Failed to get my first stirrupless canter

[raingodz]

I had an extra lesson tonight and guess who I was riding? Daisy again, but she was quite good for me, she did try and kick me when I put the saddle on though.

So we started the lesson with some trotting work and then we did trotting with out stirrups which went well. Then we did cantering with out stirups, I have never done this before and I was in a higher grade group that my normal one, but I thought I'd have a go. Sadly I couldn't get Daisy to go beyond a trot with out stirups so the RI told me to take them back. I was very dissapointed that I couldn't give it a second go :(

But the Good news is that I then managed to canter a 20m circle on Daisy for the first time ever (well it was a little wonky but mostly circular) and I kept her going as well all the way to the back of the ride :D

We then did more jumping work, firstly trotting round the menage in jumping position, then doing trotting poles and finaly jumping something I think was highter than 18" but less than 2foot.

So other than being dissapointed that I couldn't try to get a stirupless canter again, and the sleet was a bit cold :eek: it was a really good lesson.

[Purple Hugs]

My goodness, sounds like a fantastic lesson to me!
I'm sure you'll get the stirupless canter next time ;).

Well done! :D

[ponylover88]

Aw well, next time you'll do it. :D I wouldn't worry about not cantering without stirrups, i still find the transitions difficult! Trotting without stirrups also seems quite hard too so if you thought that was ok, you were going well! :D
Anyway, look on the bright side, you got your circle and managed to keep her in canter. :D

[raingodz]

Thanks Purple Hugs and Ponylover :)
I still find the transitions difficult! Trotting without stirrups also seems quite hard too so if you thought that was ok, you were going well! :D

I could have used the whip to aid the transition but Daisy has a bad habit of putting in a little buck if you use the whip for the trot/canter transition and I didn't feel confident enough to risk a small buck with out stirups :eek:

[raingodz]

It was so cold last night I wore an extra layer in the form or the flease I wear for work... Someone has just noticed an odd green mark on the sleeve I hadden't seen this morning... looks like Daisy slobber to me :o :o :eek:

[Rob26]

Thanks Purple Hugs and Ponylover :)

I could have used the whip to aid the transition but Daisy has a bad habit of putting in a little buck if you use the whip for the trot/canter transition and I didn't feel confident enough to risk a small buck with out stirups :eek:

Rosie who I love to ride puts in a little buck on every upward transition.. always! just a little one, even without stirrups.. it feels fine though but I love no stirrup work :)

[Whatanejit]

Hope I am not speaking the obvious Raingodz but do you use a neckstrap.

If you put two fingers of your inside hand around the strap it gives you a bit more power to put your outside leg back and give a more obvious aid without the worry of unbalancing yourself.

I ride a horse who bucks a lot and if you use the crop on an upward transition he has an ejector seat:o

Thankgoodness I don't need the neck strap anymore but it is nice to know it is there.

Fab that you did the jump, though.:D

Keep at it.

xx

[raingodz]

Hope I am not speaking the obvious Raingodz but do you use a neckstrap.

No, there is no neck stap (I don't think I have ever had the oppertunity to use one)


I ride a horse who bucks a lot and if you use the crop on an upward transition he has an ejector seat:o

This is what I was worred about :eek:

But I am sure next time I get the oppertunity I will manage it, I just noticed that cantering with out stirrups is in the Stage 2 exam so I will have to learn to do it before next year :)

[cvb]

raingodz

you haven't said what happened when you "didn't get" stirrupless canter ?

I know you've had a massive learning curve getting back into riding - not necessarily mentally given you've done it before - but physically to get the abilities back..

depending on what happened it may be a hint that you are still a little dependent on your stirrups for your balance ;)

[raingodz]

you haven't said what happened when you "didn't get" stirrupless canter ?

Daisy just trotted faster :rolleyes:

I know you've had a massive learning curve getting back into riding - not necessarily mentally given you've done it before - but physically to get the abilities back..

I know, some times I wish I could just take a week or 2 off work and ride loads so I could get the physical part cracked. Althought I'd probably just get saddle sore :rolleyes:

depending on what happened it may be a hint that you are still a little dependent on your stirrups for your balance ;)
Yes, I think you could well be right. I was thinking that I was failing to get my legs into the optimum position for the leg aids to work on Daisy, and using the whip would have just by passed this and not allowed me to correct it.

We would never do cantering with out stirrups in my group, so it will be a bit random as to when I will get a free ride in a higher grade group and they are working on that again.

[cvb]

could you book occassional private lessons to work on things like this ? I think it is purley about developing that physical ability to both balance AND use your aids ;)

stirrupless trot can help with this as well - which I think you do in the other group ? Does she get you moving legs etc while without stirups ?

[raingodz]

Yes I have done quite a bit of stirrupless trotting and I felt quite happy with that. We did stirrupless trot as a group ride before tring the canter, and the RI said that I looked to be comfortable and in control with the stirrupless trot.

As for private lessons, You are right, I would benifit from some. I would like to take some but as things stand I will have to wait to sort some other things out first (non-riding related). So for the moment extra lessons will be ones I get in return for helping out.

[cvb]

Aha but...
the "stirrupless canter" issue is actually a stirrupless trot issue... because its about being able to give a clear aid from within the trot.

.. unless you think anxiety about the canter may have affected you ?

so in the work w/o stirrups in trot, can you - half-halt, circle, leg yield ;)

can you:
swing your lower leg yet maintain seat and contact ?
bring one or both legs up (towards a jocket style position) without losing your balance ?
lean forward and touch just behind the ears w/o losing balance and w/o your lower legs moving

etc etc :D

[raingodz]

Aha but...
the "stirrupless canter" issue is actually a stirrupless trot issue... because its about being able to give a clear aid from within the trot.

True :o

so in the work w/o stirrups in trot, can you - half-halt, circle, leg yield ;)

Yes, I was quite proude of my stirrupless trotting leg yeald :D (even if I do say so my self :o)

can you:
swing your lower leg yet maintain seat and contact ?
bring one or both legs up (towards a jocket style position) without losing your balance ?
lean forward and touch just behind the ears w/o losing balance and w/o your lower legs moving

I have never tried (or been asked to try) any thing like that since returning to riding, I do remeber doing something like this in about 1986 :eek:

[Rob26]

Aha but...
the "stirrupless canter" issue is actually a stirrupless trot issue... because its about being able to give a clear aid from within the trot.

.. unless you think anxiety about the canter may have affected you ?

so in the work w/o stirrups in trot, can you - half-halt, circle, leg yield ;)

can you:
swing your lower leg yet maintain seat and contact ?
bring one or both legs up (towards a jocket style position) without losing your balance ?
lean forward and touch just behind the ears w/o losing balance and w/o your lower legs moving

etc etc :D

Got any more of this type of thing CVB? these are the kind of things I want to be doing in my private lessons... some fun stuff!

I love all this stuff.. is there a book you can buy with these type of excersises in for different ability levels.. novice an upwards?

[cvb]

Rob

I have a couple of Cherry Hill "101 exercises" type books, but actually all that stuff is out of my head ;)

Having qualified as an AI back in 1990, I haven't formally taught for years and years and there would actually be a bit of a fear factor in it for me now (teaching my mother is NOT the same thing). So I let loose my frustrations here and try and make sure I don't completely lose the knowledge, even if I'm not applying it in practice :o

p.s. if you want I'd be quite happy to discuss goals and what sort of training plan you might do for that - and I'm sure we have a few others who could add to that as well. It is a lot easier with a goal in mind rather than aimless exercises :D

Thats the problem with being remote and online is that you can't watch the person and explore with them directly what they need to work on...

[raingodz]

cvb, your point about goals is interesting, I haddn't thought beyond my initial goal is being to get back to the level of riding I was at when I stopped, but this is rather a fuzzy unfocussed goal.

[cvb]

raingodz

but you're aiming for Stage exams aren't you ? thats is quite a clear goal AND timetable ;)

have you done a review of what level of riding you were at when you stopped ? how does that relate to the Stages ?

[raingodz]

have you done a review of what level of riding you were at when you stopped ? how does that relate to the Stages ?
I was thinking about this the other day. I was never the best rider and for the last 4 years of riding, due to lack of parental support and me being a useless teenager, 90% of my riding was hacking, which I did enjoy alot. I never competed (other than the odd compertition in lessons) and I have never done XC.

I think my strongest ability used to be being able to get on any horse and ride it with out fear of not being able to. Although this was probably the impetuousness (is that a real word?) of youth and the fact that I had, at that point, never broken any bones, and also it was a good way to get free rides :eek:

I think that interms of BHS stage exams I was probably around stage 2 level (not that good for 10 years of riding I know, but I enjoyed it).

So I have in the passed managed to canter with out stirrups which is why I found it a little disapointing that I did not manage it this time.

I must get on and sort out booking my stage 1 exam, I plan, if I'm not too late, to take my stage 1 exam in May, so yes this will be a good goal to aim for.

[raingodz]

No riding lesson this weekend :( and non on the 11th March either :(

But I did managed to book one in the same tuesday grop as I had was in last week, so I might get another go at the stirrupless canter, I hope so :)

I went to the stables today while OH had her lesson, no one had groom Daisy (it was 10am by this point) non of the helpers wanted to get that close to her so they begged me (well asked nicely) to groom her, so I used it as an oppertunity to try and get to know her a bit better. She only tried to bite me twice, and for some of the time her ears were forward... I think this was quite good. I still don't like putting her boots on though :o

[Purple Hugs]

:) glad the grooming went well!
I help at a private stables, and have found it's really helped with my confidence. ;)

You never know, maybe you could groom her more and get the odd free ride! :p

[raingodz]

:) glad the grooming went well!
I help at a private stables, and have found it's really helped with my confidence. ;)

You never know, maybe you could groom her more and get the odd free ride! :p
I often help out on a Saturday, but Daisy is rarely on my list to groom, and I do get the odd free ride :)

[Purple Hugs]

bonus! :D I really must ask my RS. I helped a bit at my old one, but this one is bigger and therefore has more people milling around but I'd love to help. :D
And the more rides the better! ;)

[sweuzo]

i wouldn't feel bad, i can canter well (usually), on circles whatever... but i jump so bad its embarressing (tiny jumps), i can trot without stirrups but its still a little too bouncy, and i can't remember ever attempting to canter without stirrups... though i may have done it once... i can't remember... :o

my last 4 lesson with the exception of the very latest one last week, have consisted of 2 lessons of fighting with a horse for any sort of halt, 1 lesson of bucking bronco styly riding and getting bucked half way across the school, TWICE, and another kind of fight with a horse for roundness/bend, STOPPING and getting shouted at a ton... i almost gave up and walked out of that lesson, though i'm glad i didn't. so a bunch of completely hellish lessons, followed by an ok one...

[cvb]

raingodz

what's the problem putting Daisy's boots on ? Sometimes when people are worried they use an inconsistent light touch which is a bit like a tickle for the horse. Or lots of flies landing :(

Try a firm contact - and keep one hand on the whole time i.e. have the boot in one hand. With the other hand start at the top of the appropriate leg and stroke downwards til you reach the lower leg just above where the boot will sit. Now slide the boot in place with the hand its on, hold it in place ... etc

mininmise any time with a hand off...

[raingodz]

what's the problem putting Daisy's boots on? Sometimes when people are worried they use an inconsistent light touch which is a bit like a tickle for the horse. Or lots of flies landing :(

It is mainly problems with working with her whole righthand side hind quaters and right back leg, she has a very quick kick too, I currently have a hoof print in my left leg to prove it from two weeks ago. I am not sure if she has some problem in this leg or weather she is just more sensitive there - if it is a problem she does not show it while in work.

I got kicked because I had found that if I talked to her all the time she did not try to kick or bite me (as she does with the other helpers who just seem to shout at her alot), so I though I had some how managed to get her to relax with me, I had groomed her several times with out her trying to bite or kick me, so I was not expecting it and did not move quickly enough when she did kick out.


Try a firm contact - and keep one hand on the whole time i.e. have the boot in one hand. With the other hand start at the top of the appropriate leg and stroke downwards til you reach the lower leg just above where the boot will sit. Now slide the boot in place with the hand its on, hold it in place ... etc

mininmise any time with a hand off...
I will try a firmer approach when I tack her up on tuesday (I'm guessing I will be riding her again, since I always do at the moment :rolleyes: )