Me again with more English riding questions!
This post has to be prefaced with a story, just because
I had my first ever English riding lesson on Saturday. I rode the mile over there and started the lesson on my boy Mellow-- I know he's green to English and I'm green to English, but I just wanted to see how it would go. He wasn't feeling it, so I ended up doing the hour and a half long lesson on one of their horses. I had no idea how to post when I got there, but by the end of it I could post a trot, switch if I was on the wrong lead, and ride 2 point (which, might I add, I am still feeling two days later... so sore!!) It was a very fun learning experience for me, and I can't wait to take more lessons.
All that being said, the only reason I'm even taking English riding lessons is because Mellow is supposed to be my English horse. He just doesn't move like a Western horse when he trots-- his gait, how he carries his head, it all screams English to me, and that's why I fell in love with him (plus he can be a real sweetie when he wants to be. he stood tied the whole time during my lesson, with strange horses going in and out of the ring, and he didn't move).
The instructor showed me how to adjust his bridle so it fit right, and how I'm supposed to hold the reins. Mellow isn't used to that kind of pressure from the reins and wasn't sure whether I wanted him to stop, back, go forward, whatever. It was all very confusing to him I think because he's usually a very good listener. I was doing some research into martingales because he needs to learn how to carry his head and be used to the pressure even though I want him to go forwards. Does that make any sense? Anyway, I'm not sure what kind I should look into-- and keep in mind I'm going to be bringing him for his own training once I get better at my own.
This post has to be prefaced with a story, just because
I had my first ever English riding lesson on Saturday. I rode the mile over there and started the lesson on my boy Mellow-- I know he's green to English and I'm green to English, but I just wanted to see how it would go. He wasn't feeling it, so I ended up doing the hour and a half long lesson on one of their horses. I had no idea how to post when I got there, but by the end of it I could post a trot, switch if I was on the wrong lead, and ride 2 point (which, might I add, I am still feeling two days later... so sore!!) It was a very fun learning experience for me, and I can't wait to take more lessons.
All that being said, the only reason I'm even taking English riding lessons is because Mellow is supposed to be my English horse. He just doesn't move like a Western horse when he trots-- his gait, how he carries his head, it all screams English to me, and that's why I fell in love with him (plus he can be a real sweetie when he wants to be. he stood tied the whole time during my lesson, with strange horses going in and out of the ring, and he didn't move).
The instructor showed me how to adjust his bridle so it fit right, and how I'm supposed to hold the reins. Mellow isn't used to that kind of pressure from the reins and wasn't sure whether I wanted him to stop, back, go forward, whatever. It was all very confusing to him I think because he's usually a very good listener. I was doing some research into martingales because he needs to learn how to carry his head and be used to the pressure even though I want him to go forwards. Does that make any sense? Anyway, I'm not sure what kind I should look into-- and keep in mind I'm going to be bringing him for his own training once I get better at my own.