Trouble with bending and keeping even

I had a lesson today and when we were doing ground work, my trainer had me do about a 25ft circle around him, going both directions. He says to put pressure on my inside leg, open up the inside rein, keep contact with the outside rein, and had my inner shoulder at an angle towards the horses outside ear while Im circling to get the horse to bend around my leg and not cut off corners. It worked kinda, I could tell he was bending, and not doing a square with curved corners anymore, but sometimes he just was completely not responding to it. Its like I had to imagine pushing him away from the inside of the circle to bend. Any other advice to help?



Also, my trainer says I put more weight on my right leg than my left, so Im shifted to the right. It's gotten better, but the thing is, I have a leg slightly longer than the other, so do you think that could be whats wrong? If I shift to the left a bit to center, I feel im putting to much weight on my left leg and just doesnt feel right at all. But when I sit to where he says its to the right, I feel perfectly even. Gahh! Any advice? :P
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Anyone?

Gahh help?
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Sounds like the same muscle memory problem we all have. I have pictures of me riding from behind where it looks like I'll slip right off the horse since I'm so much heavier in my left leg. Unfortunately the only way to fix it is to ride either with a person on the ground or mirrors to point out when you're becoming lopsided and just get used to the new feeling of proper balance. Riding without stirrups also works since you can't cheat by sitting lopsided. You either have to sit square or slide off.

I guess your right, Its just that when I ride, one knee looks high cause one leg is long, so... I don't really know how to fix it.

But anyone got any tips on the bending?
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When I have problems with bending it's usually because I'm getting lazy and trying to do it with the reins instead of my whole body. (See, I've been "there" so often I now recognize it!) So I leave off the reins for a bit, and just work on doing turns using my legs: it feels like I'm directing with my knees. If I can't get the bend, I'll just keep making the circle smaller until it HAS to happen. I'll then try changing directions, still without reins. By this time I've energized my own body, I've got into better sync with my horse, and got her listening better too; and I can go back to the big circle. But try not to drill too much, it makes a horse bored and often inattentive.

Thanks for the advice! Though that's kind of difficult, since I don't have my own horse, so I can't go off on my own and work on it, I gotta go by what my trainer wants me to do/work on.

Grace - I sense you are one of those new riders who needs to understand. Good.

But the side of your brain which keeps you up in the saddle is the same bit that allows you to walk, run and move and you don't have that much control over it.
By the time you think out what you should have done, that bit of the brain should have already done it - otherwise you will be on the floor.

Start thinking 'feel'. If you want to turn right then look right and turn your body, just a touch, right - similarly you want to go left, then look left and turn yourself slightly left. That's a live creature you are sitting on - learn how to communicate with it.

Try one simple exercise. Put the horse to a four feet square stand - then hold it at the halt by staying perfectly still - no pressure on the reins just sit still. Then when you want to move forwards squeeze the muscles on the underside of your thighs, gently -take just one pace. Then stand still again.

Riding is all about 'feel'. By all means think and understand but learn how to 'feel'.

B G

Not necessarily new. I've been riding for 9 years. And I know to look where Im going and use my body to turn, I can turn and steer my horse without reins, so...yeah. But thanks :P
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Have you read the book, "Build a Better Athlete"? It's only $20 and has 20 exercises in it, all of which are geared toward creating a more supple horse. Even if you can't practice between lessons, the exercises are things that you can do just while you're warming up or colling down your horse. It might help with the bending stuff.