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383 Posts
Thank you!Sounds like you're doing good! I'm subbing!
Thank you!Sounds like you're doing good! I'm subbing!
I figure I'd make this an open-face journal to talk about all things horse that pops into my mind. So this week's topic...barn friends and a life with horses. The question I ask myself is 'how'. We'd all love to be close like the saddle club haha, but honestly for barn friends, I have few. I have that one special friend that I do nearly everything with at the barn. She sprained her ankle a while back and hasn't been able to ride, but her and I groom and take care of the school horses every weekend. I'm thankful for that. I always wanted true barn friends, but I also wonder about my life after college. At this point I could just walk over to the barn, but in some ways I feel a little like an outsider. Or rather going there alone is a little uncomfortable. I'm just someone who takes a weekly lesson now. As I used to be on my varsity team, it made more sense to be there more often. Nowadays I just have to remind myself to do it for the horses, and nevermind what people may think. I will still treasure the weekends I send with my barn-mate just grooming the horses and catching up. Sometimes you have to walk alone, and it's okay.
Only time can tell what I'll be doing with horses in the future. I'd imagine taking more lessons or at least continuing them. Living in Long Island is difficult and sometimes I worry about what lies ahead. But I will do my best not to let that anxiety control my thoughts 100%. Today I think I'll go groom Theodore if he's not out for lessons. I need some horse therapy.
Yeah, as far as I know, "half seat" isn't "two-point". In a half seat, you still have contact between your seat and the saddle, albeit much lighter than in a full seat. Imagine being able to push a sheet of paper between your butt and the saddle. "Two point" is a bit of a misnomer because you can't float over the horse's back only supported by your two stirrups: If you do that, and the horse decides to stop or move laterally, you'll keep going like Wile E. Coyote, only that gravity will take effect whether you look down or not. Lock those legs into the saddle if your bum comes up!His words 'stand straight up out of the saddle.' Now that's rather difficult for me to do, and we've practiced this once before. I'm going to look into it because I thought half-seat was two-point. At this point, I'm keeping the canter, gaining speed while standing in my stirrups.
Thank you. Yeah I feel like my coach is explaining it incorrectly or not clearly enough. If I stand straight up I loose balance, yet that's what he wants apparently. I'm going to research it myself.Yeah, as far as I know, "half seat" isn't "two-point". In a half seat, you still have contact between your seat and the saddle, albeit much lighter than in a full seat. Imagine being able to push a sheet of paper between your butt and the saddle. "Two point" is a bit of a misnomer because you can't float over the horse's back only supported by your two stirrups: If you do that, and the horse decides to stop or move laterally, you'll keep going like Wile E. Coyote, only that gravity will take effect whether you look down or not. Lock those legs into the saddle if your bum comes up!
Most of the lower jumps can be taken seated, especially on a horse that goes over nice and flat by tucking his legs. I recommend solid contact with the saddle up to and during the take-off - you can certainly use your legs as shock absorbers for the landing. Take it easy and raise your jumps slowly, and you'll develop a feel for what you need to do to allow the horse to move freely beneath you while staying stable.
"Stand straight up out of the saddle" does not work well when your horse goes sideways ("Why is the ground a different color here???") doing 30 mph.