# Tips on gaining balance?



## PaliPoncho500 (Jul 20, 2017)

Hey all, not quite sure where to post this hopefully right categorie! So recently I had a lesson on my trainers horse (Ive only ridden her a few times) and I was working on two point at canter. I lost one of my stirrups and leaned too far into the other one throwing off my center of balance (the mare i was riding has no withers), so i kicked out my other stirrup and went back to two point. She did a mini spook (at a tractor)thing and I slowed her down to a trot but i lost my balance and went to the side so I grabbed my horn and she freaked out and got a really fast bouncy trot (shes a endurance arabian) and I fell off (we were both fine it was a super soft dirt). I have fallen off my horse plenty of times but almost never without a buck or spook or rear and I have ridden my friends arabian walk trot canter bareback but I just cannot sit her trot! I can easily walk trot canter my horse stirrup less and bareback but I can not sit her bouncy arab trot. My trainer said I put too much pressure in my left stirrup (regardless of direction) and my saddle usually slips a bit when i trot for awhile (doenst slip when i canter tho).Does anyone have any tips or exercises to help me gain balance? I know that stirrupless and bareback work can help with balance but my horses are currently really lame and I only ride this mare every couple weeks, so any things I can do at home on foot? My trainer said to do some core strengthing exercises so does anybody have any suggestions?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Buy a yoga ball and sit on it whenever you can.....do planks to improve core strength.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Agree with Golden Horse. Yoga. I do Yoga with Adriene on Youtube (free, and convenient) and it's been great. She incorporates a lot of core work and planks, so you do get a workout, but you also work a lot on balance.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Do you have an empty rain barrel at home?

If so, lay the barrel on two blocks of wood or similar, so it's off the ground and can roll freely. To start with, you can place two blocks on either side of the barrel (not supporting the barrel, it still rolls freely). These can act as your "stirrups". Mount the barrel and try sitting like you would in a saddle.

If you are heavier on one side, the barrel will buck you off. If you need to, use the side blocks to stabilize yourself, but try to keep your feet off them like you were stirrupless. Once you can sit square without the barrel turfing you, start incorporating things like leg swings, taking your legs off the barrel, 'using' your leg, ankle circles, standing/two pointing, ect.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Here a video of what @ ApuetsoT


is describing


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

^^^ Video explains it better than me. Forgot a few of the important parts. I have a whole series of those videos buried on one of my hard drives.


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