Posting Trot

Is your coach worried about you 'getting her head in' or is it just that you've seen pictures and think that you need to have the horse going like that?

Totally agree with Anebel, you say you've been riding for 6 months. You are no where near ready to start learning collection. You need to (again, to re-enforce anebel's comment) find someone who will put you on the lunge with no stirrups and reins, and learn how to find your own centre of balance, to the point where you do not rely on your legs or hands to balance in the saddle.
From there, your seat will begin to influence the horse, take your reins and stirrups away and have the coach teach you about driving the horse into the bridle. Forward is ALWAYS the key. You want the hind hooves to land in the tracks the front hooves have made. Once you're horse is tracking up, you know your on the right track (no pun intended).
It's very common for beginner riders to have the horse plodding along, dragging its feet and the horse will have its head 'down' giving the rider the impression that the horse is 'on the bit' or 'collected'. This is not the case and a good coach will explain this to you ;)

Hello All,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my second set of pictures.

I just wanted you guys to know that my trainer hasn't encouraged collection and nor does she talk about it. My typical 45 min lesson involves wtc and trotting/cantering over a few small oxers.

She corrects my upper body bend, hands, and asks me to relax.

I am under the impression that if I carry myself well, that I should be able to get the horse to "fall into position". Lowered head, using hind etc., I am trying to make the 13 yo TB (lesson horse) that I ride act this way, as a mirror to what I am doing.

If collection really is beyond a rider with 6 mos training, then so be it. I will change my expectation and focus on what I am doing on the horse. I do find it helpful to analyze my riding and have people discuss it with me though. Otherwise, I am riding around the arena wondering...am I doing this right?

I will implement your advice and continue to update.

Thanks,

Shelley

One thing I noticed is you tend to have "piano hands" in your pics. Try to keep your thumbs facing up rather than to the side.

Your heels are great and you are always looking up, a great thing!

As you said, you are a bit tense, and exercises in the saddle such as rolling shoulders to roll the tension out of you, etc. could help.

Doing work without stirrups at the trot or lunge lessons as mentioned earlier could benefit you to straighten your back and gain more confidence in being 'one with your horse'. Right now, I see you doing pretty well for only riding six mos. :) but I also see you riding in one way and your horse looking a tad confused. Don't think so hard! You'll get it eventually ;)

~AL615

I agree with all of the above. Horse riding not just about thinking, but also about feeling. I used to get someone to lunge me so I could ride with my eyes shut! Not recommending it, but that's how I learnt to feel the horse underneath me.