Horsewyse Magazine–Ride Right

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Have you ever had a memorable riding lesson? One where your instructor was able to really get his or her point across in such a way it seemed a light bulb went on over your head?

I had one such lesson. The instructor called in a helper and gave her a piggyback. Weird huh? I thought so too until she asked the person she was piggybacking to lean to one side, causing my instructor to stagger sideways. All of a sudden it clicked how much a rider's weight can influence the horse they're on!

Continuing the lesson, the instructor (really earning her fee!) walked around asking the person on her back to lean this way and that, affecting both their centre of gravity. It’s the same when we're on a horse.
I don't recommend you piggyback someone but you can try it next time you have a heavy backpack on...get someone to gently shift its weight from side to side and see how it feels. That's how your horse feels! Okay, so horses are stronger than we are and the weight ratios are different but the basic principle is the same.

Riding is mentally hard work, there’s so much you have to remember! Toes in, heels down, sit up straight, don't pull on the reins, shoulders back, blah blah blah......

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just can't get it together...so much to co-ordinate!
It's also physically demanding and if you’re not fit or using muscles unaccustomed to riding, you’ll soon get really tired and start flopping about, making it difficult for your horse to work properly.

A good thing to concentrate on as a rider is developing an independent seat. This means you can maintain your balance without having to hang onto the reins. A horse's mouth is very sensitive..the bit is there for guidance, not steering or brakes! Having lessons on the lunge is great for developing your balance, seat and sense of rhythm. You can be lunged without reins or stirrups and maybe even do some basic vaulting exercises. Riding bareback will also help develop your balance, but it’s a good idea to use a neckstrap to hang on to if you need to.

When you concentrate REALLY hard on keeping a good riding position, you tend to stiffen up which in turn will affect how your horse goes. One part of you tensing up throws another part out of whack and so on. Just relax! Go with your horse's movement as much as possible. Be part of him. Sit up and to help release tension, raise your shoulders and let them drop a few times.

When you're rising to the trot, sit gently on your horse's back...imagine someone thumping down on your back. What would you do? Hollow your back in an attempt to get away from it while probably feeling very grumpy!

It's the same at the canter–you need to swing your hips with your horse's rhythm while keeping your upper body steady and balanced, and your hands giving with the horse's head movement.

Have lots of lessons, the more the better! Watch others having lessons to pick up even more hints. If you observe other riders' positions being corrected, you’ll soon be able to pick a good position AND just as importantly, the effect it has on how the horse behaves.

Go to shows and watch riding classes and study the winning riders. Sometimes they look so good it's hard to see them giving any visible aids. That's what makes them a good rider!

For example, when they might want their horse to slow down, they feel the reins gently while restricting forward movement with their seat, becoming a dead weight so to speak. Well educated horses soon recognise this 'aid' means to slow down.

If you're a fairly novice rider, don't try to make a horse arch his neck. This is also called 'on the bit' or 'collection'. It's when a horse is light and rounded with his hocks beneath him giving impulsion from the rear. You need to learn how to get a horse to do this by having lessons on an educated horse. Then when you know what it feels like back to front and inside out, you can have lessons on a not-so-educated horse with an instructor telling you how to gently ask a horse for it.
Meantime, ride your horse with as light a rein contact as possible (hmmm, I think I’ve mentioned this already but hey, it’s important!)

It's possible to get a horse to arch his neck by pulling on the reins but all you'll end up with are aching arms and a miserable horse with a sore, hard mouth. Collection comes from behind...you have to push using your seat and legs into a gentle rein contact.

Sometimes you'll be lucky to see a horse prancing in his paddock with his neck arched, back rounded and hocks beneath him...collected all by himself (it always give me goosebumps to watch). That's what you’re trying to achieve!