that evil lope!

I dropped my stirrups one hole and I've gotten to where I sit deep for the initial start of the lope and then after about 4 strides I roll forward into a more hunt type position... so basically, I need to figure out how to keep myself from rolling forward... it's so flipping hard. I blew my western class this weekend (15 horses) and I was the worse... I even lost my tail! Oh well... practice makes perfect...

If you are rolling forward into a hunt seat position, it sounds like you are nervous and tense. Also, you may be making your youngster have a more difficult time loping as you are putting more weight the horses front end. Really think about sitting back, and pulling the core of your body backwards. Make sure you don't arch your back, you want it flat. Also, sit more on the backside of your tail bones. Not rolled under (that will put your legs too far in front of you). Your hips can move a little bit with the motion of the horse; that sometime works better than fighting against it. Look up (looking down makes you tip forward). Also, make sure your stirrups aren't too long - that can throw your body all out of joint.

Let me know if you have any questions about what I was trying to say (I can see it in my head, but can't explain it very well ). Oh, and if you have any recent videos of you loping that may make it easier to help.

My suggestion..................get rid of the saddle : ) Bareback is the best way to find your seat : ) you will love it!!

No recent videos but I'll try to get one in the next week or so. I'll practice hard so that maybe I look halfway decent. All those years of hunt have really screwed me up!

Again............bareback..........bareback....... ......bareback...........no matter what dicipline you ride this will help you the most. I swear.

Hunt seat didn't screw you up! It probably made you better in a lot of ways. Anyways, I have a video of myself where I think I am doing the exact same thing you are describing. I am also a hunt seat rider and really have to work on keeping myself down and not leaning forward when I'm showing western. I am able to do the proper Horsemanship position, but forget the western pleasure seat. It just doesn't seem possible for me.

Edited to add: Here's a video of one of the top WP amateur riders in a Look at how her seat is moving with the horse - when MJ stretches out, she goes forward with her seat, when he's rocking back, her seat is going back. Try going with the motion of your horse and see if that helps keep you in the proper position for WP at the lope.

And again..............bareback.............bareback.. ............bareback.......I promise this will help.

Sit on your outside hip.

Don't focus anywhere else except for putting your weight on your outside hip. You should start to feel your horse's motion much quicker & easier by doing this, then you can help him along if he needs it. Sit on your outside hip.

Anytime I start feeling sloppy, or start restricting my horse, or my horse starts getting choppy, my trainer tells me to sit on my outside hip and the problem goes away. So now that's all I hear in my head when I ride at home.

Outside hip. I'm confused. Can you describe it? I THINK I know what you mean but I'm not positive.

Is there a way you could get someone to lunge him with you aboard? That can help.