Reviewing Your Riding Videos Part 1 - You the Rider...

When you’re working alone without a regular trainer or instructor, you must begin to create ways for self-review. Video is, hands down, the best way to do this, especially if your camera follows you. Automated motion tracking software makes this an affordable possibility for many riders now. But even if you don’t have this technology, you can still simply use your phone, hit record, and ride.

By creating regular riding videos where you are asking similar questions, riding similar movements, and reviewing them consistently, you create your own feedback. Similar to what a trainer or instructor would do in the arena.

However, the key to making this technique work for you is to figure out what to look for. Just watching the videos is not enough. Many riders get caught up in simply looking at the video passively. Imagine if your instructor did that in the arena when working together?! I doubt that you would learn a whole lot, improve, or be very happy with the outcome! If you’re reviewing your own riding videos, you need to act like your instructor or trainer.

Look for specific things, for both you and your horse. And do this without judgment or criticism. In fact, you want to actually ‘find’ areas to improve, change, or clean up. Just like an instructor or trainer would…

1. Assessing Yourself – The Rider

Start with what you can truly change or establish more control over; yourself and your own body! When you are reviewing, begin by looking at these key areas in your riding and taking notes on how well you did.

a) Position & Posture

So often, when things are not going to plan or do not happen as smoothly or effortlessly as we would like, the issue lies in our posture and position. Assess your lines. There’s the ‘head, shoulder, hip, heel’ line. And also the ‘elbow, wrist, thumb, rein, bit’ line. Are they aligned throughout the ride?

Or are you:-

- - Tipping (hips, shoulders, or hands usually)
  - Swinging (lower leg & heel)
  - Crunching up (chest and upper body)
  - Gathering up (thighs and knees)
  - Gripping (knees)

Pay attention to where the alignment is not as good as you would like and notice patterns. This is where you can begin your work the next time you ride. You can find a past episode of the podcast on this topic HERE

b) Self-Carriage (esp. through Transitions)

This also falls in under posture, but it is such a chronic issue for so many riders, that I want to give it a point of its own! Collapsing before, during, or after transitions is a big issue. It is something that will affect both the gait before the transition, the transition itself, and how well your horse works in the ‘new’ gait as well.

Focus on maintaining your alignment as you prepare the transition, ride the transition, and then allow into the new gait or after the transition. Your job is to set it up and then get out of your horses way to actually do what you’ve asked him to do…

There is a past episode of the podcast on this topic HERE

c) Weight Distribution

This one sounds a little odd, however, it is VITALLY important to both notice and tweak if and when necessary. Start by looking at what your seat (your bum) is doing when you ride through corners, bends, and turns. Is there a shift to one side or the other? Often you will see your seat ‘slide’ a little to the outside of the saddle… And, because of this, you’ll then usually see that one shoulder is dipping lower than the other to compensate!

Imagine there is a line from the middle of the cantle to the middle of the pommel of your seat. Ideally, your seatbones should remain fairly consistent in being an equal distance from that line. If one gets closer or further, you’ve shifted your weight…

You can find a past episode on this topic HERE

d) Consistency of Legs, Shoulders, and Hands

Now, this one is a little confusing – simply because it will sound like I’m contradicting myself in the next point. But hold on a moment… Consistent does not mean ‘stiff’ or ‘stationary’. It simply means that those parts are not waving about, high-fiving every passing tree, upright, or post! And with regards to your hands; keep in mind that. you’re riding – not directing air traffic…

Another thing to look at when it comes to consistency through your reins is how often you lengthen and shorten your reins… Are you guilty of ‘fiddling’? Consistency is essential for contact – no piano fingers ;)

You can find a previous episode on this topic HERE

e) Moving with the Horse; Seat & Hands

And just as parts of your body perform better when ‘consistent’, other parts must move with your horse to enable you both to move forward freely and in flow. Your seat and hands must remain supple and follow the lead of your horse. And, yes, I have said that your hands must be consistent. To be consistent and to follow may seem to contradict each other.

However, all I mean is that you are not conducting an orchestra with hands flying all over the place – instead rather following your horses movement through steady consistent contact.

There is a previous episode on this topic HERE