HELP REQUIRED WITH STEERING!

[CLAUDIA]

Posting is simply rising to the trot with the one-two, up/down rhythm of the horse. Try telling your horse you want to be against the rail before you get to the bend in the arena. Also, keep your leg on the horse. If you're sending him forward it will make it easier to guide him. So, as you approach the turns send him on with your legs, and guide him through the turns using the aids you've learned. If the horse is very responsive all you will need is increased inside leg pressure on the girth and a little (and I mean little) squeeze of the inside rein, while sending the horse on. Oh, don't forget to maintain contact with both reins the entire time you're riding, including through the turns. When I first started riding I always allowed my outside rein to drop, and the horses always took advantage of this by cutting the corners or taking control of the ride and heading for their friends or my instructor.

GOOD LUCK!



[This message has been edited by CLAUDIA (edited 13 September 1999).]

 

[Mike]

Cathy, have you read through the 'Kinder Way to Ride' series http://www.newrider.com/html/kinder_way_to_ride.html . Although we haven't yet covered rein aids in detail there are some useful pointers as to how to use your weight aids for turning.

You might also care to have a look at this message thread http://www.newrider.com/bbs/Forum4/HTML/000155.html which also gives some hints that may help you.

 

[CLAUDIA]

Mike (anyone actually),

I have a question about weight aids and turning. Is it correct to turn our hips in the same direction as the horse as it makes its way around a turn? I'm asking because I'm a little confused by the weight aids. One of my instructors told me I should be turning my hips with the horse around the turns. So, I'm on a clockwise turn, and my hips are turning with the horse, then my outside hip bone would be more forward than my inside. What effect does this have? I'm kinda lost on all this.

 

[cathy]

Can anyone give me any advice on steering. When I'm in the school trotting and especially cantering the corners seem to get further and further away and my circles seem to decrease in size rather rapidly!

Any advice would be extremely welcome.

PS - what is posting?


[This message has been edited by cathy (edited 13 September 1999).]

 

[Vina]

This answer may sound a little silly, and you have to keep in mind it's coming from some who has a whole 2 months riding experience....*S*...but something that my teacher told me helps a lot. When you are riding, keep your eyes on the spot you want to go to, don't look where the horse WANTS to go (or is going). It sounds so easy, but until my instructor pointed out I was doing it, I never noticed. My horse would do those little ever-tightening circles too, and the teacher said, 'keep those eyes up (not on the horse's ears) and look where you want to go'! She said that the tiniest bit of change in my seat positioning makes a big difference in terms of reining. And you know, it really did work! I guess subconciously you lean that way without even realizing it...but the horse knows! I hope that helps....I also wanted to thank the others above for their suggestions, it's helping me out too!

[This message has been edited by Vina (edited 14 September 1999).]

 

[cathy]

Thanks to everybody who replied. I have got Heather's book so will get reading! and I'll try to remember to keep my eyes open (!) and look where I want to go - not where my four legged friend might like to go!!

 

[bettina]

When you turn in your circle remember the following this:

1. Make sure you're not just pulling with your inside rein and making your outside reins go slack... a horse <b>isn't</b> a bike. The reins have to be equal, but just a little open on the inside.
2. Also, make sure your inside leg is at the girth giving a little pressure and your outside leg is applying pressure behind the girth. This helps the horse round up and pushes him out of the circle.

Hope I helped!