- I'm too handsy when I should be using seat and leg aids
- I am stubborn about using spurs or the crop/bat
- I find myself tending to one seatbone sometimes
- I don't open my chest up enough in corners and don't actually turn my shoulders--hence part of the counter-bending
The only interesting thing has come out of the lessons lately is that I had the opportunity to ride the last 10 minutes or so of a lesson, on Sheri's fancy pants dressage horse, Blue. He's humongous and has so many of those "fancy buttons" like leg yielding at a touch. Riding his strides is like learning all over again b/c if I thought Bons was floaty, this guy is even more so. Certainly, we saw a lot of the issues I've been having, manifesting very clearly while on Blue because he's just SO responsive.
Hopefully if I just am continually diligent about the exercise, I'll see some improvement.
I have the exact same problems! About turning the shoulders: my trainer said to try it in from of the mirror. I seem to think I am turning my shoulders when going left, though I'm really not, and watching in front of the mirror helped a bit. On being handsy, I tried focusing on turning my shoulders and using my outside leg to pushing the horse's shoulders when I turn. It's difficult sometimes for me to trust that the horse will actually turn when I do so little. I'm still working on not leaning--I often sit more to the left--but I'm getting better. It's a lot of work!
ReplyDeleteExciting that you got to ride a fancy dressage horse! I noticed too that my issues were more pronounced when riding a fancy horse. Everything means something to them, and they're really looking for their rider to be the leader. I found, for example, that if I glanced down before taking off, he would not head where I wanted to go, excuse he thought I wanted to go in the direction where I was looking,
totally get you. wow. i am the same way! i want to trust them but i can't... and as a result, nothing happens.
Deletetotally! i tried to get him to trot forward but i was sitting on the "collect collect COLLECT!!!!" button and so he started to build the energy up. the fancy horse was amazing! despite being so fancy, he's an absolute sweet heart and is SO willing to please. he doesnt' freak out when you've no idea what you're doing and is just there to please. amazing boy.
I know I'm learning via hunters and not dressage, but I don't think about seat bones! Oops!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am learning the more horses I ride that "responsive" doesn't mean "easy" :) And here I was complaining that horses that wont trot when asked are difficult.
lol i didn't either! seat is the absolute more important aid but we rarely think about it... more on that on my new lesson post coming up :)
Deleteha! so true... ariel is "responsive" but definitely not for a straight beginner...