that evil lope!

Somebody talk me through what you are doing w/ your body when you are loping... I'm trying to get it right but I'm still off... I can tell you what I'm doing and maybe you can help me...

I'm trying to sit way deep and push forward into "the wall"... I am squeezing w/ my inner thigh but then my lower leg slides forward so I try to move it back but then I end up squeezing with my calf and I think that's why I am slightly speedy... I can't figure out the sit back part, in english you kind of end up w/ a bit of an arch in your back, but I don't want that western right? I think I know what to do but I can't make my body do it... any tips?

Ummm, I avoid the lope. I like to go S...l....o...w

Hmm... I may ride my horse a bit differently. I don't squeeze during the lope with my inner thigh, or calf, or anything for that matter.

I ask him to lope and then keep light contact with both legs on him, slightly more with my outside leg (if I change to the inside, that's asking for a change of lead).

I sit very deep, but don't push. The hip of whichever lead he's on rocks slightly more forward than the other hip.

Does your saddle fit you and your discipline. I have noticed that some saddles (especially roping saddles) tend to push you more forward than others. It is almost like they are built downhill or something. Of course, I don't show so I don't worry so much about where my feet are when I lope. I just sit on my pockets and try to keep my back straight. I grip with my knees and keep my feet back and I tend to point my toes down a bit (completely improper, I know) but I try to keep them closer to the horse's side and not stuck so much out to the sides.

You might have someone who knows saddles look and make sure that the seat fits you and that your stirrups are the correct length. Past that, I can't help you much.

The saddle is an equitation saddle and it does fit... I'm not sure if he's at the level where I can not push... I'm so confused! AAAHHHH!!!!! Ok, so no thigh preasure... but... how do I get him to move from the rear...? Ohmigosh WHY is this so hard???

Its something that you just feel the rythm and relax and don't think about it too much.

When I lope I don't use my legs all at except to tell him to go from the trot to the lope. Once we are loping I just sit on my pockets, deep, and don't use my legs at all. You just have to get in time with the horse.

Can you lope bareback? For some reason I can do it bareback without looking like an idiot... but in a saddle it just doesn't work for me... *sigh*

Right now I'm switching back & forth to try & figure it out....

Tiger, one mistake that people often make when loping in the saddle is to put too much weight on their feet. That could be one of the reasons why you look much better bareback? :)

In lope (or canter tome) from the top of your thigh to your toe should be still, and from your waist to your head (including your hands) you should be riding with your pelvis. Pushign with your tummy your pelvis and behind, in time to your horses lope