Having acquired a confidence to “Forward to Trot” I officially graduated to a faster gait, the “Canter” at today’s horseback riding lesson. Horseback riding is not just sitting on a horse. In a nutshell, horseback riding is extreme multitasking of coordinated, parallel activities amongst hands and calves steering, feet triggering turns and gait transitions, while maintaining a centered, upper, body position. The “Canter” is a 10-17 mph controlled, three-beat gait, and it’s being taught to me in a two-point position. The two-point position is maintained by hovering above the saddle with shoulders back, and pushing the body weight into the heels stretched so deeply backwards in order to counteract the horse rocking forces. The body weight balanced on the back heels of the stirrups might be similar to balancing on the heels while walking. Since people don’t normally go around walking on their heels, cantering is a stretching experience for back-leg tendons. I didn’t know my heels could go that far back until today. It’s exactly opposite of toe-pointing ballet exercises.
Romeo was in a special good mood today. He and I jumped over 3 consecutive sets of Cavaletti’s raised about 5 inches from the ground, while turning a corner at a canter pace proved to be more challenging just steering and balancing. I must have looked like I was holding on to his mane because I felt very sloppy about how I was holding myself. It takes time and practice and glimpses of how it feels when riding properly grows only by riding time.
Afterward, Ozark licked me for a few minutes and I have to say the feeling of the horses tongue on my hands felt really good. Romeo nuzzled me a little by putting his mouth up against my cheek and neck. I love nuzzling the horses I ride and they nuzzle me back is a relationship building experience between me and the horse I will be riding.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Two-Point Position
Lesson 5: March 20, 2011, Two-Point Position
After missing 3 lessons, I returned for a series of 6 lessons out of a possible 8 lessons each Sunday with the same Instructor. In other words, I missed two lessons. I had to get over my pride to go back to lessons. It paid off. Today, I came a long way in posting to the outer, lead diagonal of the trot. I properly posted to the outer, lead diagonal of the trot gait a few loops around the barn in a counter-clockwise and clockwise direction. I could visually recognize when I am posting correctly but cannot feel it without looking. Satisfied with my progress, we moved on to the two-point position at a walk and trot pace. Though, I leave it as an exercise from experience to recognize posting to the outer lead diagonal by feeling as well. This will take some time to learn, and some people never learn it. The two-point position means you lean forward out of the saddle, grabbing horse mane about half way up the horse’s long neck, while maintaining a straight line from the middle of the rider’s tail-spine down to the end of each foot while riding. The two-point is typically done while riding over cavalettis, but I did the two-point around the barn at a trot pace. You also have to keep your hands together in fists around the horse mane, and the bridle. It proved challenging because my calves kept wanting to dangle around the horse barrel rather than hug it’s barrel. This is because my Achilles tendon quickly became sore and tight. For homework, the instructor recommended walking around the house or up stairs on my heels to stretch out the tendon. Some people have a natural elasticity in their calves and feet, she commented to me. I will be looking for references on the two-point in the next few weeks. Starting a new page on this blog, called two-point.
After missing 3 lessons, I returned for a series of 6 lessons out of a possible 8 lessons each Sunday with the same Instructor. In other words, I missed two lessons. I had to get over my pride to go back to lessons. It paid off. Today, I came a long way in posting to the outer, lead diagonal of the trot. I properly posted to the outer, lead diagonal of the trot gait a few loops around the barn in a counter-clockwise and clockwise direction. I could visually recognize when I am posting correctly but cannot feel it without looking. Satisfied with my progress, we moved on to the two-point position at a walk and trot pace. Though, I leave it as an exercise from experience to recognize posting to the outer lead diagonal by feeling as well. This will take some time to learn, and some people never learn it. The two-point position means you lean forward out of the saddle, grabbing horse mane about half way up the horse’s long neck, while maintaining a straight line from the middle of the rider’s tail-spine down to the end of each foot while riding. The two-point is typically done while riding over cavalettis, but I did the two-point around the barn at a trot pace. You also have to keep your hands together in fists around the horse mane, and the bridle. It proved challenging because my calves kept wanting to dangle around the horse barrel rather than hug it’s barrel. This is because my Achilles tendon quickly became sore and tight. For homework, the instructor recommended walking around the house or up stairs on my heels to stretch out the tendon. Some people have a natural elasticity in their calves and feet, she commented to me. I will be looking for references on the two-point in the next few weeks. Starting a new page on this blog, called two-point.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Posting Trot on the Diagonal Lead
The Posting Trot on the Diagonal Lead
Today, Sunday, January 30th 2011, my second group lesson at the Farm, was a chilly day. I had the company of a Chestnut horse, Romeo, three advanced riders, and my instructor. Romeo is a quiet, sweet, horse, good with beginners. I arrived early and found an opportunity to spend time bonding with Romeo. I petted Romeo and tried massaging his neck and foreleg for about 10 minutes. I would like to think he appreciated it as he gave me a pretty good riding lesson.
Today I learned posting to the trot on the diagonal lead. I focused on keeping my seat independent of my upper body and the lower legs quiet in the stirrups. I’m becoming more acquainted with the rhythm of rising to the lead diagonal, although I didn’t feel the beat on several occasions. An interesting aside, I previously thought I must post with my thigh muscles, but my lower-legs lose a grip of the horse’s barrels causing my feet to dangle. Holding my legs quietly in the stirrups takes a higher priority than posting with your thighs so I had to switch priority for the time-being. My instructor said it will take time for my legs to adjust to maintain legs and post properly with the upper leg muscles.
My instructor said I’m on the cusp of getting it right. A few references on posting trot on the diagonal lead are below:
Today, Sunday, February 6, 2011, after several failed attempts to post to the correct diagonal trot, the instructor asked which leg are you rising on? Wrong, she said. How can I have it wrong after reading articles about this technique. Listening carefully against my own will, I heard her say go down when the outer front leg goes down. It was exactly the opposite of what I was saying to myself in my head. I started to wonder if she were testing me so I questioned her statement. The instructor further clarified that while the outer leg goes down, you must go down. When the outer leg goes back, you rise.
A great feeling that now I could concentrate on my feet dangling from the awful saddle, posture, and breathing. The lesson ended promptly at noon, but I can’t wait till next week to practice more trotting on the right diagonal lead.
Lesson 4: Celebrating Minor Successes
On February 19th, I had my fourth lesson. I did learn a few other neat things, on the other hand. I learned to use my calves to indicate to the horse to stay on the outer rail. So, if the horse tried to cut a corner going counter clockwise around the barn, I push the barrel with the left leg while grabbing the right reign and loosening up the left reign.
I also learned a technique to keep the horse at a trot speed by kicking the horse’s barrel with my back heels at a straight angle. Previous I was using my calves but the horse rarely acknowledge a calf push versus a heel push.
The biggest reward of the lesson, was relaxing on the horse during the trot, and breathing steady while keeping my eyes in the direction I want to go.
Learned to stop the horse properly by keeping my body centered and legs in line with my entire body while tugging gently and firmly with the reigns.
Today I learned posting to the trot on the diagonal lead. I focused on keeping my seat independent of my upper body and the lower legs quiet in the stirrups. I’m becoming more acquainted with the rhythm of rising to the lead diagonal, although I didn’t feel the beat on several occasions. An interesting aside, I previously thought I must post with my thigh muscles, but my lower-legs lose a grip of the horse’s barrels causing my feet to dangle. Holding my legs quietly in the stirrups takes a higher priority than posting with your thighs so I had to switch priority for the time-being. My instructor said it will take time for my legs to adjust to maintain legs and post properly with the upper leg muscles.
My instructor said I’m on the cusp of getting it right. A few references on posting trot on the diagonal lead are below:
- Diagonals Demystified
- “Perfecting the Posting Trot” by Sharon Biggs Hackney, Horses Illustrated, September 1999.
Today, Sunday, February 6, 2011, after several failed attempts to post to the correct diagonal trot, the instructor asked which leg are you rising on? Wrong, she said. How can I have it wrong after reading articles about this technique. Listening carefully against my own will, I heard her say go down when the outer front leg goes down. It was exactly the opposite of what I was saying to myself in my head. I started to wonder if she were testing me so I questioned her statement. The instructor further clarified that while the outer leg goes down, you must go down. When the outer leg goes back, you rise.
- Horse – front outer leg down, as rider lowers, and
Horse – front outer leg up, as rider rises
- Horse – front inner leg down, as rider rises, and
Horse – front inner up, rider lowers down
A great feeling that now I could concentrate on my feet dangling from the awful saddle, posture, and breathing. The lesson ended promptly at noon, but I can’t wait till next week to practice more trotting on the right diagonal lead.
Lesson 4: Celebrating Minor Successes
On February 19th, I had my fourth lesson. I did learn a few other neat things, on the other hand. I learned to use my calves to indicate to the horse to stay on the outer rail. So, if the horse tried to cut a corner going counter clockwise around the barn, I push the barrel with the left leg while grabbing the right reign and loosening up the left reign.
I also learned a technique to keep the horse at a trot speed by kicking the horse’s barrel with my back heels at a straight angle. Previous I was using my calves but the horse rarely acknowledge a calf push versus a heel push.
The biggest reward of the lesson, was relaxing on the horse during the trot, and breathing steady while keeping my eyes in the direction I want to go.
Learned to stop the horse properly by keeping my body centered and legs in line with my entire body while tugging gently and firmly with the reigns.
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