Visuals to keep in mind as you are riding.
As a trainer I try to come up with visuals for my clients to help them while they are riding. Below are a few that have improved client’s positions
Imagine you are on a balance beam and you can’t fall off. To do this you have to keep you head over your shoulders and your core engaged. This help going through corners, maintaining a rhythm, and in transitions it gives the horse a sense of balance.
Pop a wheelie in the canter transition. A lot of riders have a tendency to lean forward in a canter transition which not only puts the horse on the forehand but allows them to rush into the canter. If you can think of popping a wheelie you will have the tendency to keep your upper body back and hold your hands lower allowing the horse to lift into the canter.
A 20 meter circle has no corners! When giving lessons in our indoor, clients will ride the half of the circle at the end of the arena completely different than the half that is on the open part of the arena. It is a circle and there shouldn’t be any difference in the halves. Don’t change your position or hands at any point in the circle and by all means don’t panic as you come to the half that isn’t against the wall. It is a circle and each half of the circle in the same.
Visualize your legs being bags of wet sand. This helps the rider to keep their legs toned but not pinching into the saddle. If you are pinching with your knees you will push yourself out of the saddle and not allow your pelvis to follow the movement of the horse.
You are riding with a strapless dress on. We all know that we have to stand tall with our shoulders down and back to keep that dress up! Visualizing this helps the rider keep their chest up and still tall in the saddle.
You have to glasses of expensive wine in your hands, don’t spill it! The rider’s hand become still and quiet when this phrased is used. The horse’s head gets level and the connection from the hands through the reins into the bit becomes quiet and the horse relaxes into the connection.
In the downward transitions imagine growing taller and lifting your head towards the ceiling. As the rider grows tall they engage their core, sit back and sink deeper in the saddle. By sitting like this the horse uses its hind end and engages in the downward transitions instead of slamming on the front end.
Visualize your spine as a post. When you keep you spine straight and tall you stay balanced on the horse, engage you core and keep your shoulder flat against your back and this position helps your pelvis to follow with the horse’s movement. The horse that likes to rip you out of the saddle in the upward and downward transitions isn’t able to pull you forward and will start using their own body instead you pulling you forward.
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