Flappy chicken arms - help please!

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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I have developed flappy chicken arm syndrome when cantering:redface: I know this because this morning my lovely OH taped me on the phone and I played it back and realised that although my seat is looking better and less like a stunt woman gone wrong, I now have funky chicken arm posture. Any tips on how to stop it please? It is NOT a good look and I look like I'm trying to fly on her back or get us to take off!!!!
 
My view is it is a good sign. I had the same - for ages. Just a stage in learning to canter well. It shows you are completely relaxed. Very likely to be breathing nicely and sitting softly - and your arms and hair (if you have a plait like I do) will fly up and down with the steps of the horse which is fine hacking on a long rein but not so good if you want to ride canter with nice contact?
I just thought about keeping my elbows softly to my sides (without stiffening of course, which I found hard).

But you can approach it from a diffrent, positive angle - think about your hands and the contact? Feeling for the same sense of touch through the reins in canter that you get in walk? And I think I did this by forgetting my upper arms and thinking instead about keeping my hands soft and low - you can even rest them on your thighs.
Pippa Funnell recommends using a neck strap to steady your hands - but I find this tips me forward.
These flapping elbows did embarass me too - and my RI - it put me off cantering in lessons because I had no contact and no steering - so my advice is not to worry about it too much. Go on cantering, stay soft and relaxed and just be aware of the problem. In my case it seems to have disappeared on its own.
 
Thanks Skib, I too think it may be a sign that I am at last relaxing when cantering! I also agree with a neck strap tipping you forwards, I think it would most definitely encourage me to do just that (which I really don't want). I will have to make a positive effort to keep my hands low - hopefully this will help. I don't suppose it matters all that much what I look like (although I did hope one day to try some Inter-dressage).
 
Funny you saying that about the neck strap tipping you forward.... I use a safety strap between the D rings and my RI said the same thing. I'm going to learn to canter properly but she asked me to show her what I do know and she picked up on the tipping forward right away. Guess I'm going to have to learn how to let go!
 
tbaynancy - its really hard learning to let go, but once you've managed it a couple of times, it gets easier. This morning for example, I managed to find my "seat" much quicker, because I made a real effort to think "up" with my upper body, rather than just letting it all go forwards (where it usually ends up!) One of my other "safety blankets" with cantering was to hold onto Storm's mane, I have managed to shake that one off on my "good" rein, but so far, still cling when I'm working on my bad one!
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Trewsers.

I was kind of pysched up to try this yesterday but Rusty had a MAJOR spook (but I didn't fall off), so I was too nervous after that. Not his fault - some horses in the paddock near the arena got out and came thundering by the gate. His little horsey brain must have been thinking "oh, oh - if they're running for their lives, I better get going too"! After that, I held onto the safety strap while we were walking :redface:

Will try again today after work.....
 
Oh, I know what that is like, Storm used to do major spooks all the time and it used to leave me with proper jelly legs!!! I don't know if its a combo of my new found confidence or the fact that we live at home with them now, and don't share the arena with anyone else, but she rarely spooks (mind you, we came close the other day it was very windy and the Hawthorns were "creaking" against the school fence - I think I was more scared than she was!!!)
 
I'm going to see him today after work and I need to clear my mind of yesterday and just get on with it. We've been making such great progress, I don't want my own fears to get in the way again.

I need to act confident, even when my knees feel like they're about to give out. Will report back later tonight.
 
How did it go? Just wondered! Don't worry about getting scared again from time to time, I am always aware that I may take a step backwards (having a little video of me done by OH helps as I refer back to it and know that I CAN do it when I put my mind to it!)
 
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