The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Balance

3K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Sara 
#1 ·
My balance is HORRID. I can only trot a few steps bareback without falling off, not to mention my horse's trot is wicked.

When I ride my horse I feel like I'm trying to balance on a ball that is way to slippery. I'm completely a saddle cripple.

I can't ride a unicycle so I need to learn balance a different way. Help please?

EDIT----
Someone told me yoga would help, is that true?
 
#2 ·
Yoga probably does help (not sure because I started yoga long after I started riding). Aside from balance, it definitely helps with overall body/muscle control and flexibility that you need for riding.

As for what else you can do...I dunno. Anything that requires side-to-side balance (moreso than front-to-back). Bicycling is probably the closest. Skiing too, I guess.

ed. I will say, from your description, it sounds more like a tension issue than a balance issue.
 
#4 ·
If you are getting bounced off at the trot, it usually means your body is tense and resisting the motion instead of going with it.

This can either be mental or physical: if a person is at some level unsure of their balance, they will be more tense.

Also, if you are not particularly flexible through the hips, it is physically much harder to follow the movement (especially if the horse has a big stride).

Yoga is excellent exercise for the latter, and I would suggest more time riding for the former: especially lunge lessons.
 
#5 ·
Ha ha, as dumb as this may sound, my friends and I use to play "barrel bull riding" and it really tests your grip. You take a barrel, such as a barrel for barrel racing, and you put in on a trampoline and you get on and ride it, and have people bounce you while your on the "bull" and don't hold on and try to stay on.
 
#6 ·
My friends and I sort of did the same thing. We had a metal oil barrel and attached it to springs and hung it in the air. You'd get on and it was like going for a bronc ride. We eventually had to put a rope to hold on to because metal oil barrels are very slick! Another fun thing we did for balance was grabbing two, two by fours and putting one on the other to make a + shape and then put one foot on one side and the other on the other side to make it like a see-saw. There's also a really expensive thing you can get that perfessional horsemen who do cutting use to improve their balance.
 
#7 ·
If I grab a chunk of mane I feel way comfortable and stay better seated except when he starts trotting like a crazy horse and I feel like I'm riding a jackhammer. The only problem is, if I hold his mane he doesn't neck rein so I can only turn him one direction lol

I think I am tense because the last time I rode bareback I took a nasty fall at the trot and ever since I've feel like I need to hang on for dear life.
 
#11 ·
Sara said:
It seems lunge lessons would be the best solution for you, in my opinion. Would allow you to focus on your seat instead of controlling the horse at this point.
I agree :)

Also, how old is your girl? If she is still a bit green, her trot may just be hard to sit right now...I remember when I was first working with my guy..his trot was so disjointed, choppy....horrid! I used to go walk or canter bareback, but not trot on him because it was so bad! As they get more experienced and begin to get a feel for their body and how to be balanced and have rhythm...it improves a lot. :)
 
#12 ·
My horse just turned 8 this January and has been broke since age three. :) I paid extra attention to my lets and my legs and bum were tight as a drum constantly bracing and my bracing was making him brace and so his back was tight and beat irregular. I loosened up, having convinced myself that doing this would prevent me from falling and it worked quite well. I also noticed I don't have as much thigh muscle as I would like to have for grippage so I started squats today with weights to help me out. When the weather gets nice, hello bicycle! :)

Any other tips?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top