How....

[bumblebug]

can I teach my daughter to balance properly?

She's 7 years old, and her pony is 5 - yes, I know, green on green makes black and blue but Bumble is the calmest pony in the world, and she's always on the lunge or lead line anyway - but Tina has the worst balance in the world. She wants to show jump him, but I'm worried that she'd fall off too much at the moment. Could making her ride without stirrups on the lunge work? I was reading a book last night (it's 80 years old mind) and one of the people contributing to it said that he didn't let his daughter ride with stirrups for about a year, not until she could canter and jump without them. Would this make sense or would it be too risky for her?

ANy ideas appreciated... if I see her tumble off in trot too many more times im going to duck tape her to the pony!

Kate

[hApPiNeSs]

I think it would help.

You could start off in walk - just on the lead rein so you can grab her if she slips. You also wont have to worry about centrifugal force either. Once she has got this off you could start doing some exercises such as around the world whilst the pony is standing.

Once she is a bit better you could start walking with no stirrups on the lunge-line, or a slooooow trot on the lead line.

With slow perserverance, lunging with no stirrups is the best way to gain balance and grace :)

have you got any pictures of bumble?

[bumblebug]

I'm not sure to be honest! He's usually scared of the camera, or I get him as he's just turned away :rolleyes: I'll have a look :D

Kate

[Ross]

I would seriously suggest that you get an instructor to have a look and give you some guidleines, especially about lungeing her. Also you don't say how long Tina has been riding - maybe she just needs some more time to find her balance?

Ross

[Kanuma]

for the first year that i had a pony mum didnt allow me to use a saddle let alone stirrups,
get an instructor as well, the combination will do wonders for her rideing!

[bumblebug]

Tina's been riding since she was one :) I used to strap her to me in one of those baby carry things while I was excercising the hunters.

I suppose that I better give Dawn a ring then.

Kate

[Esther.D]

Another factor that can make a difference - how tall is she and how big is the pony? Short legs can be a considerable handicap in kids balancing...I was a teeny child (I'm not quite 5ft now as an adult) and although my balance was pretty good generally I could be unseated easily by certain moves as my legs didn't reach the bottom of the saddle flaps :o Mind you at 7 I was riding a 13.3hh which did make things more tricky ;) We were a good partnership though and worked very well together.

[bumblebug]

Bumble is roughly 11 hands, and I'd say that Tina is about average height for a 7 year old... around 3'6'' perhaps? I'm not sure, I've not measured her since she was 4 I don't think!

Kate

[Esther.D]

Doesn't sound like a leg length issue then, 11 hands should be ideal. Oh and I'm the last person to criticise you with green on green....my first pony, when I was 5, was a 10 year old 11hh welsh mountain bought for £100 out of the local paper (bear in mind this was 23 years ago so ponies were cheaper then!) unvetted, untried etc and hadn't been ridden or even handled for a year. Bought by my parents who had never owned a horse before. Should have been a disaster, in fact she was a complete gem of a leadrein pony who was the safest thing about as well as extremely pretty (Strawberry roan registered welsh mountain) and the envy of all who met her. She died last year aged 32 having taught half the local pony club to ride (she loved little kids and being a leadrein pony, not so good off the leadrein so she went on loan each summer to local families with small kids to do pony club etc and then came back to her permanent loan home - we put her out on permanent loan to friends when we outgrew her when she was 17 - for the winter). So theoretically very unsuitable combinations can work well.

[Peace]

I suggest buying a copy of Sally Swift's Centered Riding. She has lots of good balance exercises in that book that you could use with your daughter.

[Werehorse]

Does she do other activities out of the saddle that involve balence and coordination, e.g gymnastics or ballet or similar? If not, taking up something like that may help improve her overall balence which would be helpful for the riding. Or is it just a riding problem?

I like all those funny excercises for improving balence, round the world, half and full scissors, touch a toe with the opposite hand etc etc. great for ballence and fun and challenging for kids (and adults! :D ). Try the at halt first before a slow walk eventually working up to trot! (although round the world at trot... :eek: is that possible?)

AS people have said work without stirrups is ultimate, as is bareback.

Good luck, be inventive and have fun!

[bumblebug]

Oh yes, round the world in trot is possible - I've had to do it in canter on hound excercise before (LONG night before, so John joked that I had no balance as I wasnt quite awake. I asked how I could prove that I did... hence round the world at canter!)

Thanks for all the ideas

werehorse: Tina refuses to do ballet - she doesn't like pink, Bumbles colour is green. I might suggest gymnastics though - or taking the stabilisers of her bike, even though she hardly rides it!

Kate

[jUmPingIsLifE]

long lessons!! they are the best for gaining balance. have her work a lot at the walk with and without stirrups. doing arm circles, posting at the walk. teach your daughter 2-point (jumping position) it will make her happy and help her balance also. practice switching from 2point to regular position. trotting on the longe working at posting trot and 2-point. however i recommend if you daughter is falling off at the trot with stirrups then dont ask her to do it without stirrups. have her hold onto the saddle with one hand and do arm circles with the other arm while posting. basically time and practice will help her gain her balance.
keep things fun and interesting for her, goodluck

[Werehorse]

werehorse: Tina refuses to do ballet - she doesn't like pink, Bumbles colour is green. I might suggest gymnastics though - or taking the stabilisers of her bike, even though she hardly rides it!
Kate


Hahaha - I think I quit ballet for that very same reason (after having to put up with a hidious hot pink tu-tu far one show :D ). I wear alot of pink these days though!