In control?

A

AliciaA

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Sep 18, 2015
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So I had a riding lesson yesterday - My 11th lesson!

I was put on a lovely cob who was very VERY responsive.

Now bear in mind, so far the horses I had been riding have been the kind that you really had to push to get them listening so when I sat on Taz yesterday it was quite a thrilling experience.

….. Until half way through the lesson she kept going off in to canter! Now I don't mind this as long as I'm prepared for it and I know that I'm asking for it.
My RI said that I was gripping too much with my legs around her and she kept reading my body language and thinking I was asking for canter - but the problem is, I didn't really feel like I was gripping much, not when I was doing a bit of rising trot.

At one point she went off in to canter and headed straight for one of the jumps that were set up in the middle of the school from a previous lesson and I panicked! I just though 'oh crap, I'm going to fall off and die' lol. I managed to regain my composure a couple strides before the jump and steer her to the left a bit to avoid the jump but then my mind just went in to overdrive. :/

I asked my instructor what I could do to stop her going off in to canter randomly, and she said to go with it, sit deep to get her to slow down, seat on my seat properly and stop gripping. I tried this and when she went off in to canter again, I didn't feel like I had my balance and panicked when I fell forward.

I'm a bit confused now, I know a lot comes with practice but if Taz is such an 'easy' horse, then I must be doing something really wrong - I have a desert hack planned in dubai when I go but now I'm getting nervous riding other horses who may keep going off in to canter.

Don't get me wrong, canter is probably my favourite gait (?) but only if i'm asking for it and I know what to expect - so any advice is good!!

Brings me on to my other point - that I mentioned in one of the other threads - My RI said I had a 'hot seat', I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing and if maybe that's why Taz was quite excitable and kept cantering :confused:
 
Some horses will rush into canter because they find it easier than doing the trot work. My horse will sometimes canter to try and avoid working in an outline.

There's no such thing as a 'hot seat' - it really does just mean you're gripping and it's making your horse tense up and rush. Easier said than done, but try and relax down through your legs into your heels. Lots of people (myself included) have a tendency to grip during canter, particularly if you're on a horse that needs a lot of leg to keep it going forwards. It's also an instinct to grip with your legs to hold on when the horse speeds up - or does an unwanted canter transition! The thing about riding is, a lot of it actually goes against our natural instincts - eg to lean forward when we panic - our instinct is to assume a foetal position but leaning forward from the horse's point of view is a cue to go faster. This may have been happening with your lesson horse, too. You have to train your body to react correctly. It doesn't come naturally so don't worry too much about it.
 
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Lol aren't we dramatic "oh crap I'm going to fall off and die" lol that's what I used to think sometimes! Heheheeeee. Sorry no help at all with the hot seat - I was exactly the same! Still can be, OH reckons I can turn the oldest sanest plod into a racehorse thanks to my ability to transfer nerves.....
 
Although unexpected, once into the canter try to sit tall and enjoy it for a few strides before asking for the downward transition. My horse used to jump into canter to avoid the trot work especially when asking him to work correctly. Ask your instructor to show you how to ride a half halt as this may help. Really you need to try to anticipate when she may pop into canter and half halt before she gets the chance xx
 
Sit deep and hot seat mean nothing, how do you exactly "sit deep" and what is it supposed to convey to the horse?

As mentioned above a hot seat means a busy rider sending unintentional messages to the horse. Not your fault at all and it's really good for you to ride a more responsive horse so you know you are givine yout signals you did not intend. But your RI need a kick in the pants for leaving jumps up in a manege where a novice rider is learning. :( what @squidsin says is spot on. It's all about learning to feel, the only way that happens is miles on the clock.

Don't worry about it. It will come with practice. You will soon feel the horse getting ready and you can half halt them out of it.
 
Sometimes when you are used to riding slower horses you keep them going by using your lower leg most strides in trot (pulling yourself back into the seat with your calves giving a squeeze at the same time) and on a hot horse you need to learn to keep your lower leg much stiller and your body quieter so you don't accidentally give them a nudge that might be miss understood as a canter aid.

Your desert ride sounds fab but do be sure to explain to them your riding ability, often in Arab countries you get put on Arab stallions that can be quite hot or so I have heard, I'm very envious :D
 
Thanks for all your replies!

I did a bit of googling about what a hot seat 'was' after I posted and it seems to be a lot about nervous energy and unintentional signals as @squidsin @Wally mentioned.. I suppose I just need to feel more relaxed and to sit tall..

@squidsin you're completely right, just like you have to retrain your toes to point in, the reflex when panicking is to fall forwards - I suppose it's about being conscious that it may happen and anticipate the move as @laurenapp suggested

@Trewsers haha, I really felt a bit pathetic because I knew it was dramatic, but the terror was real *facepalm*

@Jessey so true! I didn't consider to change my approach - well I did, but by the time I really figured out what was going on it was a bit late. I do need to concentrate on moving less I think. I'm assuming that's something that will come with practice..
I'm excited about it - nervous too because of exactly that! I told the RS that I had only done a bit of walk and trot and not comfortable with canter. The good thing is, because I'm going through a RS and not a resort type experience I expect the horses to be a bit calmer. I'm taking my parents too (who haven't done much riding in the past) and I expect we will just be going at a walk for the hack anyway. I'll post pictures :)
 
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