[JaneC]

Hi

I have a lesson once a week and usually ride side-saddle but today a friend let me ride her son's 15hh Fell and I don't have my own side-saddle so I rode astride. Walk was fine but he had quite a bouncy trot and I felt I was a real sack of potatoes ! Seemed to be bouncing out of the saddle and lost my stirrups a couple of times ( even with my toestoppers ) have you got any tips for keeping my bum on the saddle!! As I got tired my right leg (which is worse one )was flapping around and poor little horse did not know what I was asking for, I think we did a bit of leg yield or shoulder in by mistake !! Oh dear I feel so useless !!

Any ideas or tips from all you much more experienced riders would be greatly appreciated ! Thanks.

[Doodle]

I can only give you advice on what works for me.

I think you have better balance than me, as I couldnt ride side saddle at all!

Anyway this is what works for me, As I find trot the bounciest, I use a balancing handle at the pommel, attached from D-ring to D-ring, a seat saver to help glue my bum to the saddle. And for the legs I use Equilibrium Symmetry leg training straps, they attach from girth to stirrup and work for me no end!! You get them in tack shops or online! but any kind of velcro strap would work, you need to always remember to be safe! These break free if you were to fall off!

Hope thats of some use!

[wheelywendy]

hi Jayne
i use, Caldene Belgrade Competition Breeches (these are stretch knitted cotton jodhpurs/breeches with 'sticky bum' dressage seat. Features a deep waistband which is elasticated for extra comfort. 'Sticky bum' dressage seat gives a practical grip feature whilst retaining the stretch for a comfortable fit)

. Equilibrium Symmetry leg training straps

seat saver

Equs Stirrup Dapps (toe caps to stop feet slipping through)

these together seem to help a lot, i do find the trot a bit bouncy but using the above i usually manage to stay on! but am quite lucky as if my foot slips out of the stirrup my horse tends to stop , wait for my foot to be put back in the set off again, its as though he knows, as if anyone else loses a stirup the little sod bucks them off!!)

[JaneC]

Thanks Doodle and Wendy
I have got sticky bum breeches and now got some toestoppers which are helping to make me feel more secure. I haven't tried the leg straps though. I am having another lesson tomorrow so will see how I get on.

Wendy, where do you live ? Do you have your own horse ? Always good to hear from other riders !!

Thanks for your help

Jane

[twisted_ophelia]

Thought I'd add my two cents in here (of course!). I use a saddle gel pad and full set breeches when I'm going a lot of trotting work (it should be said that I HATE the trot, lol). A sitting trot on my Thoroughbred is horrendous because he has a typical TB huge witherbone and an oddly bouncy gate but doing a sitting trot on my new horse, a 4 year old TB/Percheron cross is much nicer. He's more like a big floaty 'couch' horse, definitely more draft in him than his TB genes. Anyway, I also wear my Ariat half chaps which are half leather/half suede so this creates less sliding off my legs (which just bounce around, I just use velcro to keep my feet in the stirrups) and I apply all principles I learned as an able-bodied rider to the sitting trot which to stay as relaxed as possible and just feel and flow with the movement. I find it's natural to tense up, grab mane, and that's when balance is lost. I am T7-8 so I dont have full use of my abominals and I REALLY need to focus on balance/steadiness in order not to just bounce right off. Overall, I prefer the canter (or walk!) to the trot. I've never been a fan of the sitting trot but Emma is amazing at it so take her advice! :-) I think I might be better off giving jumping advice ;-)

[wheelywendy]

JaneC, on 15 August 2010 - 06:53 PM, said:

Thanks Doodle and Wendy
I have got sticky bum breeches and now got some toestoppers which are helping to make me feel more secure. I haven't tried the leg straps though. I am having another lesson tomorrow so will see how I get on.

Wendy, where do you live ? Do you have your own horse ? Always good to hear from other riders !!

Thanks for your help

Jane

hi jayne i'm east anglia, had my own horse until beginning of the year but we lost our grazing the farmer died and his son sold the land for new housing! so i had to sell my horse as other stables etc round here are too expensive but he went to a good friend so although shes a long way from me i get updates and emails from her. i now ride a friends horse when i can.

[pinkcloud]

Good for your getting back on a horse.

I tried it after my accident, not knowing a had an early SCI. Sitting trot? Couldnt do it. I tried it but I had no balance and it was so painful. Of course the horse picked up on this and decided to play up as he thought he had a novice on his back

Maybe just stick to using the sitting trot only before you go into canter (and I couldnt do that neither I had to stand up - ).

Keep me posted, be great to hear of your progress. Maybe one day when the pain calms down I can have a go too

Total respect to you
[/quote]

[JaneC]

Thanks for all the input, I think I have to keep practising and it is true that if you tense up it all gets worse....but because I only ride astride occasionally it feels quite odd and I am probably more tense than I am when I ride side-saddle, sitting trot is much easier on a side-saddle. Anyway I shall keep trying and I always enjoy my riding which is great.

I have not progressed to canter yet, I don't think my instructor thinks I am ready for that and as for jumping !!!!! I think anyone disabled who can jump is amazing would love to see you twisted ophelia !

[pinkcloud]

Let us know when you get to canter ...... its such an amazing buzz when you do it for the first time. Your'll never want to trot again Be great to hear your experience of it

[twisted_ophelia]

JaneC, on 26 August 2010 - 03:40 PM, said:

Thanks for all the input, I think I have to keep practising and it is true that if you tense up it all gets worse....but because I only ride astride occasionally it feels quite odd and I am probably more tense than I am when I ride side-saddle, sitting trot is much easier on a side-saddle. Anyway I shall keep trying and I always enjoy my riding which is great.

I have not progressed to canter yet, I don't think my instructor thinks I am ready for that and as for jumping !!!!! I think anyone disabled who can jump is amazing would love to see you twisted ophelia !

I will try get some video online for you guys. I have a bit on my facebook (photos of me jumping) so if you want, send me a private message and i'll give you my name for facebook. also, you will love canter much more than sitting trot with a disability. it's sooo much smoother and easier. i actually took my little horse (well he's not little but he's only 4) Riot over his first teeny tiny jump today. he's never jumped before but he's been mastering the canter/trot poles and has a nice rhythm so i figured why not? he popped over it smoothly, no problem! very proud of that!

i'm really impressed that you ride side-saddle, very awesome! if i do side-saddle, i slide right off!

[Doodle]

Jane - How are you getting on with your riding? Have you tried canter? I took me 2years of riding SCI before I was brave enough and balanced enough to try canter, but now its sooooo much smoother than trot and less strain on your back, easier to sit to! Oh and another thought I have found that works for me, is to honestly almost try and make your self feel like jelly, let your body absorb the movement of the horse, I can only do when i make a conscious effort of dropping my shoulder and going with the flow, I have a problem of being to upright to the point of being behind the vertical and find it hard to relax forward!

I had my first group canter out in the open on sunday, WOW! I never thought I'd do that again, It was amazing to feel that buzz again of feeling the wind in your face and the sun was shining, murphy loved it and was a star! I was near the front I must add so that Murf didn't think it was a race! I have a competition tonight the first one of this season, just an evening BD affiliated one close by, I'm attempting my first affiliated Novice level tonight and I hope to start unaffiliated elementary. Fingers crossed I can get to somne Para stuff in October (theres one in Northallerton, North York 10th Oct) and over the winter!

[pinkcloud]

Doodle - this is lovely for me to read - I dont think i will ever be able to sit on a horse again as I have loads of trouble with sitting up as it is without support behind me (pain) but I love to read these happy stories - I kind if feel like I am there again, when I read this kind of stuff. Keep us posted on this thread

[JaneC]

Hi Doodle

Thanks for your update and encouragement! I have a side-saddle lesson tomorrow so will really try to relax, I know my instructor often tells me to let my shoulders drop down ( that is while she is also telling me right hip back, left leg long, sit tall through my left side etc etc !! )

On Friday I am driving over to the lake District to hack out ( astride not side-saddle) at a wonderful centre where they also have RDA sessions so they are happy to take me out. I have found lots of places won't take me out I think they are just worried about the resposibility. I envy you your canter outside that must have been fantastic Murphy sounds a great horse.

I have still not tried canter but hope that as my position improves I may get there one day !


I did not know about the paradressage at Northallerton that is just up the road !! I shall try and get to watch, please keep me posted and if you are coming I shall certainly try and be there to watch and cheer you on !

[E-DOG]

WOW!
Silly me. Had to get halfway through this thread before I realized it was about horseback riding and not sex.
OOPS!

E

[Doodle]

Jane - Is that in Keswick? I will let you know about the 10th Oct, Im waiting to see if I can get a groom for it otherwise I wont manage

I dont doubt you will get to canter eventually!

And E-Dog get your mind out the gutter

[E-DOG]

Doodle, on 07 September 2010 - 09:12 PM, said:

And E-Dog get your mind out the gutter

Happy to.
Send a team of experts, a jaws of life and a D-9 Caterpillar tractor.
We'll need some pizzas too. This is gonna be an all day job.
What the hell, throw in some dirty magazines so I'll have something to read while the lads are workin'.

[pinkcloud]

E-DOG, on 07 September 2010 - 10:24 PM, said:

Doodle, on 07 September 2010 - 09:12 PM, said:

And E-Dog get your mind out the gutter

Happy to.
Send a team of experts, a jaws of life and a D-9 Caterpillar tractor.
We'll need some pizzas too. This is gonna be an all day job.
What the hell, throw in some dirty magazines so I'll have something to read while the lads are workin'.

I bet you were just waiting to hear about the topic of rising trot hey E-dog - girls if we can ever try and acheive this it means we will have thighs that can crack a nut open again - then E-dog will be very scared of us