For those returning to riding and those who want to help us :)

[ShapeSorterGoesWild]

A thread for anyone trying to get back into riding after a break. A place to share experiences, tips, troubles and laughter :) The more the merrier :).

Hope that made sense...autocorrect 😕

So we had an equine behaviourist out on Sunday. I was a little skeptical at first but he was great. He used an action sound to get her attention and a whip to direct her first for walk/ halt and then circling whilst we stood on the spot. Horse is a drive/ride so responded very well. Must have done this for about 45 minutes then moved onto the problem of not picking up her hoofs. With all the directing and strong leadership she did it no problems. I honestly could have kissed him.
He trained us to ask effectively but if they refuse follow it up with a annoying tap with the whip and ask again Ect. Horse is now very attentive when caught and no more naughty business so far.
Can't say anything he did was hugely new or pioneering but having a confident person to teach us and a 17'2 1tonne percheron was well worth it.

Sim- I still use the baby line 20 months on! Go you for getting back into the saddle so early. Riding school horses are often so lazy or don't get hacked out much so go fizzy. Especially this time of year! So hard to get a happy medium. Have you tried a fjordy or hafflinger? I've only ridden two but they seem to be a good mix of calm, strong carriers, gentle and very trainable with lots of go in them. My other absolute favourite was a percheron cross new forest pony but I'm a sucker for drafts and hardy natives.

Shapes- hope the hip feels better! Also I'm not a million miles away. I'm based in Cambridgeshire.

Hope everyone's keeping well. Keep us posted with how your all doing!

Wow Samba that does like it was worth you getting him out, it strikes me that assertiveness is a big thing with horses. I've been to a couple of monty roberts demo's and it's always interesting watch - i think of it like NLP for horses. I haven't tried a fjordy or a haffy - I have ridden a highland cross though which was fun, I've heard good things about drafts but mainly Irish or Irish x - don't see so many shires etc around.

I was back to my usual lesson today, I think I'm at the stage of conscious incompetence, I know theoretically that I should be 'sitting up/engaging my core/but keeping my bum relaxed to move with the horse/legs back/hands still and not letting those reins get longer/holding it together round corners oh and looking up where I'm going - but trying to do it all at the same time - particularly in trot it just seems like to much to remember and it's not happening naturally yet. Likewise sitting to trot and asking for canter whilst on a corner and keeping hands relaxed - equally to much happening at once! But I'm only 6 lessons in.

Let us know how your next lesson goes ShapeSorter.

It's so frustrating when your brain knows what to do but your body doesn't! You'll get there before you know it.
I've gone for a percheron. They don't get as dirty as hairy legged shires and have a bit more flexibility in them. They get evented a bit more in the states ( I think because they're a really good weight carrier) My next choice would have been an Irish.

Hi there [santa]

Can I join this thread? Have recently started riding again after 4 kids and am planning to get my own horse in the new year.

Haven't done much more than hacking and cantering but no jumps yet. I also noticed I sit slightly left centered, not sure how to prevent this. I did a few extra hours on the trojan to check my aids and seat and it became apparent that I slide left slightly.

I'm having problems with transition to keep canter going. I rode point to points competitively before but that was 10 years ago. Not done much riding for 8 so definitely rusty.

I lean forward in the canter but noticed I take the legs off slightly. Don't know what to do? Any advice?

honestly - having not sat straight for years, the best way to fix this (in my opinion) is off the horse - seeing an osteopath to make sure there is nothing structural that needs adjusting and then pilates....however you need someone watching you (who understands anatomy) as if it is a strength/weakness thing, if you keep on using your body the same way (and you will probably feel straight to yourself), to correct you and make sure you are using your body evenly - does that make sense?

Having said that - even though I am focused on dressage the thing that I have found helpful on the horse to help straighten me and get my weight even is riding a lot in half seat - the working towards bringing your body back to standing as straight as you can......helps my lower leg position as well

Thanks MrsLaughlan, will follow your advice. Have had continuous lower back issues since first child so probably overdue I see someone.

Had a canter on a TB today and no issues whatsoever. Maybe the horse had a one track mind but we just flew forward and I was comfortable (heart racing but happy).

So maybe it's just the school pony I normally ride

Hi everyone! Sorry for the radio silence. Been hectic here. Riding lessons going well. The more I ride, the more body aware I'm becoming. It seems some of my issues are related to the way I used to ride as well as the fact I'm stiff and older! Haha. I think I have rising trot sorted quite well, apart from leaning slightly forward as I tend to give too much with my hands. Sitting trot is a work in progress, depends on the horses gait! But today, I realised I'm not flexing my back in canter! God knows why I have been tensing my lower back but it was a breakthrough. Slow progress but I love every second! It's all coming together slowly. So weird though as although I haven't ridden frequently for 25 years...I did have several lessons just before I had my kids about 7 years ago and I was no where near this bad. It's like my body has changed. Anyway, I'm getting there and learning lots. Very happy. Hope you are all doing good :)

Hi all,
Not much to report from this end. Lack of babysitting means the horses haven't been ridden over the holidays. So the horses are just about as tubby as me after a good Christmas blow out! Picked about half a tonne of poop yesterday so feeling like Wonder Woman. Any other jobs I should be getting in January?