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| 9/6/2010 |
| Rider Position, Part 1 |
| - Lynn Palm |
| Are you ready for the challenge of using dressage principles to become a thinking, feeling rider? This task requires that we go back to the basics, whether you are an experienced rider or a novice. Many of the issues riders have with either themselves or their horses trace back to a problem or inadequacy with the basics, so it makes sense that this is where we should start. |
Before we mount up, we need to discuss the importance of the rider’s position, what I refer to as “respecting the rider’s form.” It is important for the rider to learn proper form and balance, and the proper function of form, which relates to how the rider positions her body to follow the horse’s movement at all times without interfering with the horse. Proper form enables the rider to:
Without proper form, there can be no unity with the horse and little can be accomplished!To achieve proper form, we must understand the proper positioning and function of each part of the rider’s body. This may seem elementary to those of you who are experienced riders, but as I mentioned before, I see many problems that are due to incorrect rider form. Even experienced riders will benefit from revisiting these basics. The Importance of the Rider’s Upper Body PositionThe fact is that the position of your head, eyes, what you are thinking, and even the expressions on your face are all important to how well you function as a rider. When you are mounted on your horse, your head should be relaxed and coming straight out of your neck. Your chin should be level and not tipped up or dropped to the chest. Where your eyes are focused is one of the most important elements of riding. Your eyes should be looking straight ahead at least 10 to 12 feet in front of the horse. This helps keep your head aligned, and more importantly, it opens up your peripheral vision to 180 degrees, letting you see from the front of your horse to his sides. Because you are looking up, you see where you are going. You can react and properly time the application of your aids to ask the horse to do something. We may learn first by sight, but with the precision that riding requires, the rider must learn to feel her form, balance, and relaxation to achieve good coordination. Look Ahead!The number one key to improving your riding form is keeping your eyes up and looking ahead of the horse. Look ahead with a confident expression and relaxed face, and align your back straight while keeping your shoulders down and square (both shoulders even with each other). This enables your back to stay straight and better absorb the horse’s movement. In turn, the horse will move more freely and responsively because you can move with him. Contrast this proper position to the rider who looks down, causing her back to round and shoulders to hunch up. Her upper and lower arms and hands tighten. She has lost flexibility and relaxation in her back and shoulders, which in turn limits the independence of her hands on the reins. The horse feels this. He may stiffen his back and his gait in reaction to the rider whose body position and hands are inflexible and do not move with him. Try this while you are sitting in a chair reading this article: Look up and ahead. Notice how this simple action changes your back and shoulder position, and how it affects your balance and flexibility. Now look down and see how this changes your body position. Eye contact, concentration, and facial relaxation are important for the rider’s confidence. Of all of these, rider’s eye contact, or focus, may be one of the most difficult things to improve. I have found that the hardest thing to teach a rider is not to look down! The next time you ride, pay attention to where you focus. Are you looking down without thinking about it? Starting today, make it a point to ride with your eyes looking in front of your horse! In the next article, we will learn a simple exercise to improve rider position. My book, Head to Toe Horsemanship, and my series, Dressage Principles for the Western and English Horse and Rider, will enhance this lesson. To order this and other instructional products, please visit the website at www.lynnpalm.com or call 800-503-2824. |
Other Articles by Lynn Palm
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| 12/4/2010 | Lynn Palm | |
| Rider Position, Part 4 - Lower Body Exercises | |
| In this series of articles, I am sharing some simple stretching and flexibility exercises to help with a rider’s relaxation, proper form, and balance. In the next few articles, we will focus on lower body exercises. | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 7/14/2010 | Lynn Palm | |
| Teach Your Horse to Ground Drive - Part 6 | |
| We will conclude this series on ground driving with some course work. Setting up a course is a great way to keep ground driving lessons fun, interesting, and challenging for you and your horse. It makes you think ahead and stay creative with your lesson plans. Besides having the horse properly outfitted for ground driving, for this lesson you will need plastic cones or markers (plastic gallon jugs partially filled with sand will work). Set up the course in a large enclosed area like an arena, paddock, or pasture. | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 6/18/2010 | Lynn Palm | |
| Teach Your Horse to Ground Drive - Part 5 | |
| You and your horse now have learned the basics of ground driving. Once you have worked several ground driving sessions successfully at the walk with your horse responding consistently, you are ready to speed things up a bit and learn how to ground drive at the trot. | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 5/28/2010 | Lynn Palm | |
| Teach Your Horse to Ground Drive - Parts 3 & 4 | |
| Ground driving is such an important foundation for your horse. It teaches him to give to rein pressure while changing gaits, as well as stopping and backing. Ground driving also is an ideal, low stress way to develop strength, fitness, and coordination without the rider’s weight becoming a factor; and it prepares the horse for under saddle or cart work. | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 4/16/2010 | Lynn Palm | |
| Teach Your Horse to Ground Drive - Part 2 | |
| In the last article, we went over the proper equipment for ground driving. In review, ground driving is an 'in-hand' technique where the horse is equipped with a saddle or surcingle, bridle, and a pair of long 'reins' which are held by a handler who walks behind the horse and drives him forward. To an onlooker, it looks like the handler is driving the horse without a cart! | |
| Read the full article >> | |