Strides for Success

Author: Lorna Leeson

  • Improving Your Feel in the Saddle

    Improving Your Feel in the Saddle

    Developing Your Feel in the SAddle

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    Feel…  A hugely important component of successful horsemanship and something that is often considered as a talent that you are either gifted at birth with or your not!

    From years spent helping and watching people ride, I do agree that some people seem to have a more natural feel than others. However, I have also found that, often, riders who seemingly lack natural feel can learn it. They can develop it with consistent effort and diligence.

    What Is Feel?

    So what is feel?  My explanation of feel is the ability to know the right time to ask a question of your horse without having to consciously think about it.  It is also the skill of reacting correctly, in a timely fashion, to almost all situations without, again, having to think too long or hard about it.

    True feel is not a conscious thought, rather a subconscious response to the present situation to affect the outcome you want.

    However, often the frustration felt while trying to find your ‘feel’, is the very thing that will prevent you from developing your riding skills and mastering your body. This prevents you from getting in tune with your horse and dancing the same dance.

    Warm Up Before Riding

    Firstly, before you hop into the saddle, invest some time warming up your body.  This will ensure that you are just as ready to work as your horse is.  I think as riders we can definitely improve our own personal performance in the saddle if we invest even a quarter amount of the time and dedication we spend on warming up our horses, warming up our own bodies!

    Some initial simple stretches & exercises can be a huge game-changer when you do then mount up.

    Correct Your Position & Posture

    When in the saddle, begin by engaging your core. Then make sure your shoulders, pelvis, and legs are aligned as they should be.  More times than not, a locked pelvis or hip joint is what works against you developing your natural feel as a rider.

    Pay attention that your legs are not too far back, leaving you sitting on your crotch. Also that you are not squeezing or pinching with your thighs or legs which stops you from releasing your knee.  Allow your legs to hang. Then look at ‘wrapping’ them around your horse, keeping your knee off so your legs do not ‘stick out’.

    Relaxation is, as always, of the utmost importance in order for you to be receptive to the horse & his movement.  Excess tension in either you or the horse will stop most of the feel between horse & rider. And stop you from absorbing the movement as it happens.

    It is also important to remember that your horse must be allowed to move forward. When he does you,as the rider, should follow your horse. Make adjustments based on what you are feeling, when, and with each body part.  Only when you, the rider, can truly feel the horse underneath you can you then actively begin to make adjustments based on what is happening, or what you desire to happen.

    Developing Your Feel in the SAddle

    Increase Your Awareness

    You need to become aware of your horse and be sensitive to their every movement.  I suggest taking things back to walk. Then, with your feet out of your stirrups, allowing your legs to drape over your horse’s sides. From here,  begin counting each footfall in each stride your horse takes.

    Begin to notice which hoof is the 1, which is the 2, the  3 and the 4 of each stride.

    Once you can accurately tell which hoof is moving when in the sequence, begin paying attention to your body. Notice how your horse’s moving is affecting & influencing your movement. If you are in a safe, enclosed space with a horse you trust, you can even close your eyes. This will help you to block out other distractions and really allow you to feel what is going on underneath you. So, as your horse is walking, first begin to feel the rhythm of the walk, the 1, 2, 3, 4…

    Notice The Hind Legs Moving

    Once this is established, begin focusing on which of the beats is your horse’s inside back leg moving forward (before) he puts his hoof on the ground.  Your left hip (on that same side) will dip down as his leg lifts off the ground to move forward underneath you both.

    This is because his barrel will swing out to the opposite side to make room for the leg coming under him.  Often this is an easy way to remember this…

    Concentrate and focus on the movement, rhythm, and beat.  If necessary, have a person on the ground first tell you when this is happening.  Then notice and remember how your body reacts to this movement.   If you are not fortunate enough to have a reliable person on the ground and you are still struggling to feel, it often helps if you place your hands on your upper thighs and feel which thigh goes up and down, and when.

    Only through correct repetition of this exercise in a calm, relaxed manner will you begin to enhance your powers to feel what is happening and from there, begin to move with your horse as a real team.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    This topic is just one that we regularly cover inside of Connection. If you are interested in finding out more about Connection, have a look HERE >>

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  • Controlling Your Hands While Riding

    Controlling Your Hands While Riding

    Do you find that often when you ride, your hands begin to do their own thing?  Waving about, flagging some imaginary air traffic, conducting a symphony, or just bouncing up and down like a jack hammer?!  To make this even more frustrating; it seems like the more you try to ‘quiet’ or ‘still’ your hands the worse the problem becomes…

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    The uncomfortable truth is that while you might be feeling frustrated about your lack of control, it is often your horse that is taking the brunt of this particular riding challenge. He may begin to fight you for the reins, lean on you or pull you along.

    Or maybe you spend time while riding continuously changing or fiddling with the length of your reins, dropping your hands and straightening your elbows, twisting your wrists so your knuckles are on top.  Or perhaps you are flapping your shoulders and arms in an attempt to ‘relax’ and all the while, that soft, following contact with your horse’s mouth continuously evades you…

    Controlling Your Hands and Arms as you ride

    Steady hands come from a relaxed body that is carrying itself. Relaxed does not mean floppy or loose, but rather supporting yourself without any signs of tension. Relaxation will also allow your body to follow your horses movement, which is the first key to controlling your arms and hands. I realize that it seems almost counter intuitive to focus on your body first when trying to ‘fix’ your hands, however one will not happen without first controlling the other.

    When your body is relaxed, your ‘shock absorbers’ can work optimally, working with the energy from the horse and not against it. Often hands that bounce around are the result of a rigid or tense rider, who is only rigid and tense because they are trying so desperately to control their body! It is a vicious cycle.

    The first thing to do is begin paying attention to your seat and pelvis and how, in walk, they follow your horse. Notice your breathing, and lift your upper body to allow your lungs to fill with air with each breath, to remove any tension from your body. Open your chest, remembering all the while to carry your body, not slouch, and then allow your arms to simply fall from your shoulders.

    Then remember to carry your hands. Don’t just allow gravity and your horses mouth to dicate where your hands are at any given time. In order to become soft through your contact, you must carry your own hands, which means bending your elbows. A good guide line is to try keep your hands around the height of your belly button.

    Once you have your hands where they should be, pay attention to how your shoulders, upper arms, elbows, fore arms, wrists and fingers all work together to follow your horses mouth. If you move your hand forward, move it from the elbow. Supple elbows will allow you to absorb movement and continue to keep a soft contact.

    Pay attention that your fingers are closed on the reins. Also, that you are ‘holding’ the rein with your thumb by pinching the rein between your thumb and index finger, not by squeezing your fingers. This will then free up your fingers to have more subtle ‘conversations’ down the reins to your horses mouth. Holding the reins this way will also prevent your reins becoming long and causing you to drop the contact with your horse.

    Controlling Your Hands adn Arms while you ride

    Begin establishing a following contact by lengthening your reins out, so you initially will have very little connection with your horses mouth. Move your elbows and hands with your pelvis and seat. Think of them being somehow invisibly connected to each other and relaxed enough that the movement of your horse underneath you is enough to quietly influence your body. Don’t force the movement, you must follow your horse, not drive your horse along by pushing with your seat or hands. When you feel that you are now following your horses mouth, you can begin to slowly gather up your reins again and begin establishing a contact with your horses mouth. If you feel any tension coming back, gently lengthen your reins and begin again.

    Another good visualization you can use is to think about carrying cups of hot tea… If your arms are tense, the tea will splash and spill from the cup.  If your arms are floppy, the same thing will happen. Only when your arms are ‘working’ with your moving body, will the tea stay in the cup!

    Remember that you do need to have a contact when riding. However that contact must come from soft, following hands that provide steady, consistent support connection and direction when needed. Sometimes it seems that more emphasis is placed on the leg and getting our horses back end working underneath him while being ridden. And this is true…

    However, there must also be a contact to direct and contain that energy and ask your horse to work in a frame. Be careful not to hang on your horses mouth, but also not to lose the contact either. It is a fine balance, which needs to be continuously re-evaluated and adjusted depending on the work or the results of other aids.

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    A strong core must be maintained throughout, so you are carrying yourself and are agile enough to follow your horse. When you can begin to confidently carry both your body and your arms, you will find that the tension which was causing the jarring or bouncing will soon dissipate, leaving you with quiet, soft hands from which you can begin direct that wonderful energy.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

     

  • Basic Exercises for your OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbred)

    Basic Exercises for your OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbred)

    There seems to be two types of riders in the world, those that love an OTTB and those that don’t!  I am squarely in the former category and if you are also there, well make yourself comfortable because this week on Daily Strides we are focusing on basic exercises you can begin implementing with your OTTB today that will help lay a solid foundation for future schooling, regardless of the discipline.

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    An OTTB, or off the track thoroughbred or retired racehorse, are athletes whom are bred with a specific purpose in mind; to get from A to B as fast as possible while remaining sound.  They also, through years of selective breeding, mature earlier, have quicker reaction times and have a winning attitude which can sometimes be difficult to work with if you do not understand how to use this to further the horses training.

    However, for all their wonderful attributes,  OTTBs are often looked down on by many pleasure riders and competitive riders in specific disciplines alike, which is a shame because a quick flick through the history books will soon highlight numerous thoroughbreds who, once finished their careers on the racetrack, achieved glory in both dressage, jumping and eventing.

    Reschooling Your OTTB

    The OTTB has a sensitive and quick mind and because of this, they do will under the guidance of riders who are careful and mindful of what they ask and how they ask for it.    The thoroughbred also has fantastic athletic ability and are wonderful animals to train because of how well they can use their body and brain.

    Of course, it goes without saying that initially choosing the correct horse is vital, with emphasis on the horses age, confirmation, temperament, racing history, soundness, to a lesser extent breeding and the all important condition and shape of the hooves.

    Being such a highly prized and bred animal, the OTTB may need extra care which might just equate to extra financial implications and while purchasing an OTTB may be cheaper initially, he may just cost you in other areas in the long run.

    When your horse first retires from the track, you can either ‘allow him to be a horse for a while’ and after roughing him off correctly, turn him out for a few months into some nice pasture, or you can start him in work straight away.  It seems to depend on the horse and if he is not happy and needs more time ‘away’ he will let you know!  Of course before starting any training program, ensure all the necessary health checks are performed; teeth, back, dewormer, inoculations etc.

     Begin With Training Your OTTB to Lunge Correctly

    Your initial goal in your training program should be to achieve a level of relaxation from your horse.  Keep in mind that his life up to now was very ‘busy’ and he will need a transition period where he can start enjoying his new career.  Lunging is a super aid to begin both building a bond with your horse and achieve that goal of relaxation.

    Use the time on the lunge to train your horse to your voice.  Simple commands such as Walk, Trot, Canter, Steady and Whoa, will go a long way to helping him understand your new seat and leg aids when you do mount up on him.

    Lunging also helps divide his past life and his new life.  It works as a transitioning tool from one to the other and allows your horse to  ‘let down’ and realize that life is now very different, as is the work expected of him.

    Once your horse has a good grasp of the voice commands, you can begin to incorporate some loose schooling into his training program as well, particularly if he will be going forward to a jumping career (whether pleasure or competitive).  Beginning over poles on the ground and building up smaller fences as his confidence grows will allow him to perform the all important task of figuring things out for himself.

    Transitioning to a New Career Can be Difficult!

    When you do begin to work your OTTB under the saddle, use a general purpose or jumping saddle initially, not a dressage saddle.  Your horse is used to having his rider do most work in a 2 point seat, not the deep seat that a dressage saddle encourages.

    Begin with being very mindful about what you are asking and how you are going about asking for it.  Remember your horse was asked to ‘go’ and ‘stop’ very differently in his past career and it will take time and consistent aids applied with patience and kindness to show him what you want when you apply your aids.

    Consistency is the key to retraining your OTTB and building a strong bond  forged in trust will ensure you have a willing partner with whom to have wonderful adventures for many years to come.  

    Another piece of information to bear in mind is that while your retired racehorse may rush and want to run on initially, this may not so much be caused by him being unbalanced, more that he just doesn’t understand what is being asked of him and old habits, as we can all attest to when put in stressful situations, die-hard!  This is a horse who has possibly years of training in him and who knows how to do a job…  Just not the job you want!
    Reschooling Your OTTB

    Establishing Halt

    Focus on asking for halt first, using all the correct aids and not worrying about anything else, just the fact that the horse ceased moving, if only for a second or two initially.  Your horse may not initially understand what you are asking, as using the seat and legs is probably a whole new experience for him, but with patient repetition and having your voice aids back up your seat, leg and rein aids, you will slowly begin to convey what the aids to Halt are.

    Make sure you reward every small step forward.  Thoroughbreds are often sensitive by nature and telling him that he is doing well, no matter how small the progress is, will go a long way to keeping him relaxed and happy in his job, rather than anxious and nervous.  As with all horses, as soon as he stops or yields to your aids, release the pressure and reward with your voice as well, so he begins to understand the reward system.

    You may find that initially he might jog and crab sideways, step backwards, shake his head, paw the ground and just behave like an impatient, overly wound up ball of tension; Ignore these behaviors and continue to ask for him to stop and when he does, no matter how far from where you initially asked, reward him.

    Once you have established the ‘rules’ for asking him to stop, you can then begin polishing and disciplining the stop a little more so it begins to resemble a halt in the true sense of the word.

    Moving Forward From Your Leg

    Same principles applies when training your horse to move forward from your leg.  Ask with your voice and leg initially (this is where the work on the lunge is a huge aid) and keep in mind that he does not know what your legs are, or what they are for; let alone that he must move forward from them.

    Be gentle with your legs and offer no resistance with your hand.  Don’t worry about how straight he walks, or even if he trots, just reward the fact that he moved forward and slowly begin to place more emphasis on the leg and less on your voice.  It will take time to establish this and, again, patience and consistency coupled with compassion and lots of rewarding will get you both there eventually.

    What is also important to note here is that once he moves forward from your leg, he must also accept your leg being there as he is going forward.  Don’t take your leg off if he ‘shoots’ forward, rather let him learn that your leg is something that will be a constant part of his new career, so best he gets used to it from the beginning.

    Thoroughbreds like a contact and I have found it can often settle them, so don’t have your reins loose, maintain a contact, but make sure you are soft enough through your hands and arms to allow his forward movement.

    Continue to work through the halt and forward aids until they become fluid and the desired response is achieved all the time and make sure you implement them both outside the arena as well as inside.

    Teaching Your OTTB to Straightness

    Once your horse as a pretty good understanding of what is expected when you apply the aids to halt and then again, to move forward, you can begin tidying things up by asking more questions and expecting better results with regards to where he is putting his legs.

    Place two poles paralleled on the ground about  3 meters apart, I suggest on the quarter line, and begin asking for the halt between the poles.  As he becomes more responsive to standing ‘straight’ and responding to your leg to maintain straightness in the halt, you can begin moving the poles closer together.

    It is important to remember that while he may be getting used to your legs when asked to go forward, he initially most probably won’t understand your legs in moving laterally or sideways.  However he may understand rein aids, including neck reining, to move over and so you can use this to your advantage when introducing him to moving over.

    To introduce him to your legs in relation to being straight, begin in the stable with ground work done while grooming or cleaning.  Place your hand where your leg will be and asking for a very clearly spoken ‘OVER’ while applying pressure with your hand.  When he moves away, again release the pressure and reward using  your voice and softening of the ‘rein’ or whatever you are using to control him in the stable.  Over time, he will begin to understand that pressure in that area, coupled with the ‘OVER’ means just that and you can begin using your leg from the saddle, instead of your hand from the ground, to achieve similar results while riding.

    You can also place a second pair of parallel poles further up the quarter line and as you move forward from the halt, begin encouraging him to stay ‘straight’ between the poles.  You can alternate between halting between the poles and just continuing straight between the pole.  AS he becomes more accurate with where he places his feet, you can roll the poles closer together, leaving him less space to play with in terms of stepping and jiggling.

     

    As always, do all exercises first from walk and then from trot.  You may find in trot that he drifts over, particularly to the outside and again, you can use your ‘neck reining’ aid to back up your outside leg in communicating with him where you would prefer him to go

    Rome wasn’t built in a day and often when he may begin to get frustrated, old habits may revert.  By changing what is being asked and not allowing his schooling sessions to become boring for his sharp mind, you will probably find it is enough to nip any bad habits in the bud, and when you return to the ‘problem area’ again, either another day or later in the schooling session, he will willingly oblige you.

    In finishing, I just want to stress that patience is essential when working with this quick and finely tuned animal, however it is well worth the time invested and you will soon have a wonderful horse who really wants to please you and is ready to turn his hoof to almost anything as well!

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Have you joined in the FREE 30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge yet? Condition yourself better, so you can be the best for your horse that you can be. Click below to join us today…

    This topic makes up one of over 100 full weeks of audio horse riding lessons inside of Daily Strides Premium.  In this specific group of lessons we are focusing on working with your OTTB to retrain and re-school him for his new career as you’re riding horse.  There is also a lessons on halting & moving forward from your leg and another on exercises you can do to start polishing his movements and begin asking for more accurate responses.  The final lesson of the group is focused on bending correctly, with the foundation being straight through the bend.  You can find out more about Daily Strides Premium HERE >>
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  • Using Ground Poles in Schooling

    Using Ground Poles in Schooling

    Ground poles for improving position, elasticity

    Have you used ground poles in your schooling before?  Do you perhaps think ground poles are only really useful for jumpers or competition horses?

    Ground poles are a fantastic tool for horses of all disciplines.  They help to improve self-control, balance, focus, suppleness, elasticity, coordination (including hoof / eye) and strength in both the horse and the rider.

    Another added benefit of working over ground poles, is that your horse will use his back more correctly.  The poles will also encourage greater flexibility or bend in his joints and, over time, the poles can be used as exercises when shortening and lengthening strides in different gaits.

    Ground poles can also be used also as a training aid, which you can regularly return to when loosening up older stiffer horses.  They can also, if used correctly, encourage a horse with a shorter stride to gradually, inch by inch, lengthen or stretch their strides without rushing and losing their balance.

    Jumpers will often incorporate days of schooling over ground poles rather than jumping as it saves the horses joints while keeping them fit, ready and tuned up for show ring.  Use of the ground poles encourages the horse to push more off their hind quarters, instead of pulling with shoulders & front end and also helps develop confidence over distances and an awareness of the legs and feet.

    The beauty of the ground poles is that basically no jumping is performed.  However the horse and rider both still receive the benefits…  

    Poles can be used to get your horse to begin balancing themselves using their hind quarter more, instead of total reliance on using the head & neck to maintain balance.

    As I mentioned, ground poles can be used with horses of all disciplines, whether it be dressage for greater ability to balance, lengthen and shorten, or jumping.  They are equally as beneficial for trail horses as they can help develop ‘sure footedness’ in a horse due to increased coordination.

    Both Horse & Rider Must Work Over the Poles

    So, we have discussed just a few of the numerous benefits for the horse, however it is worth remembering that all this can be undone if the rider does not do their job efficiently!

    If you don’t focus on where you are going… You’re probably going to find yourself some place else!

    In other words, look up when going over the ground poles, not down.  Plan your route or line and then as you approach the pole itself, look up and on to either the next pole or wherever it is you are continuing on to.

    Ground poles are excellent for teaching you, the rider, to maintain a steady rhythm and tempo in walk, trot & canter.  They also teach patience, with riders learning to wait.  

    A big part of using ground poles successful in your schooling  is allowing your horse to think for himself and figure things out… Which will in time make him a much safer mount in difficult situations.

    It is important that before you start each session, you have a clear goal in mind and also an end point.  Working over poles can be tiring for your horse, so make sure you are not hammering on and on as tiredness leads to mistakes and bad habits.

    Also keep in mind that although the poles are on the ground it makes good horse sense to ensure your horse is dressed for jumping, whether that means extra leg protection or different tack etc, as sometimes horses can get exuberant over the poles and may knock themselves or injure themselves.

    Start with Single Ground Pole

    So, to start I suggest beginning to work in walk over a single pole.  Try to use this exercise to firstly build your horses confidence and introduce him to poles, but then also to begin ‘training’ your body how to respond to the different feeling as your horse navigates the pole.

    Too often riders do not put the appropriate time in to doing the simpler exercises, and this almost always leaves the door open for problems further down the line in a horses education or career.

    Once you are both comfortable navigating the pole in walk, begin to trot back and forth over the pole.  When riding this, try to keep posting, adjusting your body to accommodate the different feeling over the single pole.

    Remaining balanced in the Saddle over the Poles

    Ground poles will test your balance and independence of seat, whether it is over true ‘ground’ poles, or over raised poles later.

    Remaining balanced while your horse navigates the pole is often easier said than done, particularly if it is the first time you are riding over a pole.  This is because your horse is using himself, particularly his back-end, more.  His hind legs have to lift more up and under him in order to successfully clear the pole.

    It is vital that you make sure your knees and ankles are free to absorb this extra bounce and movement…   Any excess tension or ‘fixed’ positions will cause you to become stiff and rigid.  This is what leads to you becoming the proverbial ‘sack of potatoes’ on your poor horse’s back.

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    I initially make my riders get off the horse’s back into a light seat all the way through.  I have a detailed descriptions of how to correctly do this HERE and HERE

    The reason I suggest the light seat is due to the increased suspension or bounce as the horse navigates the poles.  Novice riders in particular struggle with this and it can often result in them getting left behind and become heavy and burdensome on the horse’s back.

    This will enviably result in the horse hollowing his back instead of rounding and using his back-end.  However if you feel you are balanced enough to absorb the added energy, post through it, and use the posting to help maintain the tempo of the trot.

    The Poles Must be Adjusted; Not the Horses Stride

    Finally, it is important to remember that your horse is an individual.  The suggested distances of the poles, when you begin to work over more than one pole at a time, are just that – suggestions.

    The poles must be adjusted to your horse’s stride, and not vice versa.   You can use the suggested distance to build the initial exercise, however once you see how your horse handles it, it is vitally important that you adjust the poles to suit your horses stride.

    Your horse will not have the strength, the confidence or the ability to adjust his stride at the beginning stages of working over poles.

    In order for ground poles to be an effective schooling aid, your horse must have confidence in what he is doing… And allowing him to feel comfortable going over them is the key to creating this.

    Small increments rather than huge changes are what will bring you success when working with ground poles.

    This is the first of two blog posts on this topic.  The second blog post contains actual exercises using ground poles which you can use when riding your horse.  You can read Part 2 HERE

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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  • Riding Your Horse Bareback

    Riding Your Horse Bareback

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    Have you tried it? For many riders, the mention of riding bareback is enough to see them running to the tack room for a saddle!  However, for those that pluck up the courage – it can change so much…

    Bareback riding is a super way to improve your posture and position as well as balance, skills, and feel. However often the greatest challenge we must first overcome in order to achieve these benefits is our minds telling us we cannot possibly do it!

    Riding bareback is not as difficult as you may think and this week I challenge you to push the boundaries of your comfort zone and try it, if only for a few minutes initially. Then gradually build your confidence and time spend ‘sans’ saddle!

    Start When Cooling Off Your Horse

    Perhaps a good place to start is once a week, after your lesson.  Simply remove your saddle to cool down your horse. His back will be already warmed up and you are both relaxed.

    Another is to ride him bareback back to the field or paddock or stable after your schooling session… little steps!

    In order to get off on the right footing I strongly advice beginning with a quiet schoolmaster who has 3 really comfortable gaits and a ‘well sprung’ or comfortable back! There are fewer things more uncomfortable than riding a not so well fleshed horse bareback!

    You should also try to ensure that the horse has smooth strides, not too bouncy and also not too hot or ‘goey’.

    Your initial few rides without your saddle should be spent focusing on your position and posture, rather than on slowing your horse or not bouncing off.

    Your Horses Comfort & Enjoyment…

    Often when we initially ride bareback, we are so concerned with our own comfort and safety that we overlook our horses. Saddles are designed to disperse your weight more evenly and over a greater area of the horse’s backs.

    Without the saddle, your weight will become more focused on a smaller space and may hurt or cause discomfort to your horse.

    If you are new to bareback riding or feel that your balance or weight may be a negative factor for your horse, start small. Rather begin fitting in a few minutes every now and then. This will get both yourself and your horse used to bareback riding.

    Once you become more balanced and better able to carry yourself, you can spend longer on your horses back.
    Riding Your Horse Bareback

    Bareback = No Stirrups!

    There are bareback pads you can get which apparently help with dispersing the pressure, however there are mixed feelings on their actual benefits, so proceed with caution.

    I strongly advise not using a bareback pad with stirrups due to the lack of a properly engineered tree.

    They may apply pressure where there should not be any and the possibility of hurting or damaging your horses back is quite high. Also, the whole point of riding bareback is to develop your seat and balance… So no stirrups!

    A neck-strap may be used if you really feel that you need something other than the mane to hold onto if things get hairy…! Simply take one of your stirrup leathers off your saddle, remove the iron, and use the leather as a neck-strap.

    1. Choose A Small Area to Ride In

    Okay, so once you are good to go, find a small space such as a lunging ring or small 20 x 40 arena. Somewhere you feel safe and comfortable to start in. Also, choose a day where things are quieter around the yard and perhaps also a day where you won’t have too big of an ‘audience’ watching you!

    Comfort is key to building your confidence

    2. Focus on Carrying Yourself

    Once mounted, make sure you are sitting up correctly, light in the saddle. Pay attention that you are not slouching. A lot of people, when riding bareback, slouch. However, this is not good for your back, or for your horses back.

    Stretch up through your waist area. Then allow your legs to drape over your horse’s sides, with the weight being focused into your heel.

    As you ride, think of not allowing creases across your tummy or your jersey/jacket/top. This is better than arching backwards with your shoulders. Keeping the front of your torso ‘crease free’ will help you to concentrate on carrying yourself, particularly through your waist and chest area.

    Imagine a child that wants to be picked up by an adult, versus one that does not. The one that does makes themselves ‘light’, the one that doesn’t make themselves ‘heavy’. Be the ‘light’ person by making sure you are carrying yourself.

    Think about being light on your horses back which will allow the horse to move underneath you. It also allows you to feel more of which individual muscles are moving and are being used for specific movements or tasks.

    3. Begin In Walk

    Begin in walk and allow your body to adjust.  Feel the deeper, more connected seat. And allow your legs to adjust as well. You will find that your legs fall into a more natural ‘underneath’ you position without your saddle.

    Try to discern what muscles, tendons and ligaments you are using to achieve this, so you can try replicate it when you do have your saddle back again.
    Riding Your Horse Bareback
    I do realize that it all sounds so simple.  However, just as when you begin riding without stirrups, you will find that while riding without a saddle can initially be daunting, it soon becomes easier and you will actually ride better when you do take your saddle back again

    4. Notice Your Thoughts

    The key is to gradually push the boundaries of your comfort zone.  Once out there, allow yourself to get back to the safe place again. Little by little, your ‘safe’ place will move as your boundary moves. However, it takes time and never try anything that you feel you honestly cannot do. Take things slow and steady, day by day, week by week.

    Once you are comfortably walking around the arena begin assessing your riding. Are you using your reins for stability?

    If so, perhaps building a ‘shoot’ using poles down one of the long sides of your arena may help. You can slowly lengthen your reins as you walk down the shoot so you can concentrate on what your body is doing, rather on directing the horse with just your reins.

    Often it is a mind ‘thing’ and overcoming the fears in your head is a big part of relaxing and being successful without a saddle for support

    5. Remain Relaxed Through your Body

    Also, don’t grip with your legs to stay on or to feel secure. It is a false security and one that will contribute to a complete lack of balance and far too much bounce when you begin to trot or canter. Also, your horse will not appreciate being in a vice grip all the while you are on his back! Your legs should remain loose, but against your horses side; cultivate your balance to stay on board.

    Another important point is to ensure you are not gripping with your knees… EVER! Enough said!

    Just focus on riding as you would normally do. I mentioned earlier that your leg may be slightly more underneath you and this is important to remember if you are on a more sensitive horse where you would normally perhaps ride with your leg off…

    Start in a smaller space so your horse can become used to this ‘new’ and more correct leg position.

    Keep your hands and arms supple and soft, don’t drop your hands and try not hold onto the mane or neck-strap as it usually causes people to round their shoulder and pivot forward a little. Only use the mane or neck-strap in case of emergency!

    6. Ride Simple Transitions

    Begin with simple transitions; walk – halt, halt – walk

    Notice how your body can influence your horse and how you can ‘feel’ each muscle of your horse moving under you. Pay close attention to your horses reactions to both you and external influences…

    Feel the sequence of movement underneath you and, after time, you will begin to be able to almost predict what your horse will do next, and respond accordingly.

    Once you are comfortable travelling in straight lines, begin working on a circle, paying attention to keeping your shoulders above your hips… If you lean, this may just be the cure you have been seeking! Also, on the circle, play with your aids and notice your horses reaction in walk. Spiral the circle bigger and smaller, feeling all the time how your horse moves and how he is reacting to your subtle questions.

    Are you over depending on your hands (you will feel your horses back stiffen and brace against you)? Are you forgetting to apply your outside leg? Notice the shape of the circle and your horses ability to maintain a bend and rhythm as you travel around it.

    Feel how your movement interacts with that of your horse and then use this knowledge the next time you mount up with your saddle

    Happy riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians

    Have you joined us for the FREE Equestrian Fitness Challenge yet?  It will definitely help strengthen your core and legs, so being unbalanced will soon become a thing of the past.  Click the picture below to join in the ‘fun’ today!

    Connection For Equestrians

    This topic is just one of over 100 that are waiting for you inside of Connection.  In this particular group of lessons, I challenge you to spend at least twelve minutes each day without your saddle.   The lessons are filled with step by step instructions for you to ride simple exercises that will maximize the benefits, so you can commit to making this part of your riding schedule on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

    We also put the focus on transitions, particularly of the downward variety, and how you can really understand and feel what a good transition is during your time without your saddle. This will help you when you are back in the saddle in the future.  There are helpful tips, ideas, and exercises that will help you ride better downward transitions, after all, they tend to be the ones that cause us as riders to lose our balance the quickest!

    Finally, the lessons will challenge you to begin adding a little trotting and, later, cantering into your bareback routine! And don’t worry, we encourage you to take your time (even over the space of a few weeks) because it will mean that when you get to perform some faster gaits without a saddle, you are confident, secure, and balanced enough to enjoy them.  You can find out more about Connection HERE >>

  • Solid Foundations for Jumping

    Solid Foundations for Jumping

    Jumping, it has the ability to thrill and to strike fear into riders, sometimes all at once!   However, if approached in a systematic and patient manner, most of the fear will dissipate allowing both you and your horse to enjoy jumping; whether it be a pop every now and then, or a trip round a course of fences weekly at a local show.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA356-Building-Solid-Foundations-For-Correct-Jumping.mp3″ title=”Building Solid Foundations for Correct Jumping” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Jumping with your horse? Here is how to get it right from the start…” hashtag=”equestrian #horseriding #jumping” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Generally speaking, all horses can jump, however some horses have more jumping ability than others and it is important to work with your horses natural ability and focus on improving it using a specifically tailored program.

    We should also remember that some horses no matter how much time and effort is invested in their training, just don’t enjoy jumping and that must be respected as well.  Be sure that your horse enjoys the task as much as you do!
    Building a Solid Foundation for Jumping
    In order to produce a horse that is both safe and competent over fences his jumping schooling must be combined with basic flat work or dressage schooling to develop suppleness, balance, strength and agility.

    The stronger the horse, the better he can use himself and his natural ability.  Strength takes time to develop and pushing your horse before he is physically or mentally ready will potentially cause him to become tense or anxious about jumping which can show itself in a whole host of problems, from rushing to running out.

    The key to building a solid foundation is to develop confidence; both your horse’s and your own.   This confidence will ensure relaxation through your horse, which will soften the neck, back and body in general so it can be used correctly and fully both between and over fences. 

    Also in jumping, timing is everything however in order to time correctly, there needs to be a few key pieces in place first, namely; Rhythm, straightness, balance and impulsion.  If anyone of these parts are missing, the likelihood of a smooth, successful jump diminishes greatly.

    Firstly, lets begin by looking at you, the rider.  

    Before you begin jumping I strongly recommend that you have an independent seat.  A quick ‘challenge’ you can do to test this is having the ability to hold the 2 point seat for at least a couple of laps of your arena without falling over, your legs swinging or collapsing on your horses back.  This sounds easy enough, however 30 seconds in your body will know all about it…!

    I also suggest using this quick and simple exercise while out on hacks or trails; pick different markers such as trees, shadows of telephone poles, fence posts and pretend they are a jump.  Begin trying to judge where your horse would take off and being able to ‘slip’ into your jumping position when necessary.  You can initially do this in walk, then in trot and, if you have a grassy bridle path or somewhere else suitable, in canter also.

    You can then take it one step further by beginning to see if you can adjust the ‘take off point’ for your horse and use that accordingly.  I find doing this exercise really helps you ‘feel’ what a balanced jumping position is like, helps you quickly adjust your body in and out of the jumping position and also helps to begin training you to ‘see a stride’.

    Back in the arena a really useful and extremely versatile exercise can be ridden by placing a single pole on the center line at X and working over it in a similar fashion.  Test yourself initially in walk to see how straight you can make your approach and then, once successful, move onto trot and, later, canter.  See if you can judge the take off point and adjust your position to suit this accordingly.

    This exercise is always a good exercise to come back to when ‘tuning up’ both you and your horse.  You can also begin improving your ability to ‘see a stride’ by counting backwards the last three strides to your take off point, “3,2,1 Jump”, and when more experienced, “5,4,3,2,1 Jump”.

     

    Once mastered, the pole can be ‘popped’ from different angles, all the while making sure you remain riding on a straight line of your choice.  Imagine two long narrow triangles, their points touching at the pole to create a long angular figure of 8.  Ride each line, popping the pole each time at an angle and then balancing your horse around the ‘turn’ at the top of each triangle to come back on the opposite line.

    Again, begin at walk, choose your line or path and once mastered take up trot and then on to canter.

    Secondly, it is important as a rider to allow your horse to ‘figure things out’ for himself.

    I know myself how tempting it is to interfere and ‘help’ but this will only lead to problems further down the line when your horse cannot get himself out of trouble.  At some point in your riding, you will inevitably get it ‘wrong’ and you need your horse to firstly realize this has happened and secondly to make a plan of his own to get you both out of trouble.

    This comes more naturally to some horses than others, however you can also begin to teach your horse this invaluable skill by not interfering.

    I personally think one of the most difficult things to do on a horse is nothing!  However, as riders we sometimes must do just this!

    In the arena, use simple grids to work on both you and your horse, separately and together, to grow your skills over bigger more demanding fences.  Make sure that you are guiding your horse all the way through the grid, however that you are also allowing him to see that adjustments must be made and to actually make the adjustments himself.  Often horses pull through fences only because the rider is pulling through the fences.  You need to disengage and allow your horse to jump the jump.

    Building a solid foundation for jumping

    This also means being balanced over the fence, not throwing your weight about and not depending on your horses neck, body, mane, reins etc for your balance and support, which we spoke about earlier.

    The hours spent practicing over the smaller fences will ensure you can both successfully negotiate a course of larger fences when the time is right.

    Lastly, you can begin to improve both you and your horses effectiveness and technique

    Once both of you are confident, you can then begin looking at improving your style and effectiveness and your horses technique and skills.  However, again, this can only really begin when the foundation has been properly cultivated and developed.

    You can do this using grids that ask more questions of your horse, such as bounces, shorter distances, longer distances, angles, bends, types of fences.  The list is endless and different elements will be more beneficial to improve specific parts of your horses technique.

    At the end of the day, you are looking for the best way to allow your horse to really reach his full potential in a happy safe manner.

    Horses should not be jumped every day.  Remember most of the time spent jumping a round of fences is actually spent on the flat, between fences.  Use this ratio when creating your training program for your horse.

    Also remember that if you can negotiate the smaller fences easily, the larger ones won’t prove a problem… However anyone can get from A to B over a small fence… Getting there correctly and with style is what counts.

    Invest your time training over the smaller fences and less complicated grids and return there regularly as often bad habits slip in when least expected and only every now and then, test your knowledge and skill over larger fences.

    Happy Jumping!
    Lorna

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