[alexischristina]

Okso, my little sister isn't really into riding, in that she doesn't think it would be worth it to hire a trainer for her, and would rather I teach her on my pony. And, considering I want to get into coaching one day, I agreed. She's just starting to trot, but I'm really inneed of some safe, simple exercises I can do with her... Walk/trot level, and some 'teaching tips' would be nice.
And yes, we're being very safe and there is adult supervision. As soon as I can get a camera out there, I'm going to post videos on her progress so you guys can help me out more but until then, any suggestions?

 

[Kayty]

Ok you will want to teach her how to rise/post. I've found that the best way is to get either yourself or someone else to get on the pony and show what a correct rising trot looks like. Make it obvious that you squeeze when you sit, not when you rise. Then at halt, start rising slowly and get your sister to put one hand under your calk (between your leg and the saddle) and the other hand under your thigh so that she can feel what part of the legs needs to be gripping etc.

Have her start rising at halt, holding onto the front of the saddle to start with if she needs it. Make sure she is rising by moving her pelvis rather than from the knee.

I personally think your best option is to get her a couple of lessons from a trainer and then carry on from there. It is so much easier to teach someone who at least has the basics of how to rise, stop go and turn.

 

[alexischristina]

She's had a few lessons with my old trainer... we were going to keep going with him but he got very violent with the horses ):. The only problem with getting her a trainer is that she's got a working memory disorder, and there aren't many people who understand how often things need to be repeated... but she's got stop go and turn, we just need to get the rising down! She just started trotting today so I didn't worry too much about that, I showed her posting and she seemed to understand, so that's good.

 

[maura]

Once she understands posting, put her on a lunge line and have her do a variant of "Simon Says" Have her go from sitting trot to rising trot to trotting in two point and back multiple times, empahsizing correct postion. When she can do this confidently, knot the reins on the horse's neck and continue on the lunge line, have her place hands on her hips, shoulders, head, knees and out to the side repeatedly, primarily at the sitting and rising trot - doing this exercise in two point is a little more advance and may have to weight.

Let her do some simple gymnastics (round the world, touching toes, reaching for the horse's ears, reaching for the horse's tail, etc.) at the halt and while you walk the horse.

 

[Moeteaches]

Hiya, i just started teaching an 11 year old to ride aswell, this information helped me too, since she is very scared too do many things since her pony spooked a few classes ago. I am taking the lessons slowly now, making her do excersises while walking, lifting her arms above her haid and down again. Last class she first tried the trotting poles and i saw that she was having fun again, but over time i am running out of things and activities to teach her during class, i would need help with that, any other suggestions?