[Amber Marie]

Okay, so today I completely took my riding confidence down a few knotches when I rode my horse. I took lessons about six or seven years ago (I took them for about five years both english and western) and then I didn't ride at all for a good three or four years before getting my first horse of my own three years ago. I keep him at my grandparents house so I'm not boarding him where there is an instructor available to me. I've been riding western because the english saddle I have is a bit small for me, so I've felt fine in my western. I put the english saddle on for the first time and rode english for the first time today in who knows how long. Boy, did it make me realize how much I have forgotten. I feel like I have a million problems!
- I feel like I have absolutely no balance. I don't know what I can do to correct this - maybe riding bareback? This brings me to my next problem...
- My horse is NOT collected. There is no calm, collected gait with him aside from the walk. His trot is fast and out of control and I do half halts and it doesn't help. What can I do to get him collected and under control at ALL gaits? Don't get me wrong I LOVE to go fast and once in a while I do let him go but I feel like I'm going to fly off of him sometimes.
- When I post at the trot I feel like I'm just standing up in the stirrups. I don't know what to do to help this problem as I know it's more using your legs. Are your heels and feet supposed to stay in position? Should you be pressing down on the stirrups at all? What can I do to help me with this...I try posting without stirrups and/or bareback but I haven't done it in SO long that my legs are so weak I almost slide right off of him.
- I feel like I am super hard on his mouth at times. Thank God I have such a good, patient boy. I do sit deep in the seat when stopping/slowing but I feel like I pull harder then I need to. (He loves to go and doesn't WANT to stop.) Also, when turning, when I pull back on the rein I feel like I could be a bit more gentle. I am working on using leg commands with him which he is getting slowly but surely.

Phew. That was all I can think of as of right now. I am trying hard to find someone who would be willing to come out to the house and give me lessons because I am not able to use a horse trailer and would love to learn on my own horse. I am having a feeling this isn't going to happen though and I will end up taking lessons on horses and coming home to apply it to mine.

Sorry for writing a book but I wanted to make sure I was as clear as possible. I feel like today was the first time I ever got on a horse's back. Thanks ahead of time to the people who attempt to help.

EDIT: I posted this in Horse Chat by accident so if it should be in Training (where I was aiming for) feel free to move it.

[Amber Marie]

Just bumping this up...

[scorpiobancs]

Don't feel bad! I only started riding again about a month ago after a good 7 year break. At first (seven years ago) I had no trainer. So I was a self taught rider. Now that I'm getting lessons, its really hard to correct the things I've done wrong. As my trainer says: "Relax! The horse shows me your anxious!" So the only advice I am able to give you is: Relax! Take small steps at a time with the trainng of yourself and the horse and enjoy every step you take.

[Amber Marie]

Thanks. =) I really do need to work on relaxing it just gets so agitating when I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I don't want to get into the habit of doing something wrong so much it's hard to do the right way.

I am thinking maybe it's time I suck it up and take lessons at a barn on some other horses until I can find someone who will come out to the barn.

[Chester]

Originally Posted by Amber Marie

- When I post at the trot I feel like I'm just standing up in the stirrups. I don't know what to do to help this problem as I know it's more using your legs. Are your heels and feet supposed to stay in position? Should you be pressing down on the stirrups at all? What can I do to help me with this...I try posting without stirrups and/or bareback but I haven't done it in SO long that my legs are so weak I almost slide right off of him.

I will give you an exercise to improve your rising trot.

Stand at just out from your kitchen bench in your riding position. Legs spread a bit, heels under you and your knees just touching the doors. Head high in line with your shoulders, in line with your hips and ankles.

Now lift your pelvis up and forward, then back. Your heels will stay on the ground, your upper body won't move and your hands will be still. This is what you want to do on your horse. Hope that helps.

[jknight]

When I post at the trot I feel like I'm just standing up in the stirrups.

I know your frustration. I have been having a hard time with this latley and am not sure why. I haven't had a problem with it before, and just all the sudden it started!! As soon as i figure out how to fix it with myself i wil let you know.

But don't get yourself down over it... it will all come to you eventually it jus takes tme and patiences!!

[Amber Marie]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I've just always figured no matter how long it's been as soon as you are in the saddle again everything comes back to you. Especially since I have been riding...just western not english. I guess I will just keep trying. My legs are killing me tonight so I must have been doing something right. =)

It's really hard. It's even worse when you don't have someone there who knows what they are doing because then I feel like "Oh I'm doing this right..." and then after I do it for a bit I start being paranoid and wondering if I really am doing it right.

[PoochtheMighty]

drat. HGS ate my post. Let me try again.

First- go easy on yourself. Riding muscles are not really used for anything else than riding. Of course you won't be the rider you were 7 years ago. It's okay You need P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E. Lots of riding time will benefit you and your horsey.

Let me adress this one first- collection.

My horse is NOT collected. There is no calm, collected gait with him aside from the walk. His trot is fast and out of control and I do half halts and it doesn't help. What can I do to get him collected and under control at ALL gaits? Don't get me wrong I LOVE to go fast and once in a while I do let him go but I feel like I'm going to fly off of him sometimes.

Remember, there is a difference between slow and collected, and there is a difference between balanced and collected. Your horse is rushing, most likely because he is unbalanced, which is probably due to (in part, at least) your lack of balance. Good news: You can fix this. But, collection will have to wait- for a very very long time. You need to fix yourself as a rider before you can fix your horse. When you become balanced, he will become balanced.

I feel like I have absolutely no balance.I don't know what I can do to correct this -

Start with the saddle. Does it fit you? Him? Take a good luck at him once he is saddled up. Are the pommel and cantel even, or is one side lower than the other? Your seat should be in the deepest part of the saddle; hips aligned with heels, shoulders, and ears. (easier said than done )

Once you are on the horse, adjust your stirrups so that the iron hits you in the ankle bone when you drop them. At a halt, stand straight up and hold it; you should be able to stand, knees bent, weight in your legs, and hold the position for five seconds. If you fall back, you know that your legs are in front of you. If you fall forward, you know that your legs are behind you. Play with this a little bit until you can hold this standing position at a halt.

As you ride, halt periodically and test yourself to see if you have moved from the position. (if you can, do it at a walk for even more of a challenge). Concentrate on 'feeling' what correct feels like.

When I post at the trot I feel like I'm just standing up in the stirrups. I don't know what to do to help this problem as I know it's more using your legs. Are your heels and feet supposed to stay in position? Should you be pressing down on the stirrups at all? What can I do to help me with this...I try posting without stirrups and/or bareback but I haven't done it in SO long that my legs are so weak I almost slide right off of him.

Yep, your heels and legs shouldn't move. Good riders are quiet; with their hands and bodies.

LOTS of no stirrup work will get those muscles back in shape. It's gonna hurt. You're gonna hate it. (I do) Push yourself, try and take a few extra steps the next ride, and the next, and so on. Walk, trot, post-trot, etc. When you get tired, walk and rest, stretch your legs, and then go back to it. No stirrup work is the best for getting those legs still and steady...but perfect practice makes perfect. Do NOT pinch with your knee; use your entire leg, keep your toe up, and keep your back flat, shoulders back, hands still.

It stinks, but it works.

- I feel like I am super hard on his mouth at times. Thank God I have such a good, patient boy. I do sit deep in the seat when stopping/slowing but I feel like I pull harder then I need to. (He loves to go and doesn't WANT to stop.)

How long has it been since he has seen a dentist? Hard mouths- especially turning problems- can be a problem of pain, not behavior. Also, what bit is he in? Does it fit him correctly? Is he in a noseband?

Sitting "deep" can send mixed signals, especially on green horses. The added pressure on their backs and kidneys can make them want to move away from that weight.

When you stop, thinking about tightening those stomach muscles. Your back and upper body should become like a steel bar, STOP all motion in your hips and your horse will think "um, she's not following my back anymore, that's weird" and will also want to stop movement in his back to match up with you. Rather than pull, "hold" the reins (you should have contact always, no droopy reins) and then release pressure a second later, then apply pressure. When I halfhalt, I brace my body against my horse's forward movement, and with I use my UPPER leg to kind of 'press in' to his sides and give me more leverage against that forwardness.

Lots of transitions, from walk to halt, trot to walk, and eventually canter to trot, canter to wak, trot to halt will really sharpen him up. But again- do it right

As far as turning goes, you want him to be supple on both sides. As you move along with him, you will discover that one side is 'harder' than the other, which is certainly normal. Work on lengthening your inside leg, keeping your outside leg slightly behind the girth to encourage him to engage those hindquarters rather than toss them to the outside, and use your reins, too. Don't pull 'out', which only forces him to put weight in that inside leg and become heavy in the rein. Instead, use that inside leg and use your body: more weight in the inside seat bone, open that inside shoulder.

When you become a more balanced rider, you will find you have a much happier horse. I think you should continue to look for a qualified trainer to come to you, but in the mean time, go for lessons on a lesson horse This will give you the chance to practice work on yourself without throwing your own horse for a loop; you can be a little sloppy on a school horse, because they are there to help you learn and won't rush off with you. Just be sure to bring them apples and carrots as a thank you.

Good luck with your horse, keep us updated.

ETA::

We all feel like jumbo messes. I'll bet Beeze Madden feels like a jumbo mess most of the time.

[Amber Marie]

^^ Thank you so much for all of your help. I really appreciate it. I will be using all of your tips definitely.

AND...on top of that I found an instructor who would come out to the barn! I am so excited. =)

I just need to get a new saddle now.