Riding with your legs

[jenren!!]

After having a particularly 'handsy' RI for a few months, i seem to have got quite handsy myself recently. I have been working on it, and from changing RI's i am using more leg, however i do still find myself 'fiddling' with the reins too much.

But my question is, how do you actually ride with your legs? I try pushing with my legs but the horse just goes faster. And if i half-halt, they either dont listen or lean on my reins. I quite often find myself fighting with the horse, but if i let go he listens - can anyone explain that? I always think the horse will just go faster if i 'let go'.

[No_Angel]

i just hold the buckle of the reins and turn the horse off weight aids, only use my legs to back up my weight aids of to ask to go faster. works very well with my sensitive tb and my little welsh:)

[holiday]

Lots of transitions always helps your horse to listen, ridden more through the seat and leg, back up with rein aids until he starts to get the idea of what you are asking to start with without hastling him through the mouth!!!

[entreat]

What are you using your RI for if you're asking us!?

My horse is one that needs more seat & legs than I know how (I'm a more handsi person until now...), so I need to utilise my instructor to explain to me how I need to do things, and why that would work. It's amazing watching the difference in my horse if I listen to my RI!

When you say you 'fiddle', what are you doing? Are you trying to direct his turns too much with your hands? how well do you use your seat and legs through turns?

I think it will just be a matter of time to get him used to it, and for your seat & leg aids to become clear to him.

best of luck!

[amylou_84]

What are you using your RI for if you're asking us!?

Um...because she may want a different opinion...she may want someone elses advise/experience..! Whats the point in this forum if everyone who has a RI doesnt ask questions. That was slightly mean.

[entreat]

it wasn't intended that way - i shoudl have put a smilie face face on there i guess.

But it did seem like she hadn't asked her RI yet, who should be the first port of call because the RI can see her ride the horse & give her advice/explainations based on what she sees of the horses response.

[teabiscuit]

I had one lesson with a handsi RI and poor old Finn set like a bag of concrete and he still does it one year later! so i know what you're saying.


it's a tough habit to get out of once you've been started on it.

i use lots of lateral work so i can steer him with my legs, with my hands just there to support my legs, and also to get him bending and building up the right back muscles.

i forget what his head is doing so that i don't start to nag with my hands again, and he'll just pop into an outline when i've got it right

though we've still got a very long way to go, i feel much better about this way of doing things than the handsi way.:)


eta (after reading Mehitabels post :)) i can steer him with seat aids on a long rein, but if i take up a contact and be handsi the effect is lost, we both just get stiff and heavy.
this is when the lateral work helps, it shifts us out of that trap somehow, makes him lighter in front and gets his hind legs under him.

[Mehitabel]

do you know how to give turning aids with your seat? if you do, then that is what you need to do - if not, say and i can explain but it is a lot of typing if you already know!

[Lucyad]

I would be interested if you dont mind typing! I can turn with no reins, but am not really sure how:o I just 'think' turning:confused: I guess I possibly shift my weight and turn my bum a bit...???? It would be interesting to know how you are supposed to do it, in words of one sylable please (or at least not many more than one). I can stop with no reins too - I think it is just by bracing and squeezing? Does this sound right? Sorry I am not very good at working out what I am doing, and my RI is very 'handsy' too!