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Fixing old habits...

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  QHriderKE 
#1 ·
When I started riding, I was taught to use outside leg to turn. I was taught to seesaw the reins to get the head down. I wasn't taught how to use my seat or legs to round my horse and to control speed. I am trying to change my ways. My colt is round, but I catch myself seesawing or using the wrong leg to turn...I don't want to confuse him! I am a lot better at using my seat to speed up and slow down his walk, when I speed it up he stretches into the bridle and puts his head down and I just get so happy.

Does anyone have any tips on remembering the new and forgetting the old? I like the new way much better but it is hard to stick with it
 
#2 ·
Have you tried riding without reins? Stash them safely and use a neck rope to ride without. That will fix both problems as you can use your hands to turn nor see saw him in the mouth.

Muahaha..

But just be careful. You have to be an active rider. Actively thinking "What am I asking, what am I doing.. what should my hands/legs/seat/eyes be doing?

Your seat guides the direction, your legs encourage the horse (or ask the horse to yield to them), and your hands come in last. You'll figure it out
 
#3 ·
good idea, I don't trust my 2 year old for that yet though. I don't turn with my hands, I use the wrong leg. I have read in one of these threads to use inside leg, I'm used to outside. And I can see a difference...it's just hard to remember to use inside, lol
 
#4 · (Edited)
You use both legs, but they have different jobs depending on what you're doing.

Your outside leg usually *supports the horse and the inside asks the horse to step in and over to your outside hand.

But the outside leg can also cue and sometimes even the roles can switch (again, depending on what you're doing.)

What kind of riding do you do?
 
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