Strides for Success

Tag: seat aids

  • Sprinkling Half Halts all Over the Arena

    Sprinkling Half Halts all Over the Arena

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    As riders, we have all heard of the half halt.  Many riders use it regularly to, let’s be honest, varying levels of success! And while it can be easy to say that your horse is just not all that responsive, and just leave it at that.  I think a better plan would be to tweak your approach and see if you can maybe get a better result.

    And then commit to sprinkling half halts all over the arena when working with your horse; groundwork, lunging, and when riding.

    You might be thinking “half halts during groundwork and lunging? Hardly!”  But in today’s episode, I want to literally ‘sell’ you on the idea of learning, practicing, and incorporating these into your day-to-day sessions with your horse.  And then just allowing the results to speak for themselves :)

    Why Sprinkle Half Halts All Over the Arena?

    One of the most simple ways to see the power of the half halt is to begin recognizing and understanding why we use it as a tool in our training with our horses. There are lots of different reasons that this is the ‘go-to’ communication tool for horses. And most of those fall into one of three different categories.

    1. Get Your Horse’s Attention

    It is all well and good to ask questions or try to correct your horse whether on the ground or in the saddle.  But if your horse is not listening to you, it’s obvious that both will fall short of your expectations. This is why we first use the half halt to actually gain our horse’s attention.

    It’s a little like saying “Ding Dong, come back here to me please – I’ve something important that I want to say”. 

    And if your horse brings his attention back to you, the chances are that he will be more responsive and ‘alert’ for whatever request or question comes next. And if you think about how many times you actually need to get your horse’s attention on any given groundwork, lunging, or riding session together… Yep, the result is usually that you begin sprinkling half halts all over the arena. Or trail, field, paddock, pen, etc.

    2. Make a Correction

    The second reason those in the know love the half halt is due to how effective it is to help correct any “that’s not quite it” moments your horse produces! And I think we can all agree that they are, initially anyway, plentiful in any given training session.  And rightfully so.

    After all, this is how we literally train our horses to what expectations we have of them when we apply particular combinations of aids. Or, said differently, when we ask different questions. 

    Your half halt, when correctly applied, can help you point out the ‘mistake’ to your horse. And help your horse to correct that said mistake.  Now, obviously, in this situation, we will use it with other aids in order to be as specific as we can with our horse.  To offer as much clarity as possible.  But, again, sprinkling half halts all over the arena will become easy when you are using it for this reason.

    3. Rebalance and Reconnect

    The final big reason that riders love the half halt is pretty simple.  It allows us to ‘rebalance’ things – maybe even before a full-on ‘correction’ is needed.  When we feel that very first misstep in the rhythm.  Or we feel that subtle but obvious change in the trajectory of the energy (more heavy and less light)…

    When we can both bring our horse’s attention back to us and then, quickly and subtly, rebalance or reconnect the energy, very often the quality of the movement is not ‘lost’. 

    It is so lovely to have the ability to almost ‘foresee’ a ‘speed wobble’ or a ‘whoopsie’ and then make the necessary adjustments so it never ‘really’ happens. That is the power of the half halt.  And this is why, when we take all 3 of these ‘reasons’ into account, it is probably one of the most (if not the most) powerful and versatile tools we have as riders training our horses.

    Half Halt on the Ground

    And this is exactly why, I believe, that if you can begin practicing this starting today (or the very next time you’re with your horse), you will begin to see a definite difference – even in the first session of being intentional about this.

    So, to get started, put a head collar or a bridle (if you’re going riding afterward, this is perfect to do on the way to the arena), on your horse.  Find somewhere you can ‘walk’ while leading your horse.  This can be inside of the arena, on the driveway (if it’s long enough), or in a field or paddock.

    From here, begin thinking about what the ‘half halt’ really is.  It’s a way to communicate with your horse while still maintaining the forwardness. And we do this, on the ground, just like we do in the saddle.

    Your Aids on the Ground

    When you are leading your horse, there can be this temptation to ‘overuse’ your hand aids.  Just like when we ride!  We have the reins, there in full view, and we use what we can see first.  So, just like when in the saddle, your job now becomes ‘wait’.

    You need to ‘wait’ before you just willy-nilly pull your hand back. And you also need to learn to ‘weight’ your aids a little – just like when in the saddle.

    And if you don’t believe me, try it right now. Stand up, walk forward, and then ‘weight’ one of your feet intentionally.  Simply allow more weight to ‘stay’ or ‘land’ on the hip of the foot you are ‘weighting’.

    Half Halt in Everyday Life

    I do suggest you practice this without your horse initially.  And, trust me, this is something you do all of the time in day-to-day life.  Walking through the supermarket. And you are passing an aisle… But ‘Wait’… There is something there that I may want.  Well, when your mind says ‘wait’, your body will automatically ‘weight’ the leg you stepping onto.

    There is an ever-so-slight shift of weight that allows you to ‘pause’ momentarily in order to reconsider what you really want.  That is a half halt.  And you can apply this to your groundwork with your horse. 

    And then, from there, you can begin to transfer this across to the saddle, so that you and your horse can learn to ‘wait’ or ‘pay attention’ or ‘rebalance’ when necessary in your work together.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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  • Smoother Downward Transitions

    Smoother Downward Transitions

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    There is a tendency for riders to ‘hold’ a little too much during the downward transitions.  And while the half halt is essential to the preparation and transition itself… Too much can lead to a very ‘stuck’ feeling when the horse actually makes it into the new gait!  A little like ‘stuck in the mud’.

    In this episode, I am releasing a Connection Bonus Live Call from June 2021.  This is due to an ongoing hoarse voice!  I hope you enjoy the ‘episode’ and that it is useful for you in your riding.

    The focus for the month inside of Connection was self-carriage through downward transitions.  In this particular call, I discuss ‘releasing the handbrake’, especially through the seat and hands, while riding the transition.  I do hope that you find this helpful for your downward transitions.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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    Join Connection today and get all of the audio horse riding lessons on this topic (and all the others I mention here today) to begin using in your riding.  Everything comes straight to your phone, via a private podcast feed.  There’s also extra bonus live training (like the excerpt above), live Q&A and so much more. All the details are over at https://stridesforsuccess.com/connection

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  • Are You Blocking a Better Trot with Your Seat?

    Are You Blocking a Better Trot with Your Seat?

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    Let’s be honest; many riders don’t really long for a ‘better trot’ in their riding.  In fact, most are quite happy to simply work with what they already have right now and see the trot as a filler.  A part of the ride that gets you from one thing to the next.

    And trotting, by its very nature, doesn’t really help change this! The rhythm can often have a slightly hypnotic effect on riders.  Lulling them into a contented 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2, regardless of how good the trot is – or isn’t.

    In this episode, I want to begin helping you to turn your mind towards a better trot.  What would it look like for you and your horse? And how would it feel for you and your horse?  Finally, how prepared are you to actually allow this better trot to happen underneath you?  Will you be able to move with it? Or will you begin to block it with your seat?

    Rhythm & Tempo

    It is easy to simply accept standard 1,2,1,2,1,2, that you feel and move with every time you trot.  Believing that, after finally mastering the whole posting or rising, your work in the trot is complete.   Thinking that your sitting trot is as good as it is going to get right now – and not paying attention to it anymore.

    Being able to stay with your horse while posting, rising, or in the sitting trot is merely the beginning of your work to encourage a better trot.

    And I think becoming more aware of the rhythm and tempo you have right now will then help you know where to focus your attention going forward.  Start by really noticing each distinctive hoof beat inside of each stride.

    By paying attention to each individual beat, the 1 or the 2, you can then begin to notice what is between those beats – the space. 

    Creating More Space for a Better Trot

    How do you think having more ‘air’ within each of those strides will help you and your horse?  It will allow for slightly more time.  A bigger movement perhaps.  More energy. Which will all contribute to ‘more’ of a trot.  A better trot.

    Creating space begins with you, the rider.  If you lose your balance at the slightest change in tempo or rhythm, this is where your work will begin. 

    Focus on using your core in a way that positively impacts you in the trot.  Whether you are posting or sitting, assess if you’re carrying yourself, or being carried along by your horse’s energy.

    Two great exercises to begin testing this are ‘up,up,down’ and ‘down, down, up’.  Basically, you are either sitting or rising for an extra beat each time.  Two downs, followed by one up.  And two up’s (with no down in between) followed by one down.  Doing this will allow you to see if you are supporting yourself, or relying on your horse for support.

    Blocking with Your Seat

    Once you have the basics in place, begin asking bigger questions of your skills by adding more energy into the trot.  More energy will require more suppleness – from you and your horse.  And it is this lack of suppleness in the rider that often causes the seat to block the flow.

    If you feel like you cannot keep up with your horse’s movement, you’re probably right! This is caused by a lack of suppleness (or swing) through your seat. 

    In sitting trot, the result will be more bouncing.  The ‘trampoline effect’ of the horse’s back comes up to meet your bum as it comes down.  This causes that uncomfortable ‘double bounce’.

    When you’re posting, unable to ‘keep up’ will feel like either being left behind the movement or being bounced out of the movement. Both are caused by the rider depending on the horse to move them – rather than taking responsibility for their own body.

    Many riders find that they can do quite well when their horse is ‘slow and steady’ – but as soon as more  energy is made available inside of the trot – they are no longer in sync with each other through the movement. 

    Developing Your Suppleness

    Your suppleness needs just as much attention and work as your horses.  It truly irritates me when riders spend HOURS working on their horse – and then completely fail to work on themselves!  And I believe that riding alone, (unless you are riding all day long, all of the days, the right way), is not enough.

    Just like you use different exercises to develop your horse, find different ways to begin developing yourself too as a rider. 

    The trot requires a ‘hinge-like’ movement through your lower body.  And this movement can be difficult if there is any excessive tension or stiffness through the body.  Particularly the lower back and pelvis. Exercises that work on stretching this area can be of great benefit to riders.

    It is also good to pay attention to symmetry.  Is there a side you favor? Or do you find it easier to do things on one rein over the other?

    Trotting is very much ‘equal’ from a movement perspective, so it is worthwhile working on developing symmetry through your body.  Symmetry and strength.  This will then allow you to have more control over your body inside of the trot itself.

    And by having more control over your body, you can have a more positive influence on the trot itself.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Extra Help for Riders

  • Timing Your Transition into Canter

    Timing Your Transition into Canter

    Timing is something we all understand.  When it is working for us, it feels good.  If it’s a little off, things tend to feel rushed or stressed. I think our horses feel the same mixed bag of emotions and tension when the timing is off.  In fact, bad timing often is the very thing that causes a ‘hop, skip, and jump’ into the canter.

    So, if timing the ask of your canter transitions is so important, why can it often feel so hard?!  And why, is it that what so many people say is ‘easy’ to feel, seems like a mystery to most riders?

    Excess Tension

    The first suggestion I am going to give you when it comes to timing your canter aids is to give your physical body a quick scan.  There is one reoccurring theme I see with novice riders, the world over when it comes to the canter.  Really; this one issue really trips so many riders up!

    When they begin to think about canter, they allow excess tension to creep into their body as they overthink the upcoming transition. 

    It can be subtle or it can be more obvious, depending on the situation and the rider.  However, it is very often there and present.  My suggestion for you when beginning to prepare your transition into the canter is to pay attention to your body.

    Tension is neither good nor bad.  It just is.  And, in fact, it is essential to keep you upright on the horse!  It is when there is too much tension present for the task at hand, that the challenges show up.

    One way to tell if this is happening to you is when your horse seems to either understand English (so when someone tells you to canter, he changes what he’s doing). Or if he seems to read your mind. It’s probably neither.  He’s simply responding to you…

    Feeling the Movement

    From here, begin working on identifying what you are feeling.  It’s all well and good to say ‘my horse is walking’ or ‘my horse is trotting’.  However, you need to begin going a little deeper.  You need to know what is moving when and where underneath you.  And, preferably, without having to look or glance.  Pure feel.

    Start with the rhythm.  Identify the beat.  Then begin imagining in your mind the sequence of hoof falls that make that beat in the gait you are in.  Apply this to your horse.

    Regardless of where you are in your riding journey, you will be able to either feel or hear the hoofbeats of your horse.  Especially in the walk. Feel into that 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4…  Do the same in the trot.  Don’t overthink it.  Just simply allow it to happen and be mindful of it.  ‘Oh, there’s the 1’.  Or ‘interesting, that was different between the 2, and 3, than the previous stride’.

    If you are not completely sure of the sequence of your horse’s feet as he walks or trots, learn!  Make it your mission to understand each gait, so you can begin merging the rhythm to what is happening underneath you.

    Noticing the Swing

    From here, I suggest starting to develop your seat by noticing that there is both a ‘forwards and back’ movement happening in the walk and trot and, also, lifting and lowering.

    Notice how, when in the walk, as your left seat bone slides forward, it also lowers a little.  And, as this is happening, your right seat bone will be sliding back and it will be lifted slightly higher.

    Often, when explaining or teaching the transition into the canter, instructors will talk about a scoop of your seat.  This is setting things up for the scoop.  And it is one of the keys to knowing ‘when’ to ask for the transition into the canter.

    Your Horses Barrel

    Okay, this is where you can begin seeing little signals from your horse that this is the right place to ask.  Pay attention to your horse’s barrel as he walks.  As your left seat bone slides forward and dips down, his barrel will swing to the right.

    Now, let’s pretend that you are on the left rein, so moving around the arena anticlockwise.  If you were to ask for a canter, we can assume you will ask for the left lead, right?  So, your aids for the transition itself will include your inside leg being ‘on’ and your outside leg playing ‘tag’ and sliding back to ask for the transition… Okay?

    Well, notice how, when your horse is standing on his outside hind leg (your outside seatbone will be sliding back, and up and over it), his barrel literally pushes into your outside leg.  It ‘prompts’ it to take action. 

    Now, obviously, your horse is not doing this on purpose.  He is simply making space for the inside back leg to move into as it travels forward.  However, if you have done your homework, you will know that to ‘strike’ the canter, he will start with his outside back leg.  So it makes sense to ask when this is on the ground and ready to ‘push off’ into the canter.

    Another way you can look at this, is from the scoop persepective.  If your outside seatbone is travelling backand is higher, it makes sense that your inside seatbone is travelling foward and is… Lower.  Which helps with that ‘scoop’ aid. 

    Transition into Canter From Trot

    I always suggest that riders, if possible, work on perfecting their timing for the transition into canter using the walk to canter.  There is time for them to really settle into it and be mindful and present to all of it.  However, I also know that, at some point, you will want to begin practicing the transition from trot to canter.  This is a little different and, in my opinion, requires a little more coordination and feel.

    One of the best ways of getting clear about what is moving when underneath you as you trot is to pay attention to your diagonals.

    Rise and fall with the shoulder by the wall is how the saying goes.  And because your horse moves his legs in diagonal pairs when he trots, once you know what his outside shoulder is doing, you automatically know that his inside hind leg is doing the same thing.

    Which allows you to figure out where his outside hind leg is at any given time in the stride.  You can tell this, again, by understanding how your horse moves.

    From here, simply apply your aids at the time when your horse will find it easiest to take action on them.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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  • Timing Your Seat Aids – 3 Ways to Do This Today When You Ride

    Timing Your Seat Aids – 3 Ways to Do This Today When You Ride

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    Timing… It’s an important element of great conversations.  You can give all the correct responses, but if the timing is off – they are not as meaningful.   And this affects the connection and flow. Horse riding is the same.

    After all, horse riding is just a word we use to describe the conversation between the rider and the horse.

    As a rider, it takes time to learn how to move one part of our body while having minimal influence on other parts.  Part of improving your ability to do this is to work on developing your aids independently of each other.  And the other part is to become very aware of what you are saying and when. It takes time to develop your independent aids and, as a result, your independent seat.

    However, while you are working on doing these, you can also start to become more aware of when you are communicating.  You can work on the timing of your seat aids.

    In this episode, I want to focus on the ‘when’ part of your conversation.  And specifically, the aid that we tend to get most muddled up about – your seat.

    Exercise 1:- Feeling in the Walk

    I spend a lot of time with my novice riders working on this.  I think that understanding what is happening underneath you from the beginning, makes developing your timing (and coordination) so much easier as the weeks and months go by.  However, regardless of how long you have been riding, becoming mindful about what is happening underneath you will always help improve your skills as a rider.

    Your seat bones will move like the pedals of a bicycle if you were peddling backward.  Down and forward, up and back. 

    Once you can feel this happening, I want you to begin merging this with what your horse’s back legs are doing.  As your horse’s right back leg moves forward, your right seat bone will drop down slightly and swing forward as well.  While this is happening, you and your horse’s body will be moving over your horse’s left back leg.  It will be on the ground bearing the weight.  This will cause your left seat bone to feel like it is moving backward while raising up slightly.

    If you’re struggling to feel anything, try taking your feet out of your stirrups.  You can also if it is safe to do so, close your eyes.  Finally, you can glance at your horse’s shoulders and go from there.

    Exercise 2:- Walk to Trot Transition

    The second exercise to help with developing the timing of your seat aids is working on that often overlooked transition from the walk into a trot. This is one of the earliest transitions we ride when we just get started.  And, often, because of this, we don’t tend to work on developing it a whole lot! Which is a pity – there’s a lot to be learned from riding this transition.

    To practice this, I first am going to suggest getting off your horse and onto a firm ‘dining’ type chair. Then feel what you do with your core as you’re about to ‘stand up’ out of the chair.

    It is important to be mindful that you are not using your arms or hands to stand up.  Just your core and then, your legs. Feel the shift that happens just before you stand.  The engagement of the core.  This feeling is what you will then take with you into the saddle.

    Practice creating that same feeling with your core in the saddle.  The feeling of asking for the trot, from the walk, and just as your horse takes that first step, ‘lightening’ your core. 

    The more you do this, the better you will become at timing it to just the right time where you allow the energy to flow underneath you. This same technique can then be modified and practiced with other upward transitions.

    Exercise 3:- Walk to Canter Transition

    This is maybe one of my favorite transitions to work with riders on.  Particularly when it comes to refining the timing of the aids to coordinate with the horse’s movement. Start in the walk and noticing, using exercise 1, what is moving when at any given time. Then, combine this with exercise 2, allowing the energy to flow when you ask.

    It is very easy to tell if you get your timing right when asking for the walk to canter transition. Failing to do so usually results in a little ‘double step’ from your horse

    The goal is to ride a ‘clean’ transition. The preparation was done. You asked at the right time. And then you allowed with your seat as the horse stepped into the canter.

    Connection Between Seat & Hands

    Finally, as you are working on all of the above, pay attention to how your seat leads your hands.  Often riders get this backward.  They allow their hands to lead the seat.  Timing is important.  Paying attention to this will help you become more mindful of how you are using your aids and when.

    Practice this… And see how you develop it over a matter of days with your horse.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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  • Learning to Stop Blocking with Your Seat While Riding – Part 2

    Learning to Stop Blocking with Your Seat While Riding – Part 2

    Are you guilty of saying one thing to your horse, when you actually mean another?  You’re not alone!  This is the second part of a 2 part series all about blocking with your seat, and how to stop doing it! Part 1 is HERE

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    Before we dive into the actual riding exercises you can do to discover if you have been blocking.  And then, using those same exercises to actually begin allowing.  Let’s get clear on what we mean when we say ‘blocking’.

    Blocking is when you mean to say ‘carry on’, but instead you say ‘whoa’. It is applying the resisting force of your seat when you actually want to simply allow your horse to really move your seat.

    Are You Blocking with Your Seat While Riding? Part 2

    Exercise 1:- Allowing in the Walk

    A lot can be learned about your influence on your horse in the walk. Slight changes and tweaks to what you are doing can have a big and, very important, noticeable impact on your horse’s way of going. Use this to your advantage and test yourself…

    In halt, take both feet out of your stirrups. From here, ask your horse to walk forward. Your goal is to simply follow your horse with your seat. Like dancing. Your horse is the lead partner. You are literally a split second ‘behind’ your horse’s movement and yet moving with him – not being dragged!

    As your horse walks, pay close attention to the rhythm of the walk and how much ground he is covering with each stride.

    From here, notice which leg is moving when underneath you. Your left seat bone will dip down (lower) and move forwards when your horses left hind leg is in the air and moving forwards. When this is happening, your right seat bone will rise up and move backward. This corresponds with your horse’s right hind foot being on the ground and his body moving over it.

    Get To Know Your ‘Gears’

    As mentioned in the previous episode and blog post HERE, you have 3 basic ways you can use your seat when riding. Go, whoa, and neutral. You can ask for ‘more’, you can steady or slow things down, or you can affirm what your horse is doing and tell him to ‘carry on’.

    Begin playing with the ‘three gears’ of your seat. Go, whoa, and neutral. Driving, resisting, and allowing.

    Go versus Neutral

    Start with ‘go’ first. Again, notice the movement of your seat and how this corresponds with your horse’s hind legs. Remember that when asking for more, there can be a temptation to ‘drive’. As in, dig a hole! Resist this temptation! Simply think about ‘encouraging’ your horse forward a little more through the energy of your seat.

    Go will not be used all the time. Riders begin ‘driving’ when they confuse ‘go’ and ’neutral’. They confuse driving and allowing.

    You will only say ‘go’ when you either need to add more energy or you are changing what you are doing. Riding in ‘go’ or driving for the entire ride will result in your horse ignoring your aids. This then results in the rider doubling down on their efforts. Go is not allow!

    Whoa versus Neutral

    From here, play with resisting. Again, it is often easiest to begin this by thinking of a swing and how you would ‘stop’ the swing with your body. Like go, whoa is only used when you are either balancing or changing what you are doing. Otherwise, you should, again, ride in neutral.

    Blocking occurs when riders are riding the whole ride, or a vast proportion of it, in whoa.

    Playing with Your Gears in Walk

    Once you can feel how each ‘gear’ feels in the walk, begin playing with them. Be intentional about when and how you use them. Notice what influence each ‘gear’ has over your horse’s way of going.

    As with all aids, your seat aid will not just ‘stand-alone’ when you use it.

    Notice the balance of your seat aid with your other aids and how you can begin tweaking the pressure, the sequence, and the timing of each aid. Also, play with which aid has a ‘lead role’ and which has a supporting role in each question you ask of your horse. All horses are different. Therefore each horse will respond to your aids in a slightly different way.

    Dedicate time to discovering which aids your horse prefers when communicating, and then begin refining those aids.

    Exercise 2:- The Sitting Trot

    Oh, this one is a biggie when it comes to riders. In my experience, the more movement in a rider’s upper body when riding the sitting trot, the more likely they are blocking with their seat. This is usually the case for canter as well.

    Many riders learn early on that the easiest way to avoid being bounced around in sitting trot is to ‘hunker down’.

    They collapse their upper body completely. So much that it literally squashes their seat area (belly button to upper thighs), in an attempt to stop bouncing around in the saddle as the horse moves. When the horse is moving slowly or with no energy or forwardness, you will get away with this. It is probably the ‘easiest way’ to ride the sitting trot.

    However, the issues begin to appear when more energy is put into the container that makes up horse and rider. When more ‘swing’ is required. More suppleness.

    The literal ‘heaviness’ of the collapsed upper body will block the lower torso from moving, and in doing so, block the horse.

    Start with Carrying Yourself

    I mentioned in the previous episode and blog post that the term ‘sitting’ in the saddle is a confusing one. Yes, you are technically sitting. However, your core should feel more like you’re standing. It should be engaged and carrying you.

    Begin in a slow sitting trot that is perhaps lacking the forwardness it should have. Work on carrying your upper body. Simply put, create space between your lower ribcage and your pelvis or hips. Elongate your body.

    As your horse moves, notice that your seat (belly button to upper thighs) moves like a hinge, rather than simply up and down.

    We often think of up and down in trot because most riders are introduced to trot and trotting with the words up and down being used a lot to encourage posting or rising. However, as we begin to create a more independent seat, we notice that it is less upend down and rather forward and back. Like a hinge.

    What is important to notice is that your lower torso, your seat, is doing the moving. Not your upper body, your shoulders, and chest.

    Play with Your Gears

    From here, begin experimenting with the same 3 basic gears. Go, whoa, and neutral. Work on go first. It is often the one most riders are familiar with. Remember not to drive, but to simply ask a question. Driving is, again, when you are saying go all the time. It is when you get stuck in the ‘go’ gear!

    Then play with whoa. Resisting. Notice how you will only resist for a split second and then allow again. To continually resist will cause the tension level, or relaxation, to change to where it is no longer useful for you and your horse. For some horses, they become frustrated, excessive tension. For others, they simply do what you ask and slow down or stop, inadequate tension.

    The goal is to simply ‘allow’ your horse to work forward while you remain in the sitting trot. To move with your horse, rather than pushing or pulling with your seat.

    Exercise 3:- The Canter

    I know, I said two exercises, but this one is also a great one for really showing you if you’re guilty of blocking with your seat while cantering. Take a video of yourself. Focus on the canter itself. I would suggest cantering a 20m circle or similar for two or three circuits. This is long enough to really see what happens when you ‘get going’ in the canter.

    When you watch it, notice if you’re guilty of some questionable 1980s style shoulder movements while riding the canter.

    For many riders, the first few strides are good. They allow through the transition into a canter and move with the horse. However, then they feel that they have to ‘do something’. And this is where all that upper body movement begins. Lots of ducking and, often, swinging with one shoulder ahead of the other. Like the ‘Dem Bones’ song goes “Hip bone connected to the backbone, Backbone connected to the shoulder bone”.

    The shoulder movement is happening because the hips are blocking the energy. And the energy has to go somewhere!

    As soon as you begin noticing your shoulders ‘swinging’, think about firstly carrying your upper body. Engage your core just like you would while standing. From there, focus on allowing your seat to move and your shoulders remaining ‘still’. Obviously, you are on a horse and moving. They are not going to be completely stationary. However, they won’t be ‘swinging’.

    Finally, work on then allowing your hands to literally follow your seat. So that your seat and hands are following your horse…

    Allowing With Your Seat

    Allowing or neutral is so important to understand in your riding. It is also a place where bad habits can creep in and then negatively influence all areas of your riding. Learn to pay attention to your horse’s rhythm and the amount of ground he is covering with each stride.  They will show you the influence you are having over him using your seat.

    By clearly identifying the driving and resisting (go and whoa), you will begin to more clearly identify neutral. 

    And remember, you will spend the most time in neutral… The others are simply to ask questions or to correct.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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