Hi
I have problems keeping lazy horses in active walk... as in, if i get a lazy horse (which i would still prefer to a forward one as I am still regaining my confidence after a series of very bad falls), he tends to slow down and stop after a while.
I just returned from a riding holiday where I had the chance to ride very desensitised and well-schooled horses. I also had the opportunity to relearn many basic instructions which had "flown out of my head" with the falls. However, due to the influx of information within a short period, I am now not very sure about some and would like to seek clarifications.
I heard that in order to actively engage a horse and to keep him walking, i should press my calf muscles into his sides, alternating left, right, left, right.
Is this true? And when do i press which side? I tried this on a very jaded horse while on holiday but I can't really remember.. hehe..
Also, I have issues with steering horses which refuse to go the direction i want. I tend to be able to get the head of the horse all the way to the direction i want, but the rest of the body is moving away. When i find the horse stubbornly refusing to yield, i tend to give in (due to the accidents I had, and I know the horse is stronger than me), but as a result, I lose control (and the respect of the horse) and he realises he can bully me after a while. I have tried doing what is standard - if I want him to turn left, i use my left leg and left rein; but I don't seem to get his whole body to turn the way i want. What am i doing wrong?
While riding on the left rein on a very old and well-schooled horse at the holiday ranch, I realised that by keeping my right leg slightly behind his girth as we are coming off a corner, i managed to get him to cover the corner very well, and his hind quarters to square off nicely. This was done while i nudged with left leg to push into rounding off the corner. However, I worry that on a more forward and younger horse, i might set him off into a canter if i move my outside leg behind his girth as many school horses are accustomed to transiting into canter around corners. Is my worry uncalled for, and is what I described above the correct way?
Thanks for your advice.
I have problems keeping lazy horses in active walk... as in, if i get a lazy horse (which i would still prefer to a forward one as I am still regaining my confidence after a series of very bad falls), he tends to slow down and stop after a while.
I just returned from a riding holiday where I had the chance to ride very desensitised and well-schooled horses. I also had the opportunity to relearn many basic instructions which had "flown out of my head" with the falls. However, due to the influx of information within a short period, I am now not very sure about some and would like to seek clarifications.
I heard that in order to actively engage a horse and to keep him walking, i should press my calf muscles into his sides, alternating left, right, left, right.
Is this true? And when do i press which side? I tried this on a very jaded horse while on holiday but I can't really remember.. hehe..
Also, I have issues with steering horses which refuse to go the direction i want. I tend to be able to get the head of the horse all the way to the direction i want, but the rest of the body is moving away. When i find the horse stubbornly refusing to yield, i tend to give in (due to the accidents I had, and I know the horse is stronger than me), but as a result, I lose control (and the respect of the horse) and he realises he can bully me after a while. I have tried doing what is standard - if I want him to turn left, i use my left leg and left rein; but I don't seem to get his whole body to turn the way i want. What am i doing wrong?
While riding on the left rein on a very old and well-schooled horse at the holiday ranch, I realised that by keeping my right leg slightly behind his girth as we are coming off a corner, i managed to get him to cover the corner very well, and his hind quarters to square off nicely. This was done while i nudged with left leg to push into rounding off the corner. However, I worry that on a more forward and younger horse, i might set him off into a canter if i move my outside leg behind his girth as many school horses are accustomed to transiting into canter around corners. Is my worry uncalled for, and is what I described above the correct way?
Thanks for your advice.