# My First Lessons - How am I doing? (Photo Intensive)



## WHISKEY4EVER93 (Oct 28, 2008)

you look down alot. i love Friesians i wish i could ride one!!!!!!1 you are sooo lucky!!


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

WHISKEY4EVER93 said:


> you look down alot. i love Friesians i wish i could ride one!!!!!!1 you are sooo lucky!!


Thanks! Yeah, I really do think I'm very lucky to be working with Ludsen (The horse) They're a very beautiful and all of the Friesians that I've met so far are very friendly.


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

Just practice!
The more riding you do the better your position and confidence will be.
One thing I did before I started taking lessons was read.
I read every riding/lesson type book I could fine, and by the time I started taking lessons I already knew just about everything my trainer was talking about, so the only thing to do was to try it out and be corrected if wrong.
There's always more to learn about riding and horses in general.
I wouldn't worry about being 'toughed up' just yet, the more time and practice you have under saddle and even just being around horses the more confidence you'll have so you'll start to toughen up without realizing it.
Don't be so hard on yourself it's only your first lesson! 
One thing I have to say about looking down..
just remember that when you look up you also shift your weight back which gives you a better seat which will help with tons of other things.
Look up between your horse's ears, shoulders back, elbows bent and to your sides, heels down. There's tons of stuff to remember, but you'll get the hang of it and start doing it without even realizing it.


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

whitetrashwarmblood said:


> Just practice!
> The more riding you do the better your position and confidence will be.
> One thing I did before I started taking lessons was read.
> I read every riding/lesson type book I could fine, and by the time I started taking lessons I already knew just about everything my trainer was talking about, so the only thing to do was to try it out and be corrected if wrong.
> ...



All right, Thanks!

I've been reading online and picking up magazines every once in a while.

Are there any specific books you recommend?


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i would recommend watching other people ride - I'm always able to learn more that way 

Congrats! Looks like you are having a fabulous time! (And what a great looking horse to learn on!)


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

Caboose said:


> All right, Thanks!
> 
> I've been reading online and picking up magazines every once in a while.
> 
> Are there any specific books you recommend?


I'm sorry, but I don't have anything specific I could tell you since most of my books were given/or borrowed and have never been returned. >.> But I will say that I read tons of books at my local library. I also would go (and still do) to Barnes and Noble or any bookstore and buy as many books as I could. One book, 101 Arena Exercises by Cherry Hill, has tons of stuff to you could do. My most favorite magazines to read are from Horse&Rider.










They have tons of stuff from training/exercise techniques to confirmation and jumping critiques.


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

whitetrashwarmblood - I'll keep trying to find a good one, and I'll try to find the magazine if I can too.

Kickshaw - Do you think it would be okay to ask my trainer if I can see her ride? 

I really am having a great time, I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life. Ludsen really is a cool guy, there are some others there too that look like they're right out of a magazine or calendar, but I don't think they'd have the patience to put up with me riding them like Luds does.

Thanks so much everyone! I'm so glad people are willing to help me out <3


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Heya, first off, congrats for starting riding! I'm sure you're going to enjoy the time that you have around horses, and it sounds like you've found yourself a nice horse to bond with and have lessons on! Well done!

I think you need to not be so hard on yourself! Good on ya for wanting to ride correctly from an early stage... but don't forget to enjoy it and have fun too. Sure, gaining bad habits sucks, and are easier to fix if you nip them in the bud before they become a problem. But I think you're basic riding form is quite good, especially for someone who is new to riding! It's easy to fix your hands and the looking down thing... they're easy 'flaws' to have. 

My main point is to really not worry as much. You look really great up on Ludson, and it looks like you have the proper instruction to become an awesome rider!
Good luck!
x


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## southafrica1001 (Mar 24, 2008)

Yea i have to agree with ohmyitschelle. Dont be so hard on yourself, you are doing great  Just keep riding and little things like thumbs not on top of the reins and looking down will easily be corrected. The head looking down and being tense is most probably from the excitement and possible nerves, which will clear pretty soon . Good luck your doing great . Oh and beautiful horse


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## english_rider144 (Sep 12, 2008)

I would say the one tricky thing people always mis is keeping those heels down! My instructor always used to tell us HEELS DOWN! Your my age! =] But don't be so hard on yourself. Watch other lessons, take what your instructor tells you to do and do it or work on it. Also the one thing I used to practice is standing on something where my heel was off and practice putting my heels down and toes up! Goodluck, congrats on getting to ride!


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## VanillaBean (Oct 19, 2008)

Put your legs a little more onder your butt so that it's almost a straight line from your hips to your heels.


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## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

Caboose said:


> All right, Thanks!
> 
> I've been reading online and picking up magazines every once in a while.
> 
> Are there any specific books you recommend?


I believe Horse & Rider is more geared towards the Western rider. For English I highly recommend Practical Horseman. I noticed you were on a dressage saddle...I think there is a Dressage magazine as well. However, PH covers all aspects of English riding.


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## Gingerrrrr (Feb 12, 2008)

omg your so lucky to be riding a Friesian!


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## english_rider144 (Sep 12, 2008)

VanillaBean said:


> Put your legs a little more onder your butt so that it's almost a straight line from your hips to your heels.


I forgot about that. Thats one thing that you have to learn. You ride better that way.


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks for all the help so far guys!  I'll definitely post more photos as I go along to see if I've improved any lesson by lesson.

I'll also see about taking video.


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

IrishRider said:


> I believe Horse & Rider is more geared towards the Western rider. For English I highly recommend *Practical Horseman*. I noticed you were on a dressage saddle...I think there is a Dressage magazine as well. However, PH covers all aspects of English riding.


 
Practical Horseman
That's the one I was thinking of. lol
:lol:


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## TwendeHaraka (Oct 5, 2008)

whitetrashwarmblood said:


> Practical Horseman
> That's the one I was thinking of. lol
> :lol:


Oh yes. I love Practical Horseman.


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

If you go to www.statelinetack.com and click on the "free training video library" there is lot of free videos that go over a ton of stuff. I just got my new horse 2 weeks ago. I had not owned a horse since I was 15 so I was rusty. I think you will really enjoy the hours of free video. Keep us posted on your experience!


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm actually on this website right now called Horse Hero>> www.horsehero.com/
And by goodness it's REALLY informative and helpful! 
*Goes back to watching the videos* lol.
x


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

*Update: *So, unfortunately, I was not able to get photos today, but I made TONS of progress, and I can post the trot pretty well and get into rythm with Doc (Unfortunately, I did not ride Ludsen today since A. His trot is too powerful for it to be one I learn on. And B. He had just been used in 2 previous lessons.)

I'm getting more agressive, and I'm starting to be straighter in the saddle and looking up more, but I can't keep my heels down that well. ):


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## Zappasowner (Nov 3, 2008)

Maybe there are a few minor things you need to work on (I wouldn't know them because they're minor, but I'm guessing) but one thing I like about your style of riding is that your hands are nice and loose. No wonder your trainer is allowing you to ride her show horse, your position issues are very small for someone just beginning in english and you have light hands already! That is the most important thing since you said you were worried about ruining her horse, well having heavy hands is the easiest way to ruin a horse. I'm starting my first English lesson in 9 yrs next tuesday! Have fun you look great!!


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks for the video links! They were really helpful!

Does anyone know where I can find a video of someone doing a good posted trot with their weight in their heels? 

And I could use some advice on handling a really powerful trot, I'm having lots of trouble posting on Ludsen since he's a 'huge mover' ):


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

You hit em right on the nose:wink:

But by gosh that horse is gorgeous!


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## KatieStanley (May 16, 2008)

I just started back after 8 years off- I am taking dressage lessons- which is new to me...its been 4 months and believe me- I AM FAR FROM PERFECT- so don't be so hard on yourself after your FIRST lesson :wink: I lean forward too- and I cant seem to keep my legs far enough back...but practice makes perfect...or close to perfect. Keep up the work! And your SUPER lucky to have that beautiful guy to take lessons on!


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## Jubilee Rose (May 28, 2008)

I think you look great!! You really don't look like a beginner beginner at all. You have natural leg position and your heels go down nicely. Everyone tells you to keep your heels down, but remember to keep your toes pointing straight as well. Keep up the great work! And the horse you ride is gorgeous!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Stunning horse!:shock::shock:


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## Caboose (Nov 5, 2008)

Lol! Thanks for all the compliments! If you think Ludsen is a pretty boy, you should see Marko and Teake!  They're total heart-throbs! Probably not the right term, but I'm tired.

Also to add to my trotting video request; anyone have photos of good equitation at any or all of the gaits? I've been looking for a few but I can only find photos of people going over jumps or at weird angles.


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## SallyRC123 (Aug 22, 2008)

Wow! Friesans are my favourite breed, you are so luck to be riding one! Regarding the riding, everything will improve with time. Once you become more confident and comfortable in the saddle you will be surprised at how quickly you pick things up! You're doing great.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

For only having had a few english lessons, you are doing really great! You really aren't as bad as you think you are- you just have a few flaws but you look really natural and relaxed (even though you say you tense up, it doesn't really look like it). I think that you just need to work on getting your legs right under you- in one they were two far forward and in the others they looked like they might need to be a bit MORE forward. You might be leaning a bit too far forward, though. Overall, you did a really amazing job.


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