i learned for yrs to kick to go and pull to stop. never knew anything about using my seat etc. i look back and am appalled that i spent so many yrs - and so much of my moms money - learning to ride badly.
Kick along or technical riding??
- Thread starter eml
- Start date
Riding taught properly may seem slow to begin with, but pays of quickly as a good seat and balance are the foundations for the future. It is never to late though to go back to basics and learn again, the idea is there, just needs a bit of tweaking!
As a RS learner I would love to find someone near me who did lessons like eml. I would rather learn how to do it properly & it take me 10 years to learn to canter than to be doing it all wrong (as I have the feeling I may be).
Thanks Eml .. I now don't feel quite so bad for doing so much lunge work and no canter with my daughter now :biggrin:
She has been riding every week to fortnightly for about 8 months now but we are still concentrating on walking, stopping, steering, balance, body etc all in the way of games. She can walk, halt and trot (rising and sitting) on the lunge rein without any reins and mainly without wobble and we're now getting the reins back for independant riding (However she keeps telling me she doesn't need the reins as can't see the point of them if you stop and steer with your body :unsure::help:.
Anyway she has attempted canter once......and fell off. Not her fault at all but Harvey being 13.2hh has a big canter for a small person aged 4yrs. She didn't mind at all but was slightly puzzled that you could actually fall off! Harvey stopped and looked at her as though he couldn't work out why she had slid down his shoulder and was switting on the floor. I think the problem was Harvey went into canter (from sitting trot) but as she became unbalanced he slowed it down and she kept going over his shoulder, so he stopped. Our next canter attempts proper won't be for a little while yet and then will enlist the help of daddy (who would like her to never ever canter in case she gets hurt) to hold a leg.
I learnt to ride at a excellent riding school that was quite old-fashioned. We did loads of games, and mini shows such as gymkhana's on lead rein and off. We had technical lessons as well as fun lessons and even ground lessons on how to lunge a horse for those who wanted them. Diaganols were taught fairly early on and were more important to learn then canter. But when we did learn to canter we also learnt how to control a pace and use paces within a pace and did drill rides, pairs stuff, loads of different things. Later on still welearnt jumping both xc and SJ and were taught stride's etc. I remember we even did a little ODE at the RS...All fun stuff really.
Later on as a teenager I rode at a local riding school and it was pretty much kick to go, pull to stop and 'steer'. It was awful really and tbh I never felt I learnt much at all but they seemed to think that 'getting around' a course of 3ft was a achievement whether it was smooth or not, no-one payed attention to leg changes or strides it was just a case of look at the jump and kick. In a way that broke my confidence more then mended it.
The main thing I want my children to be is happy and safe in the saddle.
She has been riding every week to fortnightly for about 8 months now but we are still concentrating on walking, stopping, steering, balance, body etc all in the way of games. She can walk, halt and trot (rising and sitting) on the lunge rein without any reins and mainly without wobble and we're now getting the reins back for independant riding (However she keeps telling me she doesn't need the reins as can't see the point of them if you stop and steer with your body :unsure::help:.
Anyway she has attempted canter once......and fell off. Not her fault at all but Harvey being 13.2hh has a big canter for a small person aged 4yrs. She didn't mind at all but was slightly puzzled that you could actually fall off! Harvey stopped and looked at her as though he couldn't work out why she had slid down his shoulder and was switting on the floor. I think the problem was Harvey went into canter (from sitting trot) but as she became unbalanced he slowed it down and she kept going over his shoulder, so he stopped. Our next canter attempts proper won't be for a little while yet and then will enlist the help of daddy (who would like her to never ever canter in case she gets hurt) to hold a leg.
I learnt to ride at a excellent riding school that was quite old-fashioned. We did loads of games, and mini shows such as gymkhana's on lead rein and off. We had technical lessons as well as fun lessons and even ground lessons on how to lunge a horse for those who wanted them. Diaganols were taught fairly early on and were more important to learn then canter. But when we did learn to canter we also learnt how to control a pace and use paces within a pace and did drill rides, pairs stuff, loads of different things. Later on still welearnt jumping both xc and SJ and were taught stride's etc. I remember we even did a little ODE at the RS...All fun stuff really.
Later on as a teenager I rode at a local riding school and it was pretty much kick to go, pull to stop and 'steer'. It was awful really and tbh I never felt I learnt much at all but they seemed to think that 'getting around' a course of 3ft was a achievement whether it was smooth or not, no-one payed attention to leg changes or strides it was just a case of look at the jump and kick. In a way that broke my confidence more then mended it.
The main thing I want my children to be is happy and safe in the saddle.
Where do you ride, having looked through your posts your place sounds familiar? Is it near Frensham? (pm me if you would rather). Although I do not have access to horses I could put you on the right track with a simulator lesson/s.
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I completely agree with your approach eml. My current RI also tends in your direction, although I would be happy if she went even further in your direction. What drives me mad is that I picked up so many bad habits in lessons before I started at my current school. Sometimes I think I am worse off than if I was starting from scratch!
I agree that slow but sure is the best way. I returned to riding after a break of about 23 years and found that rather than wanting to spend time getting all the basics right some instructors were a bit obsessed with getting me into canter and the jumping. Luckily I shopped around and have now found a fantastic centred riding instructor, where the focus is on getting all the small things right - I find that approach a lot more interesting it has really made me appreciate how small things that I do can help or hinder the horse.
With the trot to canter thing - I would think that it would be hard when you are in rising trot to give the canter aid at the right point ie when the inside front leg touches the ground, because if you were on the correct diagonal in trot you would be out of the saddle.
With the trot to canter thing - I would think that it would be hard when you are in rising trot to give the canter aid at the right point ie when the inside front leg touches the ground, because if you were on the correct diagonal in trot you would be out of the saddle.
Asking for canter from the "wrong" diagonal helps with this Andrew, although generally I still don't see the point of teaching it as the best way for learning to canter.
Unfortunately the people who thought that you should canter from rising only knew kick harder as an aid! One of my young teen riders once went to a lesson at their old RS with her friends and the instructor apparently told her she was a great rider but not to bother with all the faffing around (ensuring correct bend and sitting) just to use her stick :banghead
Blimey EML! I suppose I should be not be surprised though...
A couple of years ago I took up golf and have had lessons with a few PGA pro's. Every single lesson I enjoyed and learnt something new and improved. All could see faults (as well as good things!) about my position, swing etc. I cannot understand how the standard of teaching can be so good and consistent in golf, yet almost the opposite in horse riding. I know there is the additional problem of horse having their own minds etc, but even so many basic things seem to be missing. Even if the people teaching do not have BHS qualifications (I will admit I don't), they must have been taught at some point by someone who did?
A couple of years ago I took up golf and have had lessons with a few PGA pro's. Every single lesson I enjoyed and learnt something new and improved. All could see faults (as well as good things!) about my position, swing etc. I cannot understand how the standard of teaching can be so good and consistent in golf, yet almost the opposite in horse riding. I know there is the additional problem of horse having their own minds etc, but even so many basic things seem to be missing. Even if the people teaching do not have BHS qualifications (I will admit I don't), they must have been taught at some point by someone who did?
I'm with you eml.
As a youngster I learnt to ride by not falling off. I didn;t go to a proper riding school. Consequently, when returning to riding as an adult I realised just how lacking in finesse and horsemanship (I think that the key - RS need to teach horsemanship rather than just riding) I am. Since then I had private lessons and learnt how to change. I can do what I want to do well enough but am not good at it.
So now it comes to my daughter. I still don;t think she has the hunger to ride that I had. She's had a few private lessons then I stop them. She doesn;t notice! That's a lot of money to be shelling out for someone not really interested. However I was very aware that although I could give her pony rides on the lead rein on Joy (Joy isn't suitable for progressing a beginner) I felt that if she was going to want to ride then she needed to more technical than I am.
Trouble is that the RS ponies are very kick along and I'm not happy with how she was being taught. It's hard.
As a youngster I learnt to ride by not falling off. I didn;t go to a proper riding school. Consequently, when returning to riding as an adult I realised just how lacking in finesse and horsemanship (I think that the key - RS need to teach horsemanship rather than just riding) I am. Since then I had private lessons and learnt how to change. I can do what I want to do well enough but am not good at it.
So now it comes to my daughter. I still don;t think she has the hunger to ride that I had. She's had a few private lessons then I stop them. She doesn;t notice! That's a lot of money to be shelling out for someone not really interested. However I was very aware that although I could give her pony rides on the lead rein on Joy (Joy isn't suitable for progressing a beginner) I felt that if she was going to want to ride then she needed to more technical than I am.
Trouble is that the RS ponies are very kick along and I'm not happy with how she was being taught. It's hard.
Joyscarer, I don't know whereabouts in Hampshire you are, but if you are looking for a good instructor with suitable pony/horses then ask for LEE at Tanglewood Nr Winchester (only Lee though!).
Or Fir Tree Farm Nr Ringwood, all good instruction with great horses and ponies AND a simulator!
Or Fir Tree Farm Nr Ringwood, all good instruction with great horses and ponies AND a simulator!
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Joyscarer I think it depends how old your daughter is. Small children (up to about 10/11) will seldom be interested in theory and below that I put emphisis on not interfering by sitting quietly and correctly and controlling rhythm with seat and half halts and working good school shapes (ie using corners!!). At 11 they start to learn about lateral flexion and work on from there.
The yard is near Droxford in the Meon Valley. I've kind of taken the view now that Esme really isn't that bothered about ponies and just wants to please me by being interested. She's happy doing occasional lead rein rides every now and again on Joy and I'm happy to instruct on how to sit quietly and how, even as an 8 year old, she can influence Joy greatly through seat, weight etc and how little rein she actually needs.
That'll do unless she actually wants to learn more. I really don;t want to be a pushy mum who tries to give their child everything that they didn't have when they were a child.
That'll do unless she actually wants to learn more. I really don;t want to be a pushy mum who tries to give their child everything that they didn't have when they were a child.
I so wish that I had been taught slower and not shoved into cantering when I knew deep down that my trot wasn't terrific. Wish I had been kept doing the real basics for longer, would have prevented my canter-phobia that developed as a result of falling off and hurting myself simply because my balance was rubbish and not being able to do rising trot confidently.
well, i used to think i could ride *well* until i started to try to school Moet, and i have realised I am crap! I know i shouldnt *kick* to go and *pull* to stop, but between me and Moet we are crap and unbalanced when it comes to schooling, that unfortunately our gait increases do come from leg aids more than seat aids (mind you we are improving in that department with the RI's help)!
saying that though, i have noticed a distinct improvement today, we are trying to work on canter transitions, which we did pretty ok today....we have a long way to go though!
saying that though, i have noticed a distinct improvement today, we are trying to work on canter transitions, which we did pretty ok today....we have a long way to go though!
Interesting thread! I think one of the reasons, is people will see moving onto canter quickly as value for money, they have learnt and are "progressing". With what I supose are small margins and many RSs closing teachers want to hangon to as many pupils as they can. If little Felicity isn't "progressing" by being able to canter mom/dad will vote with their feet and take them to an RS that will deliver, regardless of the fact they are learning correctly.
Same I think applies to adults as well.
Talking to my chiropracter last year, who had a friend at Uni who was German I think, and as OP has commented, was amazed to see kids at shows jumping etc, but they couldn't really ride, they just pointed and hung on. Some of the ponies weren't schooled and the riders not particualry good. Back home she commented that you weren't allowed to move up until you had perfected the lower level.
I am starting to canter again as haven't for a while due to confidence and other issues. I am aware that I am not as balanced asking for canter as I should be and this is blocking my horse, so I am going to book a couple of simulator lessons to help me concentrate on me and not worry about a horse!
A little girl moved to our yard with her mom about 12 months ago with a lovely pony. At her previous yard, the YO "taught" her to ride with the mentality of kick to go and pull to stop or steer the pony! She now has had lessons with current YO and they have come on leaps and bounds, her confidence has shot up and the pony is much happier.
Same I think applies to adults as well.
Talking to my chiropracter last year, who had a friend at Uni who was German I think, and as OP has commented, was amazed to see kids at shows jumping etc, but they couldn't really ride, they just pointed and hung on. Some of the ponies weren't schooled and the riders not particualry good. Back home she commented that you weren't allowed to move up until you had perfected the lower level.
I am starting to canter again as haven't for a while due to confidence and other issues. I am aware that I am not as balanced asking for canter as I should be and this is blocking my horse, so I am going to book a couple of simulator lessons to help me concentrate on me and not worry about a horse!
A little girl moved to our yard with her mom about 12 months ago with a lovely pony. At her previous yard, the YO "taught" her to ride with the mentality of kick to go and pull to stop or steer the pony! She now has had lessons with current YO and they have come on leaps and bounds, her confidence has shot up and the pony is much happier.
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