great lesson tonight with new instructor

Murphley Moo · #1 30th Jun 2009, 07:03 PM

Lesson number 6 tonight and it was fantastic. I had a new instructor who sadly will only be at the school throughout the summer hols and on limited days. She is at uni at the mo and has just passed her RI exam but she is really great. I learnt so much from her and at the end we tried a canter, but only managed a few steps before my lovely horse went back to a trot!

I can't wait until Fridays lesson - as its with the original instructor i hope he will let me continue trying the canter. Harvey was so charged up and excited - he was like a different horse!

palmerlover52 · #2 30th Jun 2009, 07:14 PM

Congratulations! Fingers crossed you get to try again on Friday!

Cantering is so much easier to 'get' than trotting, you'll be away in no time!

Murphley Moo · #3 1st Jul 2009, 06:46 AM

I sure hope so! I loved the feeling of it, just not sure what to do to keep him going or why he kept stopping? My instructor said its becasue i am not sitting deep enough in the seat and am bouncing around so he doesn't know what i want him to do. How do i sit deeper in the seat?

twigs · #4 1st Jul 2009, 07:25 AM

ask you RI anything your not sure of, thats what shes being paid for, Ill not try and explain as Im hopeless

the main thing is, dont flap going into canter, keep calm and relaxed, hands still and sit straight with heels down, to keep him from falling back to trot, keep your leg on!
Alot of beginners i have seen tend to push with there legs for a canter, but hold the horse back with the reins sending wrong signals to the horse, he therefore runs unbalanced and cant get into a canter
ask at the corner of school, from a nice sitting trot

Glad you enjoyed your lesson

Cookie Monster · #5 1st Jul 2009, 12:19 PM

Stop that cantering nonsense right now

I've been doing lessons for months and I haven't had a sniff of a canter yet!

But then again I can only just balance in trot so that would be pushing it a bit!

So glad you are enjoying it, my lesson is the highlight of my week and I love my RS horse (I've convinced myself that he looks pleased when he sees me coming, but he's probably thinking 'not her again!'). I do a few laps of the school with my feet out of the stirrups to help get my legs stretched and my hips more open, and my seat deepens after that. I think different things probably work for different people, but it seems to work for me- it really helps me get my legs around his body more and keep contact better.

Murphley Moo · #6 1st Jul 2009, 12:52 PM

[QUOTE=Cookie Monster;2316010]Stop that cantering nonsense right now

LOL

After the other instructor sees my attempt on Friday, i probably won't be doing it again for a few months either !!!!

Murphley Moo · #7 1st Jul 2009, 12:53 PM

Twigs.....the instructor told me to give and take with the reins with Harveys head movement....i guess it was just a bit too much for me to concentrate on....my arms were probably flapping everywhere!

cesa · #8 1st Jul 2009, 02:31 PM

Yes it's difficult trying to do so many things at once. I used to bounce a lot in canter when I first started to learn because the speed really worried me so I got wound up and tense which made me grip with my knees. The best advice is simply to keep practicing. The more you do it the less tense you will be and the more you'll be able to relax, drop your legs down around the horse and sit to the movement. And then you may be able to think about giving with your hands. I've just mastered that recently and have been cantering for a year and a half!!!

So like I say it takes time and practice....

hamster · #9 1st Jul 2009, 03:21 PM

Can't wait to hear how you get on Friday!

jendie · #10 1st Jul 2009, 06:27 PM

When it goes right, cantering is my favourite pace. It is much, much easier than the trot and you really feel part on the horse.

My first attempt was a disaster. I lost my stirrups with the first stride of canter and, as novices do, gripped for dear life with my legs. Result : poor horse cantered faster and faster, I gripped harder and did a good seven laps of the school before my brilliant instructor called the horse back into trot. It was a while before I cantered again and I had every problem in the book, especially that one when you squeeze with your legs but pull back at the reins at the same time. Horse doesn't know what you want and usually ends up in a fast trot that is difficult to sit to.

Murphley Moo · #11 1st Jul 2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jendie

When it goes right, cantering is my favourite pace. It is much, much easier than the trot and you really feel part on the horse.

My first attempt was a disaster. I lost my stirrups with the first stride of canter and, as novices do, gripped for dear life with my legs. Result : poor horse cantered faster and faster, I gripped harder and did a good seven laps of the school before my brilliant instructor called the horse back into trot. It was a while before I cantered again and I had every problem in the book, especially that one when you squeeze with your legs but pull back at the reins at the same time. Horse doesn't know what you want and usually ends up in a fast trot that is difficult to sit to.

cantered faster and faster for 7 laps !?!

doomkittycleo · #12 2nd Jul 2009, 08:00 PM

for my first few attempts my RI told me to rest my hands on the horses withers to prevent me from pulling on the reins by accident. I found this really helped and I now I am getting more confident in it I am attempting to work of getting my hands right.

Murphley Moo · #13 2nd Jul 2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doomkittycleo

for my first few attempts my RI told me to rest my hands on the horses withers to prevent me from pulling on the reins by accident. I found this really helped and I now I am getting more confident in it I am attempting to work of getting my hands right.

Thanks for that hint - ill ask if i can give it a go