Balance

[nz_horsegurl]

I havent been riding long, but I am finding it really hard to balance in rising trot and the little bit of canter i have done. I can rise, but i just dont really feel secure, so i usually gently hang on to the saddle, just to help me balance. I only ride once a week, so i was wondering if anyone had any home exercises which could help improve my balance? thanks so much

[Tangle]

First off, don't be ashamed or embarrassed about holding onto the saddle or some mane - far better you use them for balance while you're learning than the reins :)

One excercise that I find/found really usefull for rising trot just needs a staircase :p. Stand on the balls of your feet on the bottom step, feet a horse width apart. Allow your weight to drop gently into your heels (don't force them down or you'll fall over backwards :eek: ) and stand really upright - hips forwards, shoulders back, head high. And then stay there for at least a minute. Once you can do that easily, try alternating between being up on your tiptoes and down into your heels - making sure your change very slowly and gently and stay in complete control of the movement. This will help you're overall balance, and also help to make your ankles stronger and more supple - which will also help no end :).

How do you tend to loose your balance when you try and rise? Do you feel like you're falling backwards or forwards, or do you just feel not "together" with the horse?

Have a look through the kinder way (http://www.newrider.com/Kinder_Way/introduction.html) section, which has some good advice on trot and canter, and some observations on common problems.

Good luck :)

[nz_horsegurl]

thank you so much for your help. I'll try the staircase thing today!:) when i rise, i just dont feel secure. like i could fall over the front of the horse, or off to one side! the more i practise, i get better, but since i only ride once a week, it takes awhile. but if i can do some exercises off the horse, it will hopefully help. thanks so much for your help! :D one bad thing was we went bareback one day. that helped alot but i often had to hold on to some mane! but thank you so much. and i'll check out the kinder way!;)

[ponypinkyp]

I learned something wicked today!!!

I have the same problem with my balance,,,, so wait for this one!!!

When your at a standstill on your riding school horse,,,, stand up in the stirrups for a little while,, hold onto the neck as much as u like,,, but stand up and try to do it straight!

Then,,,,,,, trot for a little bit and try to stand up whilst trotting! This will take you about 3 or 4 attempts,,, but you will still be holding onto the mane or saddle for security!

Try this and sit to trot too, every minute or so,,, this will REALLY help you with your balance AND with your leg positioning too. It was wonderful when I tryed this,,, I did it today,, and I feel a lot better,, it was an instant feeling of acomplishment.

Trust me,,, DO IT!

[ponypinkyp]

oH, BY THE WAY,,,,
kEEP A SLIGHT BEND IN YOUR KNEE'S AT THE SAME TIME,,, DONT KEEP YOUR LEGS RIDGID,,, TAKE IN THE HORSES MOVEMENTS WHILST STANDING INTO YOUR LEGS AND DONT GRIP.

oops capitals!

good luck!

[Big Ears]

would a neck strap help as you can hold onto that and not the reins and it will help you balance a bit better - I used it when I had a horse that liked to pull you out of the saddle and unbalance you as an evasion, and so I pulled against the neckstrap to stop her yanking me forward, but not touching her mouth.

[NoviceNic]

I too have a problem with balance and I have been riding for 3 years so don't feel embarrassed. One instructor told me to stand up in stirrups whilst doing trot for as long as I could. This helps balance. Another thing may be that you are lifting your legs as you start to panic when cantering. Try trot without stirrups. Be careful not to lift your legs in panic. Concentrate on pushing your legs down as long as they can go. Once you feel comfortable in trot try cantering without stirrups. Its actually easier to ride without stirrups. Good Luck!!

[maria9657]

First off, don't be ashamed or embarrassed about holding onto the saddle or some mane - far better you use them for balance while you're learning than the reins

Exactly, it will all come together after you get more hours in the saddle. Practice helps everything. Last week my instructor decided that we would do everthing with no reins (only two people in the class that day and a knot tied in the reins) we walked, trotted, stopped (that one took a while to get the hang of) for about half an hour. At first I was really scared and kept losing my balance but relaxing and just going with it helped.

I guess what I'm trying to say is relax and don't worry if you don't get it right away.

[imabrit_us]

Could you get your instructor to give you a lunge lesson? That way you could concentrate on balance and position and not have to worry about steering?

I agree w/ those who suggested you try the standing up exercise. I'd also make sure your position is correct and you're sinking your weight down through your heels rather than rising from your toes and that you're not tipping forwards. I have the opposite problem . . . I've spent so much time concentrating on NOT tipping forward that now I can end up behind the movement on certain horses.

Don't worry . . . it will come. It just takes lots and lots of practice (at least it did for me). I've found that riding twice a week has helped me progress faster (but that may be because I want it all to be perfect NOW!).

N