My progress so far... with questions?

[Romore]

Well I have had about 8 lessons now my last two were in a group. I have to say I much prefer it in the group even though i'm the only boy and the least experienced by far.
I have tried to canter both times in the group the first time I failed miserably, but today I cracked it, TWICE lol. I found actually cantering was the easy bit it is getting the horse to canter that was more difficult.
I'm not sure if it is a standard way of getting a horse to canter but we have to go into it while going into a corner, is this the normal way? can you go into canter by going in a straight line?
Still really struggleing to turn the horse with my legs, and I have a tendancy to loose my balance and bounce around in the saddle a bit and also to rise to high in the rising trott.

I'm also a bit unsure about how to keep myself in the saddle, should I be gripping with my legs or putting my weight in the stirups? I am also finding that my feet slide out of the stirups quite easily, anyone know how i can stop this from happening?

I reckon I am set on a pair of jods rather than breeches too. Its just plucking up the curage to buy and wear them now

[me_n_super_abby]

Sounds like your doing really well, and most importantly having fun.

It is easier to get a horse into canter on a bend as it encourages the horse to strike off on the correct leg. The inside leg should lead in canter. It can also slide your legs the right way without actually trying too. When you ask for canter, generally its inside leg on, outside leg on and slightly behind, to also encourage the bend. But all horses are different and depending on the training/rider go off different ways, but generally this is the way. You need to try and secure your lower leg, inside calf on the horse, not squeezing the breath out of the horse but just to secure you leg and not swing. This should also help with feet sliding through the stirrups. You should have some weight in the balls of your feet but not heels shoved down as this can make your leg shoot forward. You also need to try and rise from your hips not by pushing weight into stirrups.

Phew, thats turned out to be an essay, sorry (i get carried away!) Hope some of that helps. Im sure you will get loads more tips to try as well. Good luck and keep at it

[Bodshi]

Hey! Sounds like your doing really well! I rode as a child and then you just cantered as and when, so I was a bit confused when I came back to riding a couple of years ago and we always started cantering from a corner, but as m-n-s-a says, it's so the horse strikes off on the correct lead (have you covered that in your lessons yet?)

As for your feet bouncing out of the stirrups - when you find out how to stop that happening, please let me know!

It can be really difficult to get RS horses to go into canter so well done for making it happen - it took me ages. And as for wearing jods - well you just have to bite the bullet and go for it, men can look strangely attractive in them!

[HelenVF]

Sounds like you are doing really well. I haven't got much experience myself as I have just, sort of, cracked cantering but my feet used to slip out of the stirrups a lot. My RS said it was to do with the way my legs were. When I had my legs in the correct position, my feet didn't slip out of the stirrups.

I struggled with cantering to start off with as I felt I was all over the place and just bounced, but with practice, manage not to bounce...as much lol

Helen

[lovali]

I'm another one who wishes my feet would stop slipping. I asked the instructor about it a couple of weeks ago & she said she couldn't see any reason why they should be as my leg position was 'excellent' (made me laugh as I still feel like I'm doing everything wrong).

Well done on the cantering. Sounds like we've had about the same amount of lessons & I'm still miles off of cantering.

[Romore]

m-n-s-a the term leg on is used a lot and I assumed it meant the leg you use to make the horse go forward by tapping or kicking ( not sure of the correct word) could someone explain what leg on means if i've got it wrong. It's a bit tricky at the moment as swapping from privates to group class and the instructor has changed so I think my current RI assumes I know stuff. As I say I am the least experienced in the group.

[me_n_super_abby]

Well in my thoughts ill have a go at describing it. I always ride with a secure lower leg as discussed above. When i want a but more impulsion/speed i squeeze with the lower leg, if i want a bit more kick.

So if i wanted an active walk it would be squeeze repeatedly until you get the reaction and then squeeze every few strides to keep it up.

Really having a secure lower leg does you alot of favours, its helps keep you in a good position, helps stop feet/leg turning out, slipping or moving back and forth and allows you to give clearer aids with the squeeze/kick ect,

I think it sounds like you are doing well. I think the RI means to keep that contact and leg on if in walk to squeeze to keep the speed active or if in trot then kick, kick to keep the speed/impulsion up.

I know it can be frustrating, im one of those people who want to be able to do it now

But keep at it, things will just start to click. When you get further down the line, no stirrup work should be an eye opener for helping your position and the way you feel you ride.

Hope that helps a little and does not completely confuse you

Im sure people will have loads more advice for you too

[kathyt1]

I don't know how far away this is from you, but if you could come and watch some lessons I am sure it would give you some inspiration/explanation!

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216235

[Romore]

I had my lesson again this morning and before we moved on to doing canter stuff I asked the instuctor the exact way she wanted me to ask the horse to canter. It she said to go from rising trott, sit down and squeeze, if thier is no reaction give a kick to reinforce what you want. I tried it twice and the first time it worked a dream the best i've done yet and I felt like I was in complete control, it was brilliant. The second time I fluffed it, not sure why. RI said I was being to nice and sending the horse mixed signals as she didn't know weather to trott or canter. But I got it the first time and i'm holding onto that memory

All in all it was a very good lesson and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as usuall.

I actually led the ride today which was a bit scary and I made a wrong turn and everyone followed me lol, but no harm done.

A funny thing happened, I was told the horse was very inteligent and I was struggleing to get the horse to walk faster. The RI handed me a whip and instantly the horse sped up, just knowing I had one made her speed up. I thought that was quite funny.

[beakysian]

Originally Posted by Romore

A funny thing happened, I was told the horse was very inteligent and I was struggleing to get the horse to walk faster. The RI handed me a whip and instantly the horse sped up, just knowing I had one made her speed up. I thought that was quite funny.

It's handy when the horse responds to the rider just carrying a stick - I fluff it every time I have to use one “reins into one hand, tap, re-take reins, aaaargh handful of mane, horse confused, back to square one ”

[HelenVF]

Well done, sounds like you are doing well. I know I have a good, controlled canter, but then it all goes pear shaped and wonder if I had ever been taught how to do it, as it was that bad lol.

Helen

[Claire1605]

Has your RI explained to you yet the foot falls of the horse?

This will help you understand the canter. You ask in the corner to encourage the horse to bend slightly to the inside to help the horses strike off on the correc leg.

In canter in the school the horse needs to strike off with the outside hind, which is why when we ask for canter, we put our outside leg behind the girth to ask the horse to strike off on that leg.

Then the inside hind and outside fore leg move together, followed by the inside fore which is actually the last leg to move but is called the "leading leg" as it appears to move more in front of the other fore leg.

This helps the horse to stay balanced in the canter. As the horse gets more experienced it will be able to canter balanced on the "incorrect lead" i.e. counter canter.

If you are out on a hack and want to canter in a staight line you can ask for canter on whichever lead you want as the horse is going in a straight line so does not matter.

You should not grip with your legs as this will make you bounce in the saddle. You need to be relaxed, leg long, and your knee should be away from the saddle but your lower leg hugging the horse with your toes facing forward.

It is very easy to explain what needs to be done but is 100 times harder putting it into action LOL.

You will get there, it takes time. I had 3 weeks off recently due to illness and I normally ride my horse 4 times a week. I got back on and was so stiff and tipped forward you wouldnt believe. I got rusty in 3 weeks LOL.

Keep up the good work and enjoy!

[me_n_super_abby]

Sounds like a very productive lesson. Im sure the more lessons you have it will all start to fall in place. I think that must be a trait with riding school horses with the up a gear when they see the whip being handed over. Sometimes thats all they need. I carry a schooling whip with Abby but never use it, but if i dont have it she knows I also use it when riding out to flick cars with if they get close to us, they cover a multitude of jobs

[Romore]

Thanks for the advice people. Claire1605 Will re read your post a few times as i've not learnt any of that yet and try and remeber it for sunday?

I find that as i'm going into the corner to go into canter, I am rushing to try and put it all together before we come out of the corner and miss it. It's kind of a big panic to try and get it all done and to experience the canter cus I know if I dont i'm not going to get another chance for a week. But I suppose it's all just practice.

[Romore]

No lesson tomorrow, trapped a nerve in my back GUTTED!

[me_n_super_abby]

Oh no, feel gutted for you

Hope it gets better soon so you can get a lesson booked and get your riding fix

[Nimbus65]

Originally Posted by Romore

I find that as i'm going into the corner to go into canter, I am rushing to try and put it all together before we come out of the corner and miss it. It's kind of a big panic to try and get it all done and to experience the canter cus I know if I dont i'm not going to get another chance for a week. But I suppose it's all just practice.

The key here really is preparation . . . try to just break it down into a sequence and don't worry if it doesn't happen - the school has four corners after all . The way I was taught, the sequence is: half halt just to get the horse's attention, take sitting trot a good five/six strides before you ask, sit UP and gently slide outside leg (the one nearest the wall) back while nudging with your inside leg and remember to allow with your hands. Common mistakes are to tip forward in anticipation of the canter which loads the horse's shoulder and makes it harder for him/her to canter and/or to inadvertently pull on the reins because you are out of balance. Alternatively, find a horse that reliably goes from walk to canter . . . it's much easier or a novice b/c it's easier to stay balanced in walk than sitting trot.

Don't worry . . . it will come.

N

[Skippys Mum]

It would possibly be worth your while (you too Helen and Lovali) to ask for a lunge lesson. It would let you get yourself sorted out while someone else sorts out the horse. Once you've got you sorted it makes it much easier to sort the horse out but otherwise its a lot to try to get in the one go.

If you are constantly losing your stirrups, pop them up a hole. Its amazing how much more secure you will feel

Remember, we've all been there and its like riding a bike, once you can do it you will wonder what the problem was but until you crack it you think you are never going to be able to do it

[Harry Chaim Faibish]

Hi
Take my advise & ask your instructor for lunging lessons to develop your body, balance, confidence & relaxation, this is the only way for you to learn correct riding, if not you will go in circles & spend money, and you will not know how to ride!!!.
www.faibishclassicaltrainer.com