Joined
·
10 Posts
I'm fairly new to riding and decent at it. My one problem is bouncing too much, anyone know any ways I could do that?
Riding
- Status
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
I am presuming you are taking lessons?
If you are, it will come in time.
Not bouncing requires two things: core strength AND knowing how to use it. Both come with practice.
There are some short-cuts:
- ask for lessons on the lunge line. That way all you need to worry about is your seat. Ask your instructor if they would allow you to hold onto the saddle for a little while (some don't allow this). That way you can feel the difference between your positions when you bounce and when you don't bounce. Gradually release one finger at a time until you start bouncing again.
- ride without stirrups, preferably on the lunge line so that you don't pull on you horse's mouth.
- sneaky trick I use for VERY bouncy horses - I'm not sure if it would work for beginners - I ride in rubber boots. They stick to the saddle a bit, just enough to give me that split-second I need to rebalance myself.
Also, you need to relax your muscles. Not sitting-in-front-of-the-TV relax, your muscles need to have some tone to them. Like al-dente pasta, neither uncooked (stiff) nor soggy.
If you are, it will come in time.
Not bouncing requires two things: core strength AND knowing how to use it. Both come with practice.
There are some short-cuts:
- ask for lessons on the lunge line. That way all you need to worry about is your seat. Ask your instructor if they would allow you to hold onto the saddle for a little while (some don't allow this). That way you can feel the difference between your positions when you bounce and when you don't bounce. Gradually release one finger at a time until you start bouncing again.
- ride without stirrups, preferably on the lunge line so that you don't pull on you horse's mouth.
- sneaky trick I use for VERY bouncy horses - I'm not sure if it would work for beginners - I ride in rubber boots. They stick to the saddle a bit, just enough to give me that split-second I need to rebalance myself.
Also, you need to relax your muscles. Not sitting-in-front-of-the-TV relax, your muscles need to have some tone to them. Like al-dente pasta, neither uncooked (stiff) nor soggy.
Joined
·
1,774 Posts
Most bouncing occurs when trotting. Several factors may be involved. The conformation of the horse effects how it travels and, therefore, the feeling it gives the rider. Most bouncing, however, results from tension in the horse and in the rider.
Unnecessary tension in a horse’s muscles results in stiffer movement. This gives the rider the feeling of a rougher ride. A relaxed horse moves more smoothly. Any bounciness will feel more springy and easier to follow. It is important to realize that tension in a horse is often caused by tension in the rider. It is the rider’s responsibility to help release tension in the horse by releasing unnecessary tension in his own body.
When a rider is tense, his muscles become less flexible and his body is less able to follow the movements of his horse. Trying to hold on to the sides of the horse with one’s legs when trotting can add to this tension making matters worse.
Gravity helps keep a relaxed – not slack – rider in contact with his horse. Gravity helps hold the rider’s seat in the saddle, helps keep his legs wrapped around the sides of the horse, and helps hold his feet in the stirrups with his unsupported heels falling a little lower than the balls of his feet.
Lack of unnecessary tension allows the rider’s muscles to move more smoothly with the movements of the horse. Thinking of one’s legs as compressing and expanding shock absorbers often helps a rider follow the horse’s up and down motion more easily.
On particularly bouncy horses it helps to put more pressure on the stirrups, lightening the seat. When doing so, however, the joints of the ankles, knees, hips, etc. must remain moveable in order for the rider to follow the movements of the horse’s body.
Unnecessary tension in a horse’s muscles results in stiffer movement. This gives the rider the feeling of a rougher ride. A relaxed horse moves more smoothly. Any bounciness will feel more springy and easier to follow. It is important to realize that tension in a horse is often caused by tension in the rider. It is the rider’s responsibility to help release tension in the horse by releasing unnecessary tension in his own body.
When a rider is tense, his muscles become less flexible and his body is less able to follow the movements of his horse. Trying to hold on to the sides of the horse with one’s legs when trotting can add to this tension making matters worse.
Gravity helps keep a relaxed – not slack – rider in contact with his horse. Gravity helps hold the rider’s seat in the saddle, helps keep his legs wrapped around the sides of the horse, and helps hold his feet in the stirrups with his unsupported heels falling a little lower than the balls of his feet.
Lack of unnecessary tension allows the rider’s muscles to move more smoothly with the movements of the horse. Thinking of one’s legs as compressing and expanding shock absorbers often helps a rider follow the horse’s up and down motion more easily.
On particularly bouncy horses it helps to put more pressure on the stirrups, lightening the seat. When doing so, however, the joints of the ankles, knees, hips, etc. must remain moveable in order for the rider to follow the movements of the horse’s body.
Joined
·
3,795 Posts
Are you riding English, or Western? If Western, be sure your stirrups aren't too short. That seems to be a common mistake and one I made a first. A much more experienced rider than me - my husband - asked me one day before we rode out to stand up tall as I could in the stirrups - my straddle cleared about 6 inches from the seat. He laughed like a loon... Then let my stirrups out, asked me to stand again - this time I only cleared a couple of inches, if that. It felt way too long to me, but he insisted THAT is where you want to be. A couple of rides later, I was used to it and now I immediately know when stirrups are even one hole too short for me. You'll learn too, in time, if you're riding Western.
Also, are you talking about bouncing at a walk or a trot? A lope?
Personally, I have had no lessons, I'm learning hands-on, but watching a lot of videos on youtube. One of the best pieces of advice I've gleaned out of it is that the more tense you are, the more you bounce - especially if your stirrups are too short and your leg stiffens.
You CAN stand up just a little in the stirrups, or you can sit the trot. I'm working on sitting it and not grabbing wildly for the horn because its hard to consciously make yourself relax in the seat, therefore - I bounce. So it takes consciously reminding yourself (for a while) to relax into the seat, get those heels down, don't let yourself fall forward in the seat.
HorseF is right about riding without stirrups. Even just sitting bareback on a laid back non-reactive horse, out in the pasture, with nothing but a halter and a lead is also helpful. Let the horse do whatever (so long as you're not getting hurt) and just concentrate on how the horse moves, what muscles to engage when in your legs and core, but also, again, if Western, learn to be relaxed in body, but alert in mind. NOT as easy as it sounds. If you own the horse and have it on your own property, even better - I'm learning it helps build trust in both of you to just hang out and chill with and on the horse, not asking anything of it, from time to time.
HF is also right about time in the saddle. That's when the real work starts, as I'm learning now. I've asked a dozen experienced horse people, they all say the same thing: Put miles on the horse, miles in the saddle and you'll both get better.
Also, are you talking about bouncing at a walk or a trot? A lope?
Personally, I have had no lessons, I'm learning hands-on, but watching a lot of videos on youtube. One of the best pieces of advice I've gleaned out of it is that the more tense you are, the more you bounce - especially if your stirrups are too short and your leg stiffens.
You CAN stand up just a little in the stirrups, or you can sit the trot. I'm working on sitting it and not grabbing wildly for the horn because its hard to consciously make yourself relax in the seat, therefore - I bounce. So it takes consciously reminding yourself (for a while) to relax into the seat, get those heels down, don't let yourself fall forward in the seat.
HorseF is right about riding without stirrups. Even just sitting bareback on a laid back non-reactive horse, out in the pasture, with nothing but a halter and a lead is also helpful. Let the horse do whatever (so long as you're not getting hurt) and just concentrate on how the horse moves, what muscles to engage when in your legs and core, but also, again, if Western, learn to be relaxed in body, but alert in mind. NOT as easy as it sounds. If you own the horse and have it on your own property, even better - I'm learning it helps build trust in both of you to just hang out and chill with and on the horse, not asking anything of it, from time to time.
HF is also right about time in the saddle. That's when the real work starts, as I'm learning now. I've asked a dozen experienced horse people, they all say the same thing: Put miles on the horse, miles in the saddle and you'll both get better.
Joined
·
12,038 Posts
First,a trot, is ridden while posting, unless of course, you are riding a sitting trot, dressage.
Does not matter if riding in an English or western saddle, the trot is ridden while posting.
A jog, while it has the same beats as a trot, is not a trot,and is ridden without posting, even an extended jog, is ridden sitting
Far as stirrup lengths, on the flat, mine are the same length, whether I am riding English or western. I don't jump, so never need to shorten the stirrups on my English saddle
Yes, the horse's quality of movement certainly is a factor, as horses with flat knee movement are much smoother then those with a lot of knee action, far as the trot. Not talking gaited hroses.
Also, a horse that is moving collected, versus pounding along on his front end, is also a much smoother ride.
Of course, rider experience, learned muscle memory are also part of the picture
Does not matter if riding in an English or western saddle, the trot is ridden while posting.
A jog, while it has the same beats as a trot, is not a trot,and is ridden without posting, even an extended jog, is ridden sitting
Far as stirrup lengths, on the flat, mine are the same length, whether I am riding English or western. I don't jump, so never need to shorten the stirrups on my English saddle
Yes, the horse's quality of movement certainly is a factor, as horses with flat knee movement are much smoother then those with a lot of knee action, far as the trot. Not talking gaited hroses.
Also, a horse that is moving collected, versus pounding along on his front end, is also a much smoother ride.
Of course, rider experience, learned muscle memory are also part of the picture
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
- Status
Join the discussion
