LOCK ME PLEASE C:

[Hanoverian]

Hi, I have a big problem when riding... My hands they move around WAY to much they, according to my teacher, instead of being held up they twist inward and all over the place. I don't notice it all the time, I do look down sometimes and they barely wiggle but I think when I look I relize it then stop for a tiny bit but pick it back up when I go back to focasing on doing what ever we are doing.

My trainer always says that if your hands are moving, your leg isn't correct, and therefore your balance is off. (: Try to keep an even, steady contact from your inner thigh, knee, and calf, and keep your heel down!

Maybe you someone videotape you so you can watch and see what's going on?

Ooo, and you could try having a lunge lesson without hands. Ride with your hands out to the side, on your head, whatever. If your balance is poor, then you know that you've been relying on your hands too much for balance and that you need to strengthen your leg.


@Everyone who directed anything at me:
I'll get back to you soon xD Doing homework at the moment, but needed a little break. o.o

[Livid-Silver]

Update on leasing Donny, not that any one probably reads my posts XD They're so freaking long sometimes. I promise this one will be short.
We organized to bring Donny over for a test ride this Wensday coming :3 All the instructors are going to ride him and put him through his paces so hopefully he'll behave XD He was fine both times I rode him there and once it was blowing a gale! I was literally leaning on him at one point to stay up right XD It seems ideal to lease him there and I won't have to let them use my gear -wipes sweat from brow- and actually would prefur it if I didn't let them use my gear 'cause it's pretty valuble. On the downside I wouldn't be able to see him every night. It's a bit hard to work out because this hasn't happened before, so both parties are in uncharted waters. We don't want said instructor to get into trouble and stuff I wont explain becuase it is confusing and unnessicary to post here ^^ I really hope he goes well on Wensday though! It will probably be his first canters undersaddle since I got him o.O He'd better behave XD I'm going to try my hardest to work him, lunging if not riding before wensday, not that I think he's gonna do anything. More for a re-fresh and revision. If dry enough might try for another canter :3 He's actually pretty good once he gets going just needs to get his legs in the right place XD We're going to take him up the wet lands at one point too, just because I haven't done any trail riding with him so I'm not sure how he'll go. I think he might be a little spooky the first few times but he's pretty fine with other horses with him and after he's seen an area.

Annnnddd I get to Riding Of The Bounds with him Its next Sunday so I'm slighty nevous just due to lack of trail riding with him. There are heaps (often over 100. There were 230 horse riders and horse and carts one time) so if he gets nevous I'm sure he'll setle when the other horses just chill. He did spend a good deal of this time at the track so he is pretty spoof proof I won't post a link to the 'offical' page because it mentions where it is and it's kinda near where I live so yeah ^^: Should be an interesting experience XD Lots of my friends are riding too and we are trying to win the Best Group Turnout award :3 lol My instructor said that Luke ( yet again another instructor) wins Best Western Turnout nearly every year XD I laughed at that, becuase today my friend and I made a deal with him to ride in an english saddle on the condition we ride western. I'm happy about that becuase western is FUN!
Yeah, this was ment to be a short post -.- Sorry, I just need to tell someone these thigns because mum tells me to be quiet and tlak about something else >.<

[Hime]

@Amy Pond: Yay a cookie! I do read most of what people post here, but if it's more or less a conversation between few people then I won't read it if I'm in hurry.

Heta got a day off today as she has worked 4 days in row and I don't want to push her too much. She get's all cranky if worked too much in the row, like 5 days is a max and has to contain atleast one trail ride to keep her happy. We also had bad weather during the day but it cleared up for the evening. Tomorrow Heta might get another day off, if I have work in the morning as I promised my friends to see them in the evening, or then I free lunge her in the morning perhaps... I haven't free lunged her in ages, so will see how it goes. She's usually lazy or super hyper when lunged. Maybe I get some new pictures or video, if the weather is nice.

[Actually.A.Herondale]

I am not trying to offend anyone, but....
I don't see why everyone loves English riding. I was watching a few English lessons while I was volenteering, and the horses all looked so uncomfortable. Every English rider I've ever seen has the reins really tight, the head tied down to the horse's chest, and the canter looks so choppy and uncomfortable for the horse and the rider. I've watched people jump, and the horse is forced to have his head tucked in. I feel horrible saying all of this, but it feels even worse to watch it. Why tie the horse's head down? Why have hte reins so tight? Why make the steps all fancy and "graceful" looking. I have never seen anything less graceful.
In western, we keep the reins loose, let the horse move the natural way it should, and we don't tie the horse's head down. If we want their heads down, we pick up the reins and give a little pressure on their mouth.
Look at the differences:
Western: Reins are nice and loose, horse looks comfortable,
English: The reins are tight, the horse looks stiff...

Reining:
Dressage:

Hunter Jumps:
Western jumps:
See? English the reins are tight, and the horses are stiff-looking. Western the reins are loose and the horse moves freely.
I'm sorry if anyone found this offending, and just know that it's my opinion. English just looks mainly about fashion and looks, while Western is about fun and speed.

[rhysand]

I do showjumping I am getting a horse soon.

[Hekomi]

It's great that you have an opinion about the different riding disciplines, but it's a bit presumptuous here:

Every English rider I've ever seen has the reins really tight, the head tied down to the horse's chest, and the canter looks so choppy and uncomfortable for the horse and the rider. I've watched people jump, and the horse is forced to have his head tucked in. I feel horrible saying all of this, but it feels even worse to watch it. Why tie the horse's head down? Why have hte reins so tight? Why make the steps all fancy and "graceful" looking. I have never seen anything less graceful.

Not all English riders ride with tight reins, and the horse is supposed to be collected with its head down over a jump. Canters, depending on the horse and the rider are quite smooth. None of my horses are ever forced to do something they don't want, and it actually helped both the rider and the horse to be collected and have the horse's head curled down [not too down of course] over a jump. Reins can be tight but keep in mind the rider is moving with the horse. When I ride, my reins are not too loose, but not too short either, and I move with the horse's gait to keep constant pressure on the bit.

All the horses I jump and ride love what they're doing and it's pretty obvious they do. Some are extremely graceful too.
Link I think this is an amazing video; you can tell the horse loves what it's doing because of the passion it puts into it. My horse, Shotty is like that everytime you take him over a jump. You can see his obvious passion and love of what he's doing.

I don't know why that person is jumping like that in the picture, because that would be extremely harmful for the horse's back. Her weight and impact would go right on its kidneys. I'd never put my horse in a painful or uncomfortable situation.

Each discipline has pros and cons. English is just more wide spread. I'd love to ride western and do barrels, but there's no where that teaches that. I love riding English and don't think it's better or worse than Western.

[Pierce My Black Veil]

Im an english rider and my friend rode at HOYS, many horses got marked down because their heads wern't held in. One judge went "Your horse looks like a mule!" to a young rider because she couldn't keep the horses head carriage!

[scene_kid]

I am not trying to offend anyone, but....
I don't see why everyone loves English riding. I was watching a few English lessons while I was volenteering, and the horses all looked so uncomfortable. Every English rider I've ever seen has the reins really tight, the head tied down to the horse's chest, and the canter looks so choppy and uncomfortable for the horse and the rider. I've watched people jump, and the horse is forced to have his head tucked in. I feel horrible saying all of this, but it feels even worse to watch it. Why tie the horse's head down? Why have hte reins so tight? Why make the steps all fancy and "graceful" looking. I have never seen anything less graceful.
In western, we keep the reins loose, let the horse move the natural way it should, and we don't tie the horse's head down. If we want their heads down, we pick up the reins and give a little pressure on their mouth.
Look at the differences:
Western: Reins are nice and loose, horse looks comfortable,
English: The reins are tight, the horse looks stiff...

Reining:
Dressage:

Hunter Jumps:
Western jumps:
See? English the reins are tight, and the horses are stiff-looking. Western the reins are loose and the horse moves freely.
I'm sorry if anyone found this offending, and just know that it's my opinion. English just looks mainly about fashion and looks, while Western is about fun and speed.

Sorry but I ride and teach English so just using your pictures I will explain. Flat riding English, reins are not tight a contact is held. The reins should be straight from the elbow to the bit. For that to be easier for the horse the head is vertical. As the looking stiff the horse is engaging its hinds. Western flat the horse is lose and when cooling out English riders will do that.
English dressage, during the test the horse will have to be on an outline and engaged, hence being vertical on the bit. The bouncy canter you mention will be a collected canter (I have competed at regional level dressage). The canter you experience when you ride western will be a working canter. I cannot comment on barrel racing.

Show jumping english. The rider is balanced with the horse and hands are foward to allow for the head to move and flex. As the rider is in the folded with will allow the horse free movement of the back and hinds. Western jumping. The rider is pulling at the horses mouth with a leverage bit!!!!!! Horrible!!! The horse also has gone flat out at that jump which is wrong (teaching horrid habits). The rider is complete leaning back and sat right at the back of the saddle. This will be unbalancing the horse and make it struggle to lift it's hinds over the jump.

Hope this helps and stops unrealistic thoughts about English riding.

[Hekomi]

Thanks Scene_kid I was hoping you'd reply. The picture of the western jumping just makes me feel so sorry for that horse. >< It's such a huge over jump and the girl isn't even in a position to move with the horse.

[Tybalt]

I am not trying to offend anyone, but....
I don't see why everyone loves English riding. I was watching a few English lessons while I was volenteering, and the horses all looked so uncomfortable. Every English rider I've ever seen has the reins really tight, the head tied down to the horse's chest, and the canter looks so choppy and uncomfortable for the horse and the rider. I've watched people jump, and the horse is forced to have his head tucked in. I feel horrible saying all of this, but it feels even worse to watch it. Why tie the horse's head down? Why have hte reins so tight? Why make the steps all fancy and "graceful" looking. I have never seen anything less graceful.
In western, we keep the reins loose, let the horse move the natural way it should, and we don't tie the horse's head down. If we want their heads down, we pick up the reins and give a little pressure on their mouth.
Look at the differences:
Western: Reins are nice and loose, horse looks comfortable,
English: The reins are tight, the horse looks stiff...

Reining:
Dressage:

Hunter Jumps:
Western jumps:
See? English the reins are tight, and the horses are stiff-looking. Western the reins are loose and the horse moves freely.
I'm sorry if anyone found this offending, and just know that it's my opinion. English just looks mainly about fashion and looks, while Western is about fun and speed.

I wouldn't agree with you at all, here.

English riders don't always have the reins as tight as your pictures suggest.

In fact, in Western, I think that the shanks on the bits are massive. Even though western riders usually neck rein, if used incorrectly, that bit can do just as much, if not more damage.

Ah well, I'm not going to start a fight. I just think western and English riding types are so different they can't really be compared.