How to sit on a big moving horse?

eventerbabe

eventerbabe

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2004
15,137
546
113
He may be a diminutive 15hh, but my kezzie has one helluv a movement on him! I'm very used to toby's short, choppy striding but kez is the complete opposite, powers through from behind and floats along. We feel like we are speeding along. But that, combined with his huge width (built like a tank) means i'm struggling to get my legs on and even sit to the movement. We are resuming flat lessons now my school has dried out but wondered if NR had any advice? maybe my legs are just too short :rolleyes:
 
This will sound obvious, but practice and work without stirrups.

I have a similar problem . . . Kal has a much bigger stride than anything I've ever sat on. He has a significant natural overtrack in the walk and his trot stride (when he relaxes and pushes from behind) is VERY big . . . I have had to work hard to adjust to the very strange sensation of "going somewhere" . . . and learn to balance myself w/in his trot (we haven't tried canter yet, at least not on purpose!). My biggest problem is learning not to panick to go with him. Being used to (no offense) riding school horses, I've not experienced anything with quite so much activity behind (and I'm sure there ARE RS horses who are very active behind, I just haven't been privileged to sit on them), so I've almost had to go back to the beginning with my riding since buying Kal.

So . . . if your Kezzie has big movement, then why not have some lunge lessons to get used to it and (I'm afraid) lots and lots of work without stirrups to learn how to absorb the movement.

N
 
Relax! Particularly your lower back & hips, that will help you absorb the movement. And at the same time work on your core stability so you don't get thrown all over the place. Sometimes counting the rhythm can help as it makes you realise you aren't being run off with! But really it's to do with flexability & core strength - it'll come with time :)
 
Iggs has big movement which really took me by surprise as he is only 15.2 (thank god) and I hadnt ever ridden anything that felt like him before.

Even after loads of practice (and i love sitting trot) I still felt so unbalanced and out of time with him.

Not sure what saddle you ride in but getting a dressage saddle has made all the difference to us. When I rode him in a GP I always felt slightly behind the motion and I found it impossible to stop my lower leg swinging forward which in turn led to me leaning forward slightly to compensate.

Now my lower leg position is loads more secure and with my legs underneath my bottom properly it is so much easier to stay with the movement and apply my leg more effectively. I am sure it must be more comfy for Iggs too.
 
i was wondering about my saddle. I've an old style thorowgood griffin GP which is very forward cut. Plan is to get a working hunter saddle in the summer. thanks for the tips, shall see if RI will do some lunge lessons and i'll unearth my pilates mat to work on my core strength :D
 
eventerbabe said:
i was wondering about my saddle. I've an old style thorowgood griffin GP which is very forward cut. Plan is to get a working hunter saddle in the summer. thanks for the tips, shall see if RI will do some lunge lessons and i'll unearth my pilates mat to work on my core strength :D
Click to expand...

A working hunter saddle will probs make your life easier- i love Beans and Rosies! :)

With regards to sitting trot, lots of bareback/ no stirrups ect. My 15hh connie has a very big movement for his breed/ size and it was quite a big step up from the 13.2hh newfie when i first got on him! :)
 
well, RI confirmed what i thought. Pony has a HUGE movement. He's giving me medium trot all the time. Lovely long, powerful strides but little elevation. We aren't going to fiddle about for elevation just yet. I have to be patient and allow him time to complete his super massive strides. I was also rising too high, and his striding was them pinging me even higher out of the saddle hence my inability to sit to his paces. got some lunge lessons sorted aswell :)
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back