|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:29 pm
 The love for a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being, if you never love a horse, you'll never understand.
So I was forced to take a riding break since sometime in March of this year due to my school being forced to shut down. They're hoping to open next week if their new place is ready. I rode twice this summer while they were at a temporary place. I hadn't forgotten too much I'm just having trouble keeping my heels down and not having my hands too high. My question besides what to do about those two things were how many weeks of one half hour lesson a week does it take to get back into things? Does having a horse you work well with help? 'Cause in that case it may be a while since the horse I worked super well with went back to her owner before they shut down. So now I need to find a horse that works well with me too. THough the instructors think they may have found one they're looking into getting this horse. So yeah help with heels, hands and how long will it take to get back into things completely?
A horse is an angel without wings 
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:01 pm
It takes different amounts of time for everyone to get back into riding after a hiatus. I haven't seriously ridden for over a month and a half, and I am NOT looking forward to my dressage lesson tomorrow morning! Though, it's with the easier of my two instructors, so I should be okay. I haven't taken this long off in years though, so it will be interesting to see how my body reacts to being back in the saddle.
The main thing that makes a difference is your general level of fitness. If you've stayed active and are still in pretty good shape, it shouldn't take too long to get back into the swing of things. If you've been sitting on the couch eating potato chips every day, then it might take a little longer. xd
Heels: Think of relaxing through your ankles and letting your heels sink down into the ground. It's something that you'll just have to be constantly reminding yourself about the first few weeks and until your body remembers "Oh YEAH!"
Similar with your hands. Remember the straight line from bit, to hand, to elbow. The explanation that I found worked really well to finally get my hands to behave was to think, not of lowering my hands, but of lifting my elbows without moving my shoulders. Try it right now, sitting at your desk. Hold your arms like you're holding reins, with your elbows at your sides, and without moving your shoulders, try to lift your elbows. What happens to your hands? If you're like me, they go down. Anyway, that was a trick that worked for me, but mostly it's just a constant reminder kind of thing. My trainer used to tell me that she wanted me to constantly be hearing her voice screaming "Hands down, shoulders back!" whenever I was riding. ... we have an interesting relationship though. And I'm kind of strange...
I've been riding and training for over 10 years, and the first time I got on a horse (not to work, just to hack around) after this time off, I felt like a complete clutz. Probably didn't help that it was a half-green Paso Fino, and I've never ridden a gaited horse before. But that's besides the point. The point is, just work hard, and it'll come back to you after a few rides.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:50 pm
The love for a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being, if you never love a horse, you'll never understand.
Thanks I'll have to try that.
About relationships between instructor and rider I think that helps a lot even if they are weird ones. I had an awesome relationship with my old instructor then she got layed off shortly before the school closed. I hope she comes back one day because she's my favourite teacher and was the best for me. My new instructor's nice but I don't know her well so I hope things will go good. I just need someone to be like hands/heels down now! not ah she's doing well enough we'll worry about that next week. Though if things go well they'll be putting me in shows so they should be a bit more serious with me I hope gonk
A horse is an angel without wings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
