Wow! Great lesson!!!!

[WhiteIceGem]

I've just discovered natural horsemanship! My instructor is having lessons at a natural horsemanship centre and its rubbing off on the rest of us!
Had a private lesson with her today and spent the whole lesson worknig out how to use weight aids and breathing techniques (is that something to do with the alexander technique???) to get the horse working insted of the whole (very loose meaning here...) 'kick/pull' more traditional way of riding. (not that i am a kick/pull rider but i don't know how else to put it!)
I had the horse doing leg yield, turn on the forehand, shoulder in 20 and 10 metre circles from just having a light contact and using open reins and mostly weight aids and breathing techniques. Brilliant!!! No tension in either me or Sailor, and walk-canter transitions much improved. Now i'm looking forward to learning more about the whole idea and progressing with my riding.
One thing though, does anyone else find it hard not to try and 'push' the horse on with your seat, i find it difficult to let the horse find his natural rhythm, it all feels wrong!

[hackedoff]

I know what you mean about the 'pushing'- but once you stop doing it you will realise what heavy weather you have made of it!What stopped me doing it was to imagine my legs and seat as a 'tunnel' and the horse moving through them (does that sound mad?) the pelvis stays still but gives with the movement and your spine will feel as if it is undulating.
Have fun!!!!

[WhiteIceGem]

Its like learning to ride all over again! Having fun with it though, should make a real difference to the way yhat some of the riding school horses go.
I find it difficult to turn my body in the diection i want to go, i want to use my reins to direct the horses front end!