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I adore my instructor because she points out all my little flaws and weird habits. If she did not point them out, they would never get fixed. I'm going to air them here, just in case anyone else is struggling with the same issues. (Disclaimer: This is only a brief list, I have many, many more flaws. Some not even riding related! Shocker!)
• Hover-posting: I had no. idea. I did this until Monday. And now I have been catching myself doing it so I think I can get it fixed. What is hover-posting you ask? It mostly occurs when we are attempting a big trot or trot lengthening. I grip with my knees and my posting sort of "hovers" at the up swing. It's easy to correct, I just need to think "stand up, sit down."
This is very common is saddleseat riders (hmmm, maybe where I learned the habit?) Here's a video - can you see the "hovering" that most of the saddleseat riders do (especially in the 5 gaited class)?
• Damned right toe: My right toe has been sticking out for years. It refuses to point forward. J said that next lesson she is bringing string and the rogue appendage will be tied to the girth. I am pretty sure this habit is a result of ...
• Rigid lower back & non-whorish hips: My hips and my legs do not work independently of each other. And they need to. This becomes the most obvious in the canter. It looks (and feels) like Hampton is going to ping me off his back sometimes. When I loosen my hips and sit heavy, the canter becomes better, and I feel and look more secure. And my toe turns forward. I need to really think about sitting heavy and keeping my little (but really cute) butt in the saddle. I've spoken about my hips before and how I struggle with "shoulders of a princess, hips of a whore." I've the princess part down reasonably well ... but the whore part? Not so much. I went to Ball State University for crying outloud. Famous for things other than academics.
• Riding the left side: I tend to sit to the left. I have no idea why. I am sure this also contributes to the rogue right toe. Because all of my weight is on the left, I brace with my right leg. Weird?!? Why do I do this?
Like I said, that's just a short list.
As far as Hampton goes, as soon as we get back from Octoberfest, J wants us to start working more on second level movements. By November, she wants us to be able to have a solid haunches-in at the trot in both directions. Good thing I've already started this on my own! She was a little surprised when I said we were showing Training Level this weekend - she assumed we'd be be doing First.
Bahahahahaha!!!
She clearly does not realize my motto is NOT "aim high and miss!" ... oh no, it's "aim low and HIT!"
Ha! I love this! Confession is good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I do not even know how to post properly, despite 15 years of dressage education. I learned to ride Western, they don't post, and my dressage instructors never bothered to teach me. I think they assumed I already knew. Every so often my trainer says, in a puzzled voice, "You're on the wrong diagonal..." Luckily I have whore-hips, so we usually just sit the trot.
Sitting to one side can be a sign of stiffness in the horse. If the horse is stiff to the left, he may throw you left rather than actually engaging his inside hind leg and carrying you (and himself)straight.
I always aim low, and I am always pleasantly surprised!
You may be on to something. He IS stiff on the left side, in that he is difficult to bend right. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteyepp Shannon is right, your horse usually puts you in a certain position as they are trying to avoid something (bending, contact, etc)...makes sense when you think about it. My coach would always say, "stop letting your horse make you do that" ha!
ReplyDeleteI have a similar problem with "hover-posting"! I think mine is just because with Jetta, her back is so sensitive, that if I accidently sit down too hard or just funnily, she'll react negatively to it, so if she's particularly amped, I try to be gentle and sometimes forget to actually sit down!
ReplyDeleteI sit to the left. Mostly because my right ankle is not very flexible, I tend to be stiff on that side and ooops! there I go to the other side. Can't blame Nina for this one. But the other day she was a little off on her left rear and kept tossing me onto the wrong trot diagonal, apparently it was more comfortable for her. They do learn how to move us around.
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous of your lessons and expertise.
ReplyDeleteIt's so awesome to have someone point out those little flaws so you can actually fix them. It's like "yes! I paid for that lesson for a reason!"
Maybe that's just me.
Sounds like a great lesson. The hover posting saddle seat video was an eye opener!
ReplyDeleteI gave you an award, which is on my site. You have a great blog :)
I know what you mean with the "riding the left side" as I do the exact same thing. Only started doing it since my accident where the drunk driver hit me and I had to learn to walk again. Not sure if that has something to do with it or not but that's when it started happening for me.
ReplyDelete