Hello all!
First of all, I am new here, and it's an honor to be a part of this great forum.
So.. I am in my early 30's and I picked up riding again after 8 years of a long hiatus. Also, about four years ago, I got really sick and lost all my muscle because of the side effects of medications I took for an extended period of time (I was literally skin and bones for quite a long time - it was horrible!). Anyways, when I rode back then, I almost always rode in group lessons (English, never Western) and I was not a serious rider back then. Well, I decided to be closer to horses again last month, and this time I am taking private lessons because I want to be a better rider with solid fundamentals and I want to be able to train my own horse in the future. Anyways, when my new trainer - an English rider, jumping backgrounds - saw me riding for the first time at the new barn, he said that my posture was pathetic (Sadly, I totally agree with him, and I am actually grateful for his honest feedback) and we have been working on my equitation. So, I had my 8th lesson with him yesterday (I ride twice a week), and I think I am gradually improving.
But here is my main concern that's really frustrating me:
It feels like the horses I ride just ignore my legs when I ask him to trot or canter (sometimes even refuses to walk) when I am not carrying a crop (and of course I don't wear spurs, since I am only a beginner).
I think I am doing everything in terms of the leg aid my trainer is telling me, for example, applying the pressure to horse's sides (squeezing) using the inside of my legs, or tap (or dig) the horse behind the girth with my heels if he or she doesn't respond to that. Of course the horse doesn't care about what my legs are asking for, so then my trainer would tell me to squeeze harder, and then to kick the horse over and over again till he or she listens to me, and never to give up. It was quite a sight yesterday when I had to practically swing out my legs almost perpendicular to the horse's sides and kick her over and over again to get her trot. It was so bad and by the end of the lesson I had pretty bad leg cramps. Anyways, whenever my trainer hops on the horse I was riding, the horse instantly becomes lively and starts to walk, trot, and canter as he asks. So the horses at the barn are not lazy horses or at fault. It's 100% me that's problematic. I asked my trainer what I was doing wrong or differently from his riding. He said that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. So I am really confused. I want to be able to communicate with my horse. Is it because I have no muscle in my legs? But then if you think about it, even little kids can ride. They don't have bulky, muscular legs. I need help. I don't want to lose hope. Thank you.
First of all, I am new here, and it's an honor to be a part of this great forum.
So.. I am in my early 30's and I picked up riding again after 8 years of a long hiatus. Also, about four years ago, I got really sick and lost all my muscle because of the side effects of medications I took for an extended period of time (I was literally skin and bones for quite a long time - it was horrible!). Anyways, when I rode back then, I almost always rode in group lessons (English, never Western) and I was not a serious rider back then. Well, I decided to be closer to horses again last month, and this time I am taking private lessons because I want to be a better rider with solid fundamentals and I want to be able to train my own horse in the future. Anyways, when my new trainer - an English rider, jumping backgrounds - saw me riding for the first time at the new barn, he said that my posture was pathetic (Sadly, I totally agree with him, and I am actually grateful for his honest feedback) and we have been working on my equitation. So, I had my 8th lesson with him yesterday (I ride twice a week), and I think I am gradually improving.
But here is my main concern that's really frustrating me:
It feels like the horses I ride just ignore my legs when I ask him to trot or canter (sometimes even refuses to walk) when I am not carrying a crop (and of course I don't wear spurs, since I am only a beginner).
I think I am doing everything in terms of the leg aid my trainer is telling me, for example, applying the pressure to horse's sides (squeezing) using the inside of my legs, or tap (or dig) the horse behind the girth with my heels if he or she doesn't respond to that. Of course the horse doesn't care about what my legs are asking for, so then my trainer would tell me to squeeze harder, and then to kick the horse over and over again till he or she listens to me, and never to give up. It was quite a sight yesterday when I had to practically swing out my legs almost perpendicular to the horse's sides and kick her over and over again to get her trot. It was so bad and by the end of the lesson I had pretty bad leg cramps. Anyways, whenever my trainer hops on the horse I was riding, the horse instantly becomes lively and starts to walk, trot, and canter as he asks. So the horses at the barn are not lazy horses or at fault. It's 100% me that's problematic. I asked my trainer what I was doing wrong or differently from his riding. He said that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. So I am really confused. I want to be able to communicate with my horse. Is it because I have no muscle in my legs? But then if you think about it, even little kids can ride. They don't have bulky, muscular legs. I need help. I don't want to lose hope. Thank you.
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