# First Time Riding English- Be Brutal



## RandysWifey (Jun 12, 2012)

I am nooooo expert by any means and I'm sure that someone here will be able to help you better but a few things I notice are:

you seem to be really forcing yourself up into a post. You should go with the motion-it may not look as "big" and it's more of a rocking movement. What helped me understand posting was to let the trot "bounce" you up out of the saddle and post in between your hands. which leads to my second observation

try keeping your hands down near the wither of the horse. Your hands are very bouncey (I would assume from trying to brace yourself since switching saddles is scary business-lol) and you keep pulling on her mouth off and on. also, try to keep them even-no crossing over the neck/withers. 

you also seem to be in a "chair" position-try bringing your heel back under your hip bone-again I had the same problem when going from western to dressage and now into western dressage. you really need that heel, shoulder, and hip all in alignment to be able to ride correctly (this will also affect our posting)

when you try to do that 2 point position (which I have only done once BUT this is what my instructor told me because I suck at it-lol) try dropping your stirrups and doing it all with your thighs and core at a walk and then once you've got that mastered do it at the trot and so on

I tip my hat to ya girl-it's hard switching saddles! I hope what I said helps you some!!!


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

Thank you for the pointers! 
She also was in a halter so I wasn't truly pulling on her mouth, but yes I need to work on that. I knew my balance would be off and I didn't want to pull on her mouth at all so I just threw on a halter to save her from my awkward riding. ha


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

OK. Here Goes...
You have a nice calm horse, which you need for English pleasure, but you're hanging on his mouth. There are two ways to fix this:
1) hold the reins as is you are driving, with the reins running over your index fingers and closed with your thumb. Ride at the walk and really follow the head's movement.
2) hold your reins the width of the bit. Most bits are ~5" wide, and you take up the rein the direction you are turning and give with the other rein.
You are leaning over the horse's neck. Even the best jumpers don't lay down on their horse's necks. Instead they balance over the stirrups and over the saddle.
I suggest riding, first at the walk, without stirrups to get you weighted in the saddle and moving in harmony with the horse. AGAIN, I like this calm horse.
Then, you need to ride in 2-point, again at the walk. Wear yourself out with these two exercises, and THEN work on your posting trot.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

You also need to learn your posting diagonals. Rise and fall with your horses outside leg.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Okay.... I did not think you set your horse up for that trot at the beginning at all.

English riding (I am not experienced with Western) is about preparing your horse before and THROUGH transitions.

Her walk wasn't that great, and you had no true forward direction.

Her trot is lovely but that two point is scary...... because your legs aren't underneath you so would likely tip over and smash your nose if she were to stop suddenly.

2 point isn't about the angle but being balanced over your legs. In order to be balanced you have to find your sweet spot which means legs underneath you and to compensate you may have to fold your upper body a bit to keep with the horse's motion. Does that make sense?

Your posting isn't that bad for first go at English. But like others have said you need to post towards your hands and AS you rise (which should 98% rely on the horse's momentum pushing you up) you open your elbows so your hands don't move. When gravity brings you down (again...98% is gravity) you close your elbows so they stay in the same place. Do not bring your hands up with you.. they stay down. An exercise you can do is extending your pinkies down till they touch your saddle pad and keeping them there as you post. You will feel yourself trying to balance on your hands via your pinkies being squished.. work on feeling no change.

You are tense probably because an English saddle feels like your horse is naked in comparison to a western saddle. It shows mainly in your sitting trot and how you feel grabbing for the reins. Only do as much as you are comfortable with. Grab mane as you transition to help you not catch your horse in the face (which is still AS annoying to them as catching them in the mouth)

Please do not cross the reins over her neck. Each rein stays on its side.

 Not bad for your first time, and you two look cute! But I guarantee if you work on those few things I mentioned that you'll feel much more confident in such a different style of riding.


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

really thank you everyone for the advice! honestly, in my brain I know all these things but as soon as I get on its like I've never learned anything.
and she really is a wonderful horse. she'll put up with anything.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

I think you look great for your first time! Great job, and welcome to the dark side. Mwahahahaha......

Anyway, here are my few bits of advice, mostly just reiterating what others said.

Many new riders think of posting as an up and down motion. Really, it's more of a forward and back motion. Let the horse do the work to push you out of the saddle; your job is staying balanced and out of her way.

Also, like someone else said, you don't have to be so folded over in two-point. It's more about being out of the saddle but still balanced over your legs.

When you feel comfortable, try taking off your stirrups and working without them, especially in the rising trot. It is very hard at first, but it will help you "feel" your horse's movement and will make your posting a lot more subtle and effortless when you put the irons back on.

Good luck!


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

I've had graduation stuff this weekend but I'm going to try to get out there tomorrow and ride. Once again, I really appreciate the advice. also, my horse goes fine in a high port western pleasure style bit or in just a halter, but she can't stand a snaffle. I've tried probably 8 on her and have yet to find one that she doesnt either throw her head or get mad. Any suggestions?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Have you tried a mullen mouth or a low port snaffle?


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

I know the quality is awful but here's a short video from today.


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## AltaHillsLover (Jan 22, 2013)

Nice job


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

I'm really enjoying riding english. It's a challenge but i'm loving it! I think my horse is enjoying something different too. She's much more eager to work, or at least it seems like it to me!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

She really works nicely from what I see in the videos


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## Karisel (Jul 6, 2012)

Does your horse by chance have The Last Captive in her? I used to have an appendix filly by him. She turned into a fabulous HUS horse with her new owner.

I think everyone else has made very valid critiques. The one thing I want to note is that english is also about forward motion, and the horse stepping under herself. _By no means_ am I saying you should be at that point yet. If your girl is used to doing western, it will take a little getting used to to move longer and swing through her shoulders (she is starting to do it, but sometimes she looks like she needs some encouragement). That being said, it will come in time- and I can see that your balance and comfort level in the little flaps of leather we call english saddles is getting better!

Keep at it! I'm a sucker for a good grey.


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## 1111aqua (Jul 25, 2008)

Her sire actually is The Last Captive! From what I know about him, he was a HUS horse as are many of his foals. I'm not sure who decided to make Kara a WP horse, but I don't think it was the best decision. ha


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

Looking good OP 

I am so far from being an expert that it is not funny, but I do have some suggestions... 

Try riding with a neck strap (can be a polo wrap, thin piece of leather or an old stirrup leather - which is what I use) you can use it to hold onto to aid with your balance and keep your hands steady while you are learning. I use one on any new horse and whenever I jump. My instructor introduced me to one at the start of this year as I told her I wanted to improve my balance... I now love it. Hated it at first, it was the biggest PITA, but it has helped so much.








As has been said before, you are sitting in a bit of a chair seat. Try and sit to the front of your saddle and imagine that you are trying to touch the ground with your heels from the saddle. I find it helps me keep my lower leg position, it should be under you and not move as you post.

For your two point... do a lot of core strengthening exercises! And also some work without stirrups to work on your balance and lower leg. If you are not balanced in two point, it makes it harder for your horse but also it makes it almost impossible to stay on if something happens (a trip, spook, buck, refusal, etc) My legs and core would ache after a lesson! Two point without stirrups is evil!!

It should look something like this... but better 








not like this... haha My balance is horrible, my two point is horrible, my feet aren't under me... GK rushed because he was unbalanced (hence the circles), chucked an extra stride in the double, catlept and..... I fell off. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zB4KkXNZdA

Glad to say that I don't ride like that anymore... But please let me be a cautionary tale of what can happen if you have no balance in two point!!

Keep up that hard work and you will be surprised at how much you can improve


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