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Post by majandra on Oct 8, 2016 18:07:54 GMT
After doing a few lessons, on 2 different horses, my instructor told me some things to work on regardless of the horse I am riding - I need to be able to relax my elbows, knees, ankles, an remember that my shoulders guide the horse's shoulders
I was able to intermittently do this, but not all at once. With how I tend to ride, I seem to end up locking my elbows, grabbing with my knees, and generally end up losing a stirrup if I'm cantering.
Some of this I think is due to my own crookedness. My ribcage and pelvis have an opposite twist, and I have huge muscle in my left lower back, and little in my right. I have an old shoulder injury that has left me with the habit of tensing to guard those delicate rotator cuff muscles. If I try to increase leg pressure with my left, I quite often end up putting pressure on the right. I can tell this, because on both horses, if I squeeze to ask for trot, I get a wiggle. If I only cue with my seat, I get a perfect transition. A few other signs I can't remember atm. Also, I can see an asymmetrical seat mark on the saddle after the ride.
I hope that is enough info- feel free to ask for more.
My advice requested is *anything* to help with any of the things I mentioned- preferably on the ground, since I can't ride frequently enough, though in saddle exercises are good too for when I do ride.
I'll add comments as I find out things on my own too.
So far: snowshoeing works similar muscles, and I have found my seat improves almost as well, if not more after a couple of snowshoe trips.
hip stretches and hamstring stretches
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 8, 2016 20:52:42 GMT
Swimming I found kept all my riding muscles supple, loose and in decent shape during winter blahs....indoor pool needed of course.
So, when you read further you will understand more but...
Try walking with a rolling pelvis. I call it flipping your hips. It will actually make you use your back and stomach muscles more supporting your frame.
If you do stairs, really roll that pelvis with every ascending step up you do...
Wall walk with your hand to stretch those shoulder muscles and ligaments... {walk your fingers up a wall as high as you can standing next to it parallel, do not make pain. Every day go to a feeling of resistance, then 1 finger more and hold...soon you will be stretching as high as your arm can go releasing that cramped muscle in your back. Build up to 5 in a row...
Also make bridges and tunnels with your back...Go down on all 4's. Arch then sink your spine so you look like a humped camel or bridge and tunnel we called it for my son. Slowly do these with muscle control.
All of these things build muscle, yet also demand of your body to release cramped muscling.
Without me sounding a know-it-all cause I don't and am not....
In the few photos of you astride...
Can you try lowering your stirrups one hole regardless of what saddle you are using.
In the "western" your leg to me is to much a bend and I can see you bracing to keep your heel down and that is actually taking your leg off and pinch with the knee happens.
You get chair-seated bracing which in turn creates the knee pinch, draw up of leg and loss of stirrup.
You also sit cocked on the saddle, pushing as you say harder on one side than the other...I can see it in how you sit in those few photos.
It truly only matters you have a level as possible heel not dropped heels.
With a longer leg you might also naturally relax more allowing your leg to drape the horses barrel not be forced for a dropped heel...
Keep your belly button centered to the horn or in line with horses neck riding English.
Relax your spine and allow yourself to really rock your hips with the horses footfalls...you literally will feel almost like you're walk-ing with a rolling gait your pelvis and lower back.
If you can "follow" with a give & take the reins and horses head movement it might help to lessen that stiffening you do in your arms...over-emphasized they will be moving at a walk especially. Gentle, light contact never looping a rein but following that head bob every footfall.
If it is more comfortable with your muscles to really "toe-out" do it or "toe-in" do it....let your muscles also dictate what you do.
Trying to force a certain "look" doesn't work with your physical limitations.
Small changes in how you sit and do move may help you remain more pliable and relaxed while riding.
My son has Cerebral Palsy so I get the crookedness and twists of pelvis and spine...he also has a cork-screw looking femur bone so he has difficulties their too.
What I wrote of is what his instructor and physical therapist together found helped him astride.
If you suffer from muscle spasm...my son drinks 1 fruit juice glass size of Tonic Water a day.
We found it stopped the awful spasms and helped with some of the tight he has...make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in this "water". I think it is the "quinine" some are allergic to.
If I think of any of the other things we do for him I'll write it in hope it will help you too.
My last thought....
When riding any of these horses and having this issue are you riding in your saddle?
Is it possible your saddle has a slight twist in the tree?
Can you try riding in a different saddle with a narrower twist? Again, we found that made a big difference in my son sitting centered and square to the horses hips...
Safe riding to you...
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Post by majandra on Oct 9, 2016 2:11:43 GMT
Thanks! I'll give those exercises a try. And you don't sound like a know-it-all  I need to post more photos of me riding! (And I can't remember what I have posted) I've only rode western a few times. I own a dressage and an AP saddle-both have the same issue. Some of the crookedness is my horse- my saddle twists on his back. That has been somewhat corrected using shims on the one shoulder. The lesson horse I am riding has her own CC saddle. Being a morgan, I am finding her gaits WAY more animated than my boy, and therefore my bad habits show more. I'll ask my instructor if I am sitting crooked on her too. On her, I can definitely lengthen the stirrup a little. I *think* on my dressage that I'm as long as I can go and not just swing out of the stirrup. OH ... one thing to note, is I have only been on horses other than Rock a handful of times since I got him. I've got my friend (also conveniently Rock's masseuse) coming out tomorrow, and I think I'm going to tell her your suggestions and things to note, and see if she will guide me through some of it. Maybe take some photos/video. Thanks again! I'll update again after my ride tomorrow |
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Post by horselady on Oct 10, 2016 0:19:23 GMT
I have a feeling that when your elbows lock you are grabbing a death grip on the reins.. i suggest you ride with one hand.. yup even english riders need to ride with one hand or no hands to get that feeling of being on the saddle and learn to trust your horse.. yes do this on a lunge line and start at a walk..
even if you also close your eyes and put your hands into your lap left hand left leg and right hand on right leg and concentrate on the feel of the saddle and how your elbows and back are loose and giving..
what you want to do is stretch.. not pull or tighten those muscles.. and work on the side of your body that is giving you trouble.. on the left side.. stretch.mm reach out to the side and than reach up and than forward.. you can do this standing with your legs and feet under your hips just as if you are riding..
you can also try this while bending from the knees.. why not sit backwards on a chair and do the arm stretch.. elongated the muscles is better than making them tight.
if you loose a stirrup when cantering you are actually lifting your leg up.. in fact try to put that leg down from the heel not the knee and do not grab on to the saddle with the knee.. use your heels for balance and allow your hip to relax..
hope this help and you are not too confused.
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572 
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Post by Lipizzan on Oct 11, 2016 10:48:06 GMT
I agree with horselady. I had a hard time in beginning to relax and ride with loose reins. Also, I am familiar with losing stirrups while cantering, it really helps if you push those heels really hard and round your legs around your horse, not squeezing your knees. I don't know really how to explain it properly, but once you get hang of it, it will get normal and easy to do.
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Post by majandra on Oct 12, 2016 0:53:29 GMT
Just a brief update. Did last night's lesson on Rock, so was just working on the basics- arms and leg. Instructor said I lock my elbows from generally having my hands too low, and I sometimes turn my wrists inward. She had me ride with my hands far apart and that seemed to help a lot. I also usually have the reins too loose.
I had no stirrup issues at the canter, but I did have trouble keeping him on the wall in the corners. I actually did better after doing two-point. Muscle memory? I also did my warm up at the walk one hand on reins, and actually had my eyes shut to help me just feel the movement.
Sometimes I feel a bit embarrassed that I am on "basics" when I have been riding for some years ... but then I really haven't done much for lessons. And I've rarely cantered since Rock had a tendency to take off outside, and well, I'm not sure otherwise. The last couple years he's been on and off lame. There's a lot I am good at, but still I feel like a newbie.
That was my last lesson on Rock. I just can't learn much on him within his abilities. I will still ride and practice on him though
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 12, 2016 1:37:10 GMT
Make no excuses for doing or going "back to basics" in riding skills.... wag finger
When in doubt, when struggling with something what better way to reinforce, take out imperfections and rebuild confidence than build that foundation again or revisit it for "memory" sake...
Best riders in the world do basics all the time... 
I am far from a great rider so going back to basics when encountering a difficult spot only allows me to gain confidence in myself, and in my mount to push forward with confidence...
Nerves, being apprehensive happens to all of us...if it doesn't then you kid yourself about being "perfect" I believe...
Build on your base of knowledge, fine-tune and make those small changes to help you to become better at what you do and want to do...
That is all...now go ride and have fun!! 
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Oct 13, 2016 17:27:20 GMT
I recently went back to the basics after having some time off from surgery. I told my trainer I would like to do at least one basics lesson a month to work on myself and my position. There's no reason to be embarrassed by it. You are trying to better yourself and your riding and that is a very admirable thing to do. Enjoy your time in the saddle and keep up the good work!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2016 19:26:11 GMT
No shame in the basics! You can't go on to do everything else without having solid base skills to fall back on. Need a good foundation to build your house on right?
When I started riding again after I had finished college I was horrified with how much my skills had rusted over. Solid lower leg and upper body control where a thing of the past and I developed this horrible chicken wing habit but only with my right arm. It took a TON of work to get to where I am now, which I would categorize as "Good feel, gets the job done.... nobody cringes at my EQ anymore, but not pretty by any means".
I when I started riding with my coach I was shocked at how many of those basic little things that were drilled into my head and used to be second nature I had to work at again. Pre college I would say I was a good rider. I showed pretty competitively for a while, did well, and was able to put up some nice rounds on some challenging horses. Post college me is still working to get back to that point, but at least I don't have to joke about how my pre-college self is mortified over how far I regressed.
Before I launch this off into a completely off topic tangent - the basics make us better riders and I wish that when I was younger I had a coach that would have drilled me on them until I was bored to tears instead of letting me move up because I was a sticky, get 'er done kind of rider.
I can't offer much advice when it comes to stretching, I have scoliosis and understand the whole crooked thing, but haven't found much in the way of stretching that help. Maybe see a good chiro? That helps me a lot.
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Post by majandra on Oct 18, 2016 13:37:39 GMT
Last night's lesson went well. I had practised proper rein contact on my last ride on Rock, and must have done well enough since I didn't hear "shorten your reins! Close your fingers!"
Our msin focus in the lesson was two-point and half seat. Doing the half seat actually helped improve me keeping my stirrups. I need to practise that more. Is it possible to do it at walk and trot? Cantering that much just isn't an option on Rock :/
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 18, 2016 14:38:31 GMT
Yes, you can do 2-point at the trot and walk...
The slower the gait {speed} the more difficult I found to keep perfectly balanced and off the mouth.
Use a form of neck strap while practicing so if you "rock" back off balance you not snap the mouth catching it in your effort to regain your balance.
Never ever use your reins as a balancing point...
Your arms are to remain free, loose, independent of body and a gentle tool of communication with your horse.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 16:44:06 GMT
Glad to hear the lesson went well! Two point and half seat are good to practice at all gaits so you are good to go there! Like Horselover suggested, a neckstrap is a good idea until your muscles are built back up. Once everything is back feeling solid again you can always up the difficulty a little and practice with no stirrups.
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Post by horselady on Oct 18, 2016 23:22:16 GMT
The best way to get your balance and be comfortable is to get into the two point. or half seat and go over some ground poles.. with that lift action of the feet it actually helps you to balance.. and if you relax your knee,,, the joint.. like a spring you will feel the lower leg staying in the stirrup and your heiny perhaps kiss the saddle... it is best to actually lift higher so your body does not hit the saddle on the downward swing.. or when the horse is coming up.. all this can be done at a walk and trot.
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Post by majandra on Nov 17, 2016 15:05:54 GMT
Lessons have been going good, but it always comes down to me tensing up without realizing it. My arms haven't been a focus for a couple lessons now.
My last lesson, I used a friend's dressage trained warmblood. He had very big movement and the slightest tension would make him tense and speed up. All was well till the canter. I was having trouble staying relaxed, but managed somewhat. Then he started doing flying lead changes. Having never done one, I thought he was prepping to buck so I grabbed mane and then stopped him (at which point I was told to never ever do that again. Crank nose to butt, but never let go of reins even with one hand). I was rattled. We switched direction and practised half halts cause that was his speedier side. Then when it was going well, picked up canter. He tends to be strong at canter that side. And he was. On a 20m circle he was flying and not listening to half halts. So I was told to stop him.
We discussed what I learned, and we all agreed that I was not ready for him yet. I'm a little upset. It always comes down to becoming tense. I tense no matter what I do. Even sitting in a chair. Am I never going to be able to ride a large sensitive horse?
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Nov 17, 2016 15:49:50 GMT
I'm sorry you feel this way.
I don't know how long you have been riding, but I needed years before I could ride relaxed. I am one of does people that always need something to work on.
I think you grabbing the main is a sign telling that you still have quite the bit lack of confidence in your riding skills.
I think with practice and time you will do better.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Nov 17, 2016 18:09:26 GMT
It sounds like the trainer just put you on a horse that was just too much for at this point. there is nothing to feel upset about. you are learning everyday and getting better every lesson. Talk with your trainer about finding some things you can do in your lessons to focus completely on you and relaxing you. Perhaps have her put you on a lunge line so you don't need to think about the horse - just you and what you are doing.
But to answer your question - of course you will be able to ride a large sensitive horse, it just takes time.
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Post by majandra on Nov 17, 2016 19:23:01 GMT
Thanks guys.
I'd actually wanted to try that horse- I showed up to lesson with him. She figured that he wouldn't work for me but I wanted to try.
I'll be back to my usual lesson horse now. She's sweet and forgiving. A confidence builder.
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Post by majandra on Dec 7, 2016 2:34:09 GMT
I had talked with my instructor at my next lesson, and mentioned I was disheartened that I wasn't able to ride that horse. She said I shouldn't feel bad in any way, and described to me all the things I did right with him, what I learned, and what his weak points are right now (which also happen to be mine).
Lessons have been going well. Last night she said it was the first time I have cantered where she could see effective movement of my lower leg. And I didn't lose a stirrup. Progress! It amazes me how she can have a different lesson every time. The only thing that is similar between lessons is the cantering, since that is the main thing I need work on. It is generally large, but sometimes part of a pattern. Never boring.
It seems hard work is paying off. Maybe slowly, but getting there. It seems I need to work on strengthening one leg. And I need to keep doing stretches- those have been helping immensely too.
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 7, 2016 14:23:38 GMT
Good job! I sometimes wonder how my instructor comes up with different things to work on every time but I guess that's because she has been doing this forever. Sounds like you are making great progress. You will be back on that horse before you know it!
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Post by majandra on Feb 3, 2017 18:49:29 GMT
A quick update:
My riding has improved in leaps and bounds. We found a trick to get me centered properly. I have been cantering without losing stirrups, while having effective leg aids for at least 4 lessons now. I have done 2 lessons with small jumps/crossrails, and did well with that. My last lesson was doing flying lead changes for the first time, and I managed flying changes one direction, simple changes the other.
I've gotten much better with softness in the elbows, and my own straightness too.
Progress!
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