Realising a Childhood Dream: Riding and Horses Blog

Nierva

Nierva

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Mar 13, 2023
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I thought I would start a blog about my lessons, in part because I have an awful memory and writing and discussing things really helps me remember them, but also because encouragement is always nice and some of you might be able to give me helpful tips!

Group lesson 27th June 2025:

I say “group lesson” - in reality, it was a semi-private, as there were only the two of us there. We usually have another friend in our lessons, but she couldn’t come this time.

I rode Duke. I’m very often allocated ponies these days, as they mainly have ponies and I’m quite slight, so a 16hh horse always feels a bit different! We stuck to walk and trot but focused on rhythm, suppleness and contact and did more 10 metre and half 10m circles than I even knew it was possible to do. One 10m circle at every marker on the long side of the arena! It was hard work, but I could feel a real improvement after a while and it was rewarding. Some of my circles had a completely straight line in them at the beginning (!), but I had got much better at them by the end, and was even remembering to prepare for turns in good time (as opposed to my frequent “Oops, was I meant to be turning here?” last minute turns).

I am also really trying to focus on keeping my elbows bent, as they keep straightening, particularly when I’m at all tense.

Any tips on circles or keeping my elbows bent appreciated! 🙂Thanks in advance!
 
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Sounds like a pretty intense lesson! As you say tension can definitely make elbows do funny things. I was always taught to think about carrying a tray of tea cups, if you let your hands drift forwards and down you loose your tea, and if you have stiff arms it slops everywhere, same thing with your contact - you need to keep the elbows soft to contain the forward movement and keep soft hands so you don’t slop the bit around in the horses mouth.
 
Jessey said:
Sounds like a pretty intense lesson! As you say tension can definitely make elbows do funny things. I was always taught to think about carrying a tray of tea cups, if you let your hands drift forwards and down you loose your tea, and if you have stiff arms it slops everywhere, same thing with your contact - you need to keep the elbows soft to contain the forward movement and keep soft hands so you don’t slop the bit around in the horses mouth.
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I love the tea imagery - I think I’ll be able to remember that one! Thanks! 😃I’m awful for tensing up my upper body in particular.
 
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Group lesson 4th July 2025:

I had Tonto for my lesson yesterday, the second time I’ve had him for a lesson. He’s around 13.3hh or so, a piebald cob. Rather different to 16h Highland/Thoroughbred cross Duke last week! I love the variety. I think it makes me a better rider. I also have a really soft spot for piebald cobs!

It was another particularly intense lesson, as once again, our other friend couldn’t make it, sadly, as her car had just broken down. Just the two of us for the hour again!

We started off after our warm up with 20m circles and “spiralling” to make the circles smaller and then bigger again at walk and trot, and then moved on to combining practising square halts and turns on the forehand from the halt in different ways. I have no idea if “spiralling” is a technical term or not! It sounds like what I would do if I couldn’t get my horse fix one week, frankly!

Our turns on the forehand were initially at certain letters around the school, then around little green cones placed in a square. I made my instructor laugh by saying they were buried gnomes and got us all distracted for a bit, oops! They were the perfect size for gnome hats. Lastly, we did half halts in another square partially formed by trotting pole sort of used as corridors. I was not anywhere near in the middle of the trotting pole corridors when moving out of my turns on the forehand and suspect I should have been! My instructor was more bothered about the turns on the forehand themselves, though.

Is it strange to always feel a sense of achievement when my halts are getting squarer and my turns on the forehand are working out as planned? That was only about the second time I’d ever tried turns on the forehand. The first was almost 3 years ago now. The first time it felt like magic! Proof I was actually communicating my aids clearly enough for the horse to make more subtle movements. Yes, basic and far from Grand Prix level dressage, but I felt proud nonetheless. I still always have to think about which hand and leg I’m doing which thing with - so, I want to do a turn on the forehand to the right. Ah, now, flexion to the right, how did that go again? Right, need to relax that right hand now - but don’t drop that rein completely, just don’t put pressure on it - and contain the movement with the left hand…no, don’t step forward, Tonto! Squeeze with the right leg…contain with that left hand! No stepping forwards or backwards!

I’m hoping I won’t need to think it out so much every time and that it will become second nature, if I get the chance to do them again before another 2+ years pass this time (my previous place sadly had to close). They’re not kidding when they say that turns on the forehand make a rider work on their co-ordination! I really need to work on not completely dropping my inside contact, just not having any pressure on the rein after I’ve achieved that bit of flexion.

Additionally, I realised - and was told - that I am sometimes collapsing a bit onto my inside shoulder when doing circles, rather than just changing the direction of my shoulders/bringing one back and otherwise keeping them level. As a dancer, that is something that shouldn’t be too difficult to fix, I’d like to think, now I’m aware of it.

As for my halts…sometimes I think they’re square and they are, sometimes I think they’re square and they really aren’t and sometimes I don’t think they’re square and they actually aren’t bad. Does that feeling just come with time too? Looking down doesn’t help much…or at all, really!

We talked a lot about how turns on the forehand help the rider’s co-ordination, but not so much about the benefits for the horse this time. We do usually discuss both - our instructor is very good at quizzing us so we understand why we are doing certain things, which is one of the reasons I started this blog, to help me remember new information! Having now done a bit of extra study, I’ve learned that turns on the forehand help with suppleness, straightness and balance and that they’re particularly good for young horses. Makes sense!

After my lesson, I had a hack on Angus, a sweet, handsome, cuddly and lovely, if quite lazy, gentleman of about 15hh. He’s got Clydesdale and/or Gypsy Cob in him, they think. Trotting was glorious, but I struggle to keep him in a canter! I could generally get him back into it when he’d started trotting instead, but it’s hard work - and that was with some backup taps with a crop. Tips? I know he prefers longer reins when cantering, but that doesn’t seem to make much of a difference when it’s me riding him. It didn’t help that my stirrups were also a bit too long, but the stirrup leathers that had been put on that day were mismatched. I could have shortened one, but not the other, which was already as short as it could go. I’ve never needed twists on him before and still fumble when doing them, so don’t really have the confidence to be experimenting with twists mid-ride with mismatched stirrup leathers.
 
Nierva said:
but the stirrup leathers that had been put on that day were mismatched. I could have shortened one, but not the other, which was already as short as it could go. I’ve never needed twists on him before and still fumble when doing them, so don’t really have the confidence to be experimenting with twists mid-ride with mismatched stirrup leathers.
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My riding was also to realise a chidhood dream. It is really important to hang onto that idea, that riding a horse is a treat.
But stirrup length and rider crookedness are a vexed question. Most riders are a bit crooked and riding schools in a hurry will adjust the stirrups to different lengths rather than spend time straightening the rider.
I want my leathers to be the same length so I bought my own safety stirrups and matching leathers. I then took them to the RS and put them on the saddle of the horse I was going to hack, knowing my stirrups were then the same length. I did not do this for school lessons as our RI had similar leathers and the holes were equal. We would start with stirrups on the short side and let them down a few holes as we settled into the saddle and our legs relaxed.
I look after my leathers carefully, I take the irons off and hang the leathers up on a hook behind our cellar door, so the leathers hang down straight. And I clean them with a leather balsom that keeps the leather soft.
 
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Skib said:
My riding was also to realise a chidhood dream. It is really important to hang onto that idea, that riding a horse is a treat.
But stirrup length and rider crookedness are a vexed question. Most riders are a bit crooked and riding schools in a hurry will adjust the stirrups to different lengths rather than spend time straightening the rider.
I want my leathers to be the same length so I bought my own safety stirrups and matching leathers. I then took them to the RS and put them on the saddle of the horse I was going to hack, knowing my stirrups were then the same length. I did not do this for school lessons as our RI had similar leathers and the holes were equal. We would start with stirrups on the short side and let them down a few holes as we settled into the saddle and our legs relaxed.
I look after my leathers carefully, I take the irons off and hang the leathers up on a hook behind our cellar door, so the leathers hang down straight. And I clean them with a leather balsom that keeps the leather soft.
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Good idea! I think sometimes, when they’re cleaning tack, different stirrup leathers just end up on different saddles. Or maybe one of his had broken. I think the former, though! They have about 30 saddles, so I suppose these things are bound to happen sometimes.
 
I have been riding for over 20 years. If one always has the buckle of the stirrup leather in the same hole, that one hole will tend to stretch over time. And eventually one needs new leathers.
Since I take my own stirrups and leathers to the yard, they are put onto the saddle at random, right or left.
But if you leave your stirrups on the saddle, you may find that the left hand side leather stretches as it will bear your weight each time you mount the horse.
I dont leave my own stirrups on the horses I share, because they are safety stirrups with a limited life span and wouldnt stand up to being used by a working pony in full time RS work.
 
Skib said:
I have been riding for over 20 years. If one always has the buckle of the stirrup leather in the same hole, that one hole will tend to stretch over time. And eventually one needs new leathers.
Since I take my own stirrups and leathers to the yard, they are put onto the saddle at random, right or left.
But if you leave your stirrups on the saddle, you may find that the left hand side leather stretches as it will bear your weight each time you mount the horse.
I dont leave my own stirrups on the horses I share, because they are safety stirrups with a limited life span and wouldnt stand up to being used by a working pony in full time RS work.
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Thanks, that makes a lot of sense! It just so happens that it was the lefthand side which was too long. Could very well have been stretched over time, although maybe that happens a little less than in the past? I’ve only ever mounted from the ground there about three times because they were busy and I had ponies (slightly under 14hh). Otherwise, we always mount from the mounting block.
 
As for keeping a cob in canter, I find I need to be in tune with him. If I am paying attention, I feel a little shift in his energy which is him saying "'Scuse me, I think I'm going to slow down now." If at that stage I administer a reminder, which might be a squeeze with my legs, a push forward with my hands or a "Go on, Sid," (or any combination) he will stay in canter for longer. Once he's dropped to trot, it's harder to get him going forward again.
 
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Jane&Ziggy said:
As for keeping a cob in canter, I find I need to be in tune with him. If I am paying attention, I feel a little shift in his energy which is him saying "'Scuse me, I think I'm going to slow down now." If at that stage I administer a reminder, which might be a squeeze with my legs, a push forward with my hands or a "Go on, Sid," (or any combination) he will stay in canter for longer. Once he's dropped to trot, it's harder to get him going forward again.
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That’s excellent advice! I always give vocal encouragement, but maybe not soon enough? I ride quite a few different cob types but can go with very long breaks between rides with each one, meaning it’s can be quite a challenge to pick up on subtle signs - I start getting know one and some of their signs/quirks and then sometimes don’t get to ride them for a year!
 
Nierva said:
I’ve only ever mounted from the ground there about three times
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If you mount using the stirrup, your whole weight is in that stirrup, even if you are using a mounting block. The only person I have seen regularlty mounting without the stirrup is Micahel Peace who leans across the saddle or jumps up to lie across the saddle. This is usually when backing a horse, i.e. sitting on the horse for the first time.
 
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Group lesson Friday 11th July 2025:

I almost forgot to write an entry for last Friday!

We did have a lesson and I had Duke again, but it was so incredibly hot and the arena is completely exposed. It felt like the desert and we were all struggling, all four humans (including and especially our poor instructor, quietly frying in the middle!) and horses alike, so we stuck to walk and trot again. We did 20m circles at walk and trot and worked on leg yielding at walk. My brain was somewhere else! It was only about the second time I'd attempted it and my brain was somewhere else in the heat! We ended the lesson early because nobody was concentrating properly. It was just too hot!

Any tips for learning leg yielding? Hopefully it won't be as hot for tomorrow's lesson! I'm not sure what we'll be doing yet - we never find out until we're there, even though our instructor is very good at building on and revisiting things we've been learning.

Hack Friday 11th July 2025:

I had Tonto. It was much better breeze-wise out in the fields than in the arena, as there is shade and small hills. Perhaps I shouldn't have, but I let Tonto fall out of some of the canters early, because I was worried the heat was getting to him, and he is on the older side. The canters were lovely while they lasted! I felt I got on much better keeping him in trot than I have done on some previous hacks with him, so that was good.

Would you insist on keeping him in canter? He is another cob, but keeping him going isn't usually an issue. If you have your own horses, do you ride them when it's very hot/cold? If so, how to you adapt what you're doing to the temperatures? Please note: I live in Scotland, so even our "very cold" and "very hot" are nothing compared to most other countries'! Last week was much hotter than we usually get it here, however.

Hack Saturday 12th July 2025:

I started off on Kris, one of my favourites, a lovely Connemara pony. I ended up swapping with a friend and taking Fern, Duke's sister, as the friend in question hadn't ridden her before and it was decided that they would be better on Kris. Fern is very forward (and fast) and can get quite excited by the promise of a canter (or jumps, including just trotting poles - I've only got as far as trotting poles with her so far, but it really felt like a massive achievement when I managed to get her to calm down and stop rushing them!), especially if there's too much pressure on the reins and she isn't given her head in canter. I love riding Fern too - she's got beautiful gaits and is teaching me a lot about keeping my hands soft, listening/watching out for signs she's getting excited, getting circle-happy until she's listening to me before she gets to canter and collection.
 
Hack Friday 11th July 2025:

I had Angus. I managed to keep him going in most of our canters - thanks for the tips, @Jane&Ziggy ! - but am never really sure if he's just having a more forward day or whether it's actually thanks to my aids! There was one canter he fell out of early. He would go back into canter for me, but only for a stride, so we ended up with a canter stride, a trot stride, a canter stride, a trot stride for a bit, which wasn't something I'd ever had happen before! He's a sweet boy, though, and like a big (not massive, but then I'm mostly put on ponies), comfy armchair!

Group lesson Friday 11th July 2025:

I had Kris. We did jumping again for the first time in over a month. I've regressed!

For the warm up, we practised our light seat. I was fine in my light seat at walk, but kept falling out of it at trot. We weren't even staying in light seat for transitions this time, which I had happily been doing on Kris only a month ago - frustrating!

They were clearly all feeling a bit tired today and didn't want to walk/trot. However, when they realised they were getting to canter, they perked right up! I was doing much better at getting into my corners and not letting Kris cut them today but need to keep working on getting him to keep trotting or cantering on after the last jump instead of just slowing to a walk almost immediately. I also got left behind before a jump, which I don't think has happened to me before either - it wasn't awful, but it did make me start to grip with my knees, I think, resulting in a couple of lost stirrups during the lesson (although not both at once, like my first jumping lesson back in December).

Given we jump in under half of our lessons - not a criticism, as I really value flatwork and am very glad that my instructor wants us to learn things properly - I am quite proud to be able to clear 3 jumps at canter (well, okay, we might have come back to trot for the middle one!) now, having only ever done trotting poles, cavaletti and one baby jump at trot a handful of times prior to December. I haven't measured the jumps, but I'd say they're about 0.5m and not only crossrails now. It's progress, anyway!

I do sometimes wonder how well it will translate to other horses and ponies, as I've had Kris for all but 2 of my jumping lessons so far and he is especially smooth, but I did okay on Tonto when I had him (other than being a bit nervous, tensing up in my upper body and having horribly straight arms!)

Has anyone got any tips for practising my light seat at home without a horse/pony? I'm hoping I can commit it to muscle memory soon! My instructor always tells us to stick our bums out and not rise too far out of the saddle, but I struggle with the "bum out" bit, as someone whose main hobby was always ballet before now! Bums are definitely NOT allowed to be out in ballet!

At my last riding school, my coach taught me something to help me keep the most important things in mind when jumping. I liked it a lot, but I wasn't keeping a blog of my lessons at that time and my current instructor doesn't use it. I've tried Googling, but it's not coming up. Could anyone help me out? It was something like "_________________ (Maybe 'balance'?), rhythm and line gets it right every time".
 
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I used to practice light seat when I was working on the computer. Sitting down, I would just lift my bum, keeping knees bent, and ease off the seat. Hold as long as poss. I can only hold it for a few minutes these days, alas, but that's injuries for you.

My first pony was a Connie like Kris - is Kris grey? My pony Ziggy could jump like a stag. He had been produced as a show jumper but traumatised somehow, he would bolt if you showed him a coloured pole, so I never jumped on him. You are better at jumping than me now! Sid my cob loves to jump and is smooth as silk but he gets quite excited so we keep them small...
 
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Do you ride a bike? You can practice 2 point (light seat) on a bike, particularly when going downhill as you'll be less inclined to put your weight too far forward and collapse at the hip. Also kneeling or all-fours on a gym ball is a great way to strengthen your core and develop your balance to make 2 point easier.
 
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Nierva said:
I struggle with the "bum out" bit, as someone whose main hobby was always ballet before now! Bums are definitely NOT allowed to be out in ballet!
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The "Bum out" advice does not mean sticking your bum out from your spine. It means lifting it out of the saddle,
Think of it like an old fashioned ironing board. You lift your bum out of the saddle and your head (which is very heavy) goes forward as a counterweight to your bum. Your back is a straight line between them.
You can start practising this in trot. It is best to put your weight into your heels which in itself lifts ones seat slightly out of the saddle,
 
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Stand on the floor with your feet apart and your knees bent at a similar sort of angle as you'd have them riding and your hands in front of you, essentially you're on an invisible horse. Now take your light forward seat position and hold. Notice how your hips/bum have to go back in order for you to maintain your balance and not step forward? That's what you're looking for when you ride.
 
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