Tips to stop rider holding saddle
- Thread starter chunky monkey
- Start date
Would they be better with a neck strap or a strap on the front D rings? I'd probably go with the D rings as then it isn't pulling on the horse, and make the strap long enough that they don't have to be tipped right forward to hold it. They may feel more confident if the trot is slowed to a near jog to begin with so they can sit rather than worry about riding, rising will be easier once they feel safer and relax.
If they're being led could you try things like arms out to the side for a couple of stride, arms folded, hands on thighs etc? I guess it depends on how comfortable and steady the horse is for these, plus you don't want to scare the learner.
If they're being led could you try things like arms out to the side for a couple of stride, arms folded, hands on thighs etc? I guess it depends on how comfortable and steady the horse is for these, plus you don't want to scare the learner.
I recommend a grab strap on the D rings. I still have one for emergencies. It moves up and down a bit so provides support but also passes on the horse's movement to the rider.
The grab strap or in ye olden days, we had a stirrup leather around the neck for those who had hogged manes.
Forgot to say she is having lessons from a qualified instructor so this is added time in the saddle. Im no instructor but want to make sure the guidance is right.
Definately no mane to grab.
I tried a stirrup leather round the neck on a funride once it unbalanced me more. Think this child might be the same. One of the previous girls use to use one, so theres one hanging on the peg with the bridle. I will try her with it.
Ill try a grab strap on the d rings. Sure ive got an old leather headcollar i can convert to make one. Im thinking one of my broken leather headcollars had a rolled leather chin peice. That might be long enough. Being rolled it should be comfortable to hold.
What should i make her do with reins if she uses the grab strap. Do i get her to ride one hand on grab strap, one handed with reins. I noticed she grabbed the saddle previous with both hands so had zero control on rein contact if horse took off.
Im sure if we can wean her off saddle grabbing she will then get the balance.
Thinking of trying her on lunge in short trot bursts. So will try to get her to stick arms out.
Definately no mane to grab.
I tried a stirrup leather round the neck on a funride once it unbalanced me more. Think this child might be the same. One of the previous girls use to use one, so theres one hanging on the peg with the bridle. I will try her with it.
Ill try a grab strap on the d rings. Sure ive got an old leather headcollar i can convert to make one. Im thinking one of my broken leather headcollars had a rolled leather chin peice. That might be long enough. Being rolled it should be comfortable to hold.
What should i make her do with reins if she uses the grab strap. Do i get her to ride one hand on grab strap, one handed with reins. I noticed she grabbed the saddle previous with both hands so had zero control on rein contact if horse took off.
Im sure if we can wean her off saddle grabbing she will then get the balance.
Thinking of trying her on lunge in short trot bursts. So will try to get her to stick arms out.
With a neck strap you need to lean forward to get it, so to me that's useful if you are riding at a faster pace.
The strap on the D rings is a good idea.
But to me if they are having to grab the saddle to balance or for confidence, they are not ready to be off the lead rein.
The strap on the D rings is a good idea.
But to me if they are having to grab the saddle to balance or for confidence, they are not ready to be off the lead rein.
Maybe with a grab strap you could persuade her just to hook her little fingers under it, that way she can hold the reins too and will be less reliant on it. If you have an old flash strap around it's one of the better uses I can think of for them!
If she's unbalanced and not confident I'd be wary of lunging her as being on a circle won't help, better to lead and jog alongside to get a steady jog trot that you're in control of.
If she's unbalanced and not confident I'd be wary of lunging her as being on a circle won't help, better to lead and jog alongside to get a steady jog trot that you're in control of.
I would suggest putting her on the lunge and taking her reins away. Get her to hold her hands out to the side or touch her head etc. so she can find her balance without holding on.
I looked at the notes on my grand daughter's first riding lessons and @MaryPoppins is right. She did a lot of touching bits of her own head and body in walk and held on only to the numnah, not the saddle. She was led up and down some quite steep banks (in walk)
Trotting came a bit later. She learned sitting trot before rising. That was the way at that yard.
Trotting came a bit later. She learned sitting trot before rising. That was the way at that yard.
You dont say how old your learner is, but regardless I highly recommond a grab strap over the d rings as the best solution. Depends how old the rider is as to how big it needs to be though.
My neice has learnt to ride her pony with one. Ideally it needs to be long enough plus a little bit so both hands can be in the correct place when holding both sides of the strap but the strap isnt as tight as it can be so the rider has it under pressure doing nothing. We have her hold it and the reins as if she was riding with a double, so as she is only little we had to find a really narrow strap! If she needs to let go to give the pony more direction in anything but walk atm its only allowed to be one hand, and should be the inside hand opening outwards.
This method has double benefits as it means the outside rein is a little like a side rein and still, so the pony is much happier with it, and she learnt that forgetting to hold the strap and flapping the reins about results in her pony stopping, and that you dont have to use (much) rein to steer. If she looses balance she doesnt catch his mouth but having the strap just a little bit longer means she doesnt use it for balance unless she needs to and teaches her to hold her hands for herself.
It was a bit of trial and error to get it just right, but has been a game changer for her riding confidence!
My neice has learnt to ride her pony with one. Ideally it needs to be long enough plus a little bit so both hands can be in the correct place when holding both sides of the strap but the strap isnt as tight as it can be so the rider has it under pressure doing nothing. We have her hold it and the reins as if she was riding with a double, so as she is only little we had to find a really narrow strap! If she needs to let go to give the pony more direction in anything but walk atm its only allowed to be one hand, and should be the inside hand opening outwards.
This method has double benefits as it means the outside rein is a little like a side rein and still, so the pony is much happier with it, and she learnt that forgetting to hold the strap and flapping the reins about results in her pony stopping, and that you dont have to use (much) rein to steer. If she looses balance she doesnt catch his mouth but having the strap just a little bit longer means she doesnt use it for balance unless she needs to and teaches her to hold her hands for herself.
It was a bit of trial and error to get it just right, but has been a game changer for her riding confidence!
Thankyou all.
Do you think this might be too long for a grab strap. The peice i was thinking of using was split so ive used the nose band off the headcollar with it square buckles and attached with a couple of clips to the d ring.
Ive just looked online and the grab straps are rounded so i was right in thinking of using the throat peice as thats rounded. Ill see how she goes tomorrow with what ive rigged up but it might be too much for little hands.
Do you think this might be too long for a grab strap. The peice i was thinking of using was split so ive used the nose band off the headcollar with it square buckles and attached with a couple of clips to the d ring.
Ive just looked online and the grab straps are rounded so i was right in thinking of using the throat peice as thats rounded. Ill see how she goes tomorrow with what ive rigged up but it might be too much for little hands.
All the exercises you did at a standstill built into balance and confidence, round the world, scissors etc. might be worth practicing a few of those too.
How to get a child to master trot without grabbing saddle.
Tell child to grab strap to balance instead of saddle.
Well 4 trots today and not once did she grab saddle or the strap. Result.
The second trot was quite long and when she wanted to stop i made her keep going a bit further as chunky was doing a lovely slow trot whilst i jogged along at the side puffing like a steam train. So i did push her that little bit more.
She also managed to canter at her riding lesson this week, so shes done really well.
She did complain that her knee was rubbing the saddle so im guessing she was gripping to keep her balance as she rose out the saddle. Plus she rode in thin leggings rather than her riding leggings.
At least shes proved she can do it. I think it was just confidence on a new horse.
Tell child to grab strap to balance instead of saddle.
Well 4 trots today and not once did she grab saddle or the strap. Result.
The second trot was quite long and when she wanted to stop i made her keep going a bit further as chunky was doing a lovely slow trot whilst i jogged along at the side puffing like a steam train. So i did push her that little bit more.
She also managed to canter at her riding lesson this week, so shes done really well.
She did complain that her knee was rubbing the saddle so im guessing she was gripping to keep her balance as she rose out the saddle. Plus she rode in thin leggings rather than her riding leggings.
At least shes proved she can do it. I think it was just confidence on a new horse.
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