Ride With Your Mind Webinar Series- Video added

Is that the seeking reflexes course? I've been doing the master your riding and improve your dressage scores ones. Thought I'd have to give the seeking reflexes one a miss as my purse is fairly empty but I see they are doing a payment plan, so I may join in after all!
 
I am LOVING this course. I think you can still join but not for very much longer. I have been practicing like mad and am seeing a difference in all the horses:
Cally is lifting her back more and lengthening her stride, Dylan is moving more freely (Hurrah!!!!) and Oscar is going absolutely beautifully. He came to us very well schooled but I was never that good at keeping him working forward and over his back, but he transformed within 10 minutes of me changing my alignment. Must try and get some video. I don't ride Lisa but maybe I'll have a go on her too.

One thing that I find very interesting is that Mary explained why draw reins, side reins are not helpful: she said if a horse is encouraged to flex at the poll with gadgets, he is likely to concertina his neck in rather than stretch it forward. So although it will have the vertical face and arched neck, the neck will be too close to the riders body. I have seen lots of my friends' horses look exactly like that. And when I first got on Oscar today he was doing that too. Bringing his head down and contracting his neck in, not arching forward and down. But using the homework techniques, his neck stretched forward more and as it did so his stride lengthened and he moved much better.
 
Yes I am enjoying it too. I have noticed a difference in Marley, he is more foreward going in his movement, he could sometimes slouch along, but he has been stepping out lovely, even when we are out hacking. I am surprised at how far back I have to keep my lower leg as before I was always trying to keep my leg long but then I think my foot was too far forward. I have bought her older version RWYM DVD's which explain more about riders postion.
 
Well after my shocking ODE dressage result, I have redoubled my efforts to improve my dressage. Anyone want to help me with a critique of this?


From a RWYM perspective I think my hands are too low, and my toes point down when I use my leg. I alternative being behind the movement'hollow backed to in front of the movement/roundbacked and am rarely balanced. I do not sadly have an independent seat! - Any tips for getting one?! I spend far too much time looking down too.

As for Cally, well in RWYM the idea is that you just focus on riding in a bio-mechanically efficient way and the horse will then seek contact. And I think she does sometimes. I am certainly not pulling her or fiddling her into a contact. She is looking for one. The contact is inconsistent I think because I am often unbalanced. And maybe because I keep 'dropping her' when she tries to lean. I think she could be moving forward more too.
 
It certainly looks to me as if Cally is willingly working over her back and looking to carry herself, so once you have yourself organised she should make a very nice shape.

I would expect your elbows to be a little more bent, so perhaps your hands are too low. I also see what you mean about pointing your toe as you use your leg - I had exactly the same issue but it has come with practice, though I still struggle to use my thigh against the saddle and NOT my lower leg! Also, I have a feeling that your heel could be a shade further back so that in trot you get the sense that you are "kneeling" on Cally. But though my RI is a RWYM instructor trained by Mary I am a rank amateur!
 
I've done the Master Dressage "master your riding" course too which is a RWYM course. Since doing it I notice that I carry my own hands now rather than them being so low they are practically resting on the pommel! I also have them out and in front of me more. I still struggle with sitting on my seat bones tho. I'd love a few lessons with a RWYM coach but there don't seem to be any here in scotland :(
 
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