Too heavy.

[MrA]

Right so I've been getting a bit paranoid. Up until a few weeks ago I'd just been hacking Brodie due to my injury. We had a lovely summer and lots of long canters no problems with carrying me. I began schooling and he just isn't going that well. I'm not sure if it's me or him. I'm probably not as strong as still recovering from my injury. He's schooled by his owners girls and is going fantastically so it's not a fitness thing.

After riding today I just have this tiny doubt at the back of my mind that he's struggling with my because I'm heavier than the girls (who are 14)

Brodie is a fairly fit Connemara 16years and in good health. He's ridden most days of the week. Last week he went xc with his owners daughters no problem at all, flew everything. I'm 61kg.

 

[Jessey]

How big is he @Ale? If his owner is happy, which I assume she is as you've been riding him a good while now, I'd take reassurance from that. Perhaps you just have a different style to the girls and its more noticeable to you when schooling, maybe watching them school or getting some pointers from them will help you find that sweet spot

 

[carthorse]

At 61kg I can't imagine it's your weight, like @Jessey I'd be suspecting a difference in style, timing or balance. Also, and no offence here, how good are the girls? If Charlotte Dujardin got on mine I have no doubt he'd go better, but although she'd be lighter than me I'm absolutely certain that weight wouldn't be a significant factor! They've been schooling him a lot longer than you, they know his buttons and he knows how to anticipate their requests. If you want to school him then keep at it, and if you get on with them then maybe ask them for some advice. More than anything, enjoy yourselves

 

[MrA]

How big is he @Ale? If his owner is happy, which I assume she is as you've been riding him a good while now, I'd take reassurance from that. Perhaps you just have a different style to the girls and its more noticeable to you when schooling, maybe watching them school or getting some pointers from them will help you find that sweet spot

He's around 15.1. I asked the yard owner today if she could see I was doing anything. Feels like I'm riding round with the handbrake on! Watching the girls is a very good idea, thank-you.

 

[MrA]

At 61kg I can't imagine it's your weight, like @Jessey I'd be suspecting a difference in style, timing or balance. Also, and no offence here, how good are the girls? If Charlotte Dujardin got on mine I have no doubt he'd go better, but although she'd be lighter than me I'm absolutely certain that weight wouldn't be a significant factor! They've been schooling him a lot longer than you, they know his buttons and he knows how to anticipate their requests. If you want to school him then keep at it, and if you get on with them then maybe ask them for some advice. More than anything, enjoy yourselves

They are good little riders, come on alot so much in the last 6 months or so and have probably completely over taken my level of riding now ha. Perhaps I'm just expecting to run before I can walk. We've just lost something. Perhaps it's just being confined to the school again. Put a jump up and we get our act together but perhaps that's because I need to actually ride then otherwise I'll fall off! I'm not attempting much, just walk and trot but even trying to walk a 20m circle today just didn't feel right. I'm not really actually fussed about schooling anymore, I've no ambition to go out and compete dressage currently but thought due to the weather I'd better start riding in the school to do more to keep his fitness up. I'll see how we go Sunday when it's a slightly more exciting environment.

 

[joosie]

Honestly, if you are all schooling him, maybe he is just a bit bored / lacking motivation in the arena? I suspect he was doing more hacking in the summer and is in the arena more now?
He might just seem different with you because a lot of kids have electric bottoms, and/or more energetic enthusiasm than an adult rider, and some horses just naturally go more forward for them. There was a horse in Portugal whose buttons I could simply never find, it was hard to even get him into canter sometimes, put a Pony Club kid on him and he zoomed everywhere!

 

[MrA]

Honestly, if you are all schooling him, maybe he is just a bit bored / lacking motivation in the arena? I suspect he was doing more hacking in the summer and is in the arena more now?
He might just seem different with you because a lot of kids have electric bottoms, and/or more energetic enthusiasm than an adult rider, and some horses just naturally go more forward for them. There was a horse in Portugal whose buttons I could simply never find, it was hard to even get him into canter sometimes, put a Pony Club kid on him and he zoomed everywhere!

Really good point, hopefully Sunday should get a bit of an answer if it is this as heading out to a different yard to jump with other horses. I've got a few trips planned but I'll have to try and be more inventive with my schooling see if that helps

 

[Jessey]

I find focus really important with schooling, if I go without a plan they can often shut down and amble about because I'm not riding with purpose, perhaps that's why a jump or pole helps you get more from him? At 15.1 I can't imagine you are anywhere near too big for him

 

[chunky monkey]

At 15.1 and 61kg you are fine. I am heavier than you on a small horse, it's me that's the paranoid one. I dont you have an issue in that department. The horse could be finding it harder work than having kids on his back, especially on the bends. Equally it could be your balance etc as suggested already.
If it were me I'd try and have a few schooling lessons. Maybe you are just a little rusty. A few lessons might give you some inventive ideas from an instructor. Maybe add some raised poles to give you purpose.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Definitely not a weight issue. If you have been injured your balance and strength will be out which makes school difficult.

I would suggest watching the girls ride to see what they are doing then maybe jump on after them to see how he feels.

schooling with a purpose helps have a plan but don’t be afraid to change it if it’s not working. Getting him off the leg and forward is where i would start. Lots of transitions and forget about where his head is to start with (as long as he is not hollowing) a forward horse is more enjoyable to ride and easier to school than one you constantly have to kick

 

[Skib]

I cant comment on your horse Ale but Maisie was a Connemara cross about 15.3. I rode her over many years during which time my weight fluctuated, tho always under 10 stone.
After she was ill my weight was down to 9 stone and the YO said that was a good thing. It was summer too meaning my total weight was less than in heavy winter clothes.
I could feel the difference in her movement and the ease with which she carried me when my weight was down and i was in summer clothes.
Both Maisie and my share carried me easilly when my weight was 10 stone and I was in winter clothes but (as a rider) one can feel the difference..
So yes, you will feel different to him from the teenagers.

Plus it is a penalty of sharing - riding a horse that lots of other people ride.

But there is a difference too between the school and outside hacking. In the school both horse and rider are likely to be more correct - less relaxed. Plus the school movements with arcs and turns place more stress on the horse than riding in a straight line out hacking.
I dont ride "correctly" in the school as I didnt learn that way but I can definitely feel the difference even when I try to ride relaxed.

It is what one does in the school rather than the setting which makes a difference I think. Last summer I happened to be on a large football pitch riding my new share and decided to ride a favourite dressage test - just to see how she did. I got nowhere. I had to ride transitions on her just to gee her up. And the staff member with me grumbled about how hard she was to ride back home in the school.

In any case one doesnt have to be strong in order to school. Try breathing and being soft is my suggestion. My old share gave me some of our best in school transitions on my very first ride after a serious operation. I was too feeble to use much leg - and once they know that small cues mean something they may well go better for it..If he flies for you out hacking try to replicate your soft hacking style in the school.

Remember that what matters is not holding the horse in from the front, but allowing free movement so the hind legs come right under and give you the propulsion you are looking for. it helps me too to remember that the origins of dressage lay in the training of a good saddle horse. Just picturing that one is on a bridle track while going large in the school can free things up. And out hacking one can practice dressage test things too - like transtions between and within gaits and leg yield.

 

[Skib]

By the way I hope it goes well tomorrow - the weather is still foul.

 

[Toz]

Could it be that if they are riding him more than you he’s just got used to their way of riding more than yours?
I do think that horses adapt to a certain rider and that can make things slightly more difficult for another.

 

[MrA]

So Brodie had a week off with his lymphangitis and a gentle week back in work.

That gentle week has consisted of him getting extremely excited on a walk hack and bouncing up and down on the spot purely because the other horse was doing so, he then trotted up a hill in a beautiful outline and felt amazing as I was having to use my seat to stop him charging off!

The second he walked at 500mph around the roads for a gentle warm up, then I took him in the school and had a short trot and canter and he whizzed around feeling very much back to his old self. Such a relief.

Also want to add he had been back out in the field for a few days and his owners daughters had ridden twice before I got on but he still felt very fresh and well in himself.

So huge relief and panic over that I'm too heavy for him as he certainly was not struggling up that hill the first day I rode again haha

 

[Trewsers]

So Brodie had a week off with his lymphangitis and a gentle week back in work.

That gentle week has consisted of him getting extremely excited on a walk hack and bouncing up and down on the spot purely because the other horse was doing so, he then trotted up a hill in a beautiful outline and felt amazing as I was having to use my seat to stop him charging off!

The second he walked at 500mph around the roads for a gentle warm up, then I took him in the school and had a short trot and canter and he whizzed around feeling very much back to his old self. Such a relief.

Also want to add he had been back out in the field for a few days and his owners daughters had ridden twice before I got on but he still felt very fresh and well in himself.

So huge relief and panic over that I'm too heavy for him as he certainly was not struggling up that hill the first day I rode again haha

Glad he's better. Did you ever find out what caused the lymphangitis?