse is balanced and using himself - watch how the hind legs of a horse with impulsion come underneath him, especially at the trot and canter. Speed, on the other hand, is out of control, unbalanced, and causes the horse to get very 'strung out'. When I'm riding a horse who starts to get fast and unbalanced (often on the forehand), I sit up, stretch tall and sit deep, and do some half-halts to rebalance and collect the horse. You have to make sure your horse is in front of your leg to get impulsion - it requires a lot of leg, and for some horses who tend to be lazier, a little reminder with a crop or spurs.


I hope this sort of answers some of your questions. Someone else will probably be able to explain it better, since I can be totally rotten at explaining things :)

[* Groomette *]

Hey Tim!

Making your sturrips shorter is just going to cause you to lean forward in your saddle, and therefore easier for the horse to throw you if he would please. First, get your seat. I suggest you ask someone to give you a lunge lesson..no reins no sturrips. Focus entirely on your seat. I ride a horse who's trot I could not sit for a million dollars, but through only a few no rein no sturrip lunge lessons I can sit it no problem. What it does to you is forces you to move with the horses movement. What you are looking for is that center of movement, the easist place to sit.

At first make sure there is some sort of panic handle strap thing on the saddle, which I held onto for dear life for about 10 minutes. While holding onto it you can force yourself to move with my movement, pressing your body into the saddle. When your ready take one hand off of it and start doing arm circles, with just that one arm. This also helps you keep that center of balance, and gives you something to do with your hands. Switch hands every so often. After I did that it felt so much easier to sit it, mainly because I had learned to get away from using my sturrips and/or reins to sit it. Previously I had held onto the reins for dear life, and clung tightly with my knees. This hadn't helped me.

Try a lunge lesson for about 30 mins, if you can get one. I love them to death, makes you focus on what your doing rather than on the horse for a bit, which in turn allows you to make yourself a better rider with a better seat in the process! Good luck!

-Groomie

[MyStIc139]

Hi
i find the sitting trot in stirrups difficult as well i tense up cuz i get a bit nervous and i start bouncing iv gotten a lil betta but i still bounce around alot. My canter is also alot better because i love doin it so dont get nervous nemore
i love riding canter or trot bare back or with out stirrups its very fun and alot easier.
I think a lunge lesson is a good idea!:)

[amylou_84]

for some reason when i have a lunge lesson it feels really wierd cus i feel like i dont have control of the horse! i dont have reins to hold on to (although i can hold on to the pommel or a strap)
i spose it helps if u trust the person lunging you.
i still think they are great though!

amy :D

[cvb]

so are you guys saying jockeys have no balance ? :D

Seriously though, as you get used to riding, you should find you can take more variation in your stirrup length. Your muscles and joints may 'prefer' a particular length, but you would be amazed how you adjust !

When I trained for my BHSAI at Wellington (ages ago), one of the things they would do is get us to ride with really really short stirrups. And you can still stay in balance. (We also spent hours and hours without stirrups too - a crash course in developing a good seat).

Anyone remember those folding clothes horses, that fold like a set of Xs up and down ?

Well if you ride short, you are just 'folding' the angles at each point (seat, knee, ankle) to a tighter angle. But it does NOT automatically mean you are catapulted forward ;)

I've seen some posts about jumping. When I was one-day-eventing on ponies, my stirrups would be up 2 holes for showjumping but up another 3 (i.e. 5 or sometimes 6 in total) for x-country. In x-country the whole centre of gravity is moved forward by the increased speed you travel at, and a shorter stirrup helps you keep you centre of gravity over the horses. Itreally did help me a lot to do this.