Keeping on the Rail

[maria9657]

Hello everyone,

After having a couple of private lessons I am going to be joining a group of 5 riders for a group lesson. I am having a couple little problems though

-I am having trouble keeping the horse I ride on the rail he is fond of cutting corners and tends to drift to the middle if you let him. I can usually keep him from drifting to the centre. So if you have any tips on this I would be very grateful.

- The second thing I am having a problem with is since I am still a very new rider I have trouble with the rising trot. As long as the horse I am riding keeps going I have no major problems. But the horse I have been riding lately is lazy and as soon as you get him trotting he slows down to a walk after a couple steps. I need help on keeping him moving. I have tried what my instructor said "kick him with every step" but I am having trouble getting both things in I can do one or the other, kick him or manage my rising and sitting. So if you have any tips on this, doing both at once, or any other tips related to keeping a lazy horse moving.


Thanks so much

[galadriel]

I have an article that specifically addresses staying on the rail :)
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/200-staying_on_the_rail/

I also have an article on riding the rising trot:
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/400-trotting/

You say that you are looking for ways to keep a horse trotting, and having a little difficulty coordinating "kick on" at each step. The coordination may be a little easier than you think. If you are letting the horse PUSH your back up into the rise, and then you simply control the sit, then it takes much less effort (see the posting trot article above.)

To keep the horse moving in trot: First of all, make sure that your leg is softly on the horse at all times--not pulled off, and kicking back on when you want to use your legs--more on that here:
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/300-toes/

Then either as you rise, or as you sit (whichever is easier), squeeze your calves. Since they are already on the horse, you don't have to make yourself swing them into and away from the horse.

This should help make the rising trot much easier all around :)

[BackintheSaddle]

Oh yes - all of Galadriel's articles are SUPER heplful to those of us who are new to riding. The other thing I might mention to keep your horse on the rail is to urge him on with your inside leg. This should help keep him from drifting in or vutting corners. I am still learning all this myself, but am having a good time doing it. Hope your first group lessons go well :)

[maria9657]

Yeah, most of that makes sense, but I still have a question, everyone talks about using your leg what exactly does that mean exactly does it mean keep you leg in contact with the horse or what?

[galadriel]

To use your leg:

Your leg should be softly against the horse's side all the time. When you want to use the leg (ask horse for forward motion, ask horse to move away from leg), you press that calf/ankle against the horse's side. Your ankle may not be on the horse, if the horse is short or narrow; you don't need to use the ankle or the heel, just the calf.

A horse's instinct is to lean INTO pressure. If you give a solid pull or push on the horse, he may just lean into it and ignore it. When you want to use an "aid" (your reins, your leg, your weight), it can work much better to pull or push and then RELEASE, pull/push then RELEASE. So when you use your leg, you should squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, not squeeeeeeeeeeeeze.

[laura jeanne]

Staying on the rail:

It also helps to look up and out to a distant point straight ahead of you until you are almost in the corner and then look around the corner and then straight ahead again.

If you aim straight, and ride as if you are going to keep going right thru the fence, it will help you stay on the rail.

Also, breathe to the rythmn of the horse's gait, for example, breath in for two beats and out for two. This helps you relax and helps the horse concentrate (i think).

Finally, keep the outside rein steady, don't let it go loose. It is easy to forget all about the reins when you are first learning because there are so many things to think about.

This is all in addition to what the others have said. These are the things that have helped me because until switching teachers lately, I was having the same problems after a year of riding. My instructor would tell me to pull his head toward the rail which is not right at all but she insisted that I had to learn that way first because it was easier for beginners!

[hometrotter]

Horses sometimes cut corners and drift in to the center of the ring in certain places. I used to ride in a ring that had a garage door installed on the short side. When the wind blew it would rattle. Almost all the lesson horses would cut in on that side because the scary door was there. If you notice your horse cutting corners and drifting inside at the same place on the rail you have to learn to anticipate that he is going to cut in or drift and take more outside rein, and give more inside leg. It can be a lot of work, just like you are wrestling a monster, but you can do it.

As for the rising trot, I have found it is easier if you squeeze every time you sit during the rising trot. You can always grab the front of your saddle to stabilize your body more when you are learning to post the trot. Good luck!

http://home.netcom.com/~tdmt/hometrotter