The importance of flat work and common jumping errors

I love to jump. Jumping has got to be my favorite thing to do on horseback. And sometimes, when compared to jumping, flat work can seem kind of...boring. However, all of the foundations of riding are developed on the flat, so it is very important to do consistent flat work training to work on your riding errors instead of just jumping all the time.
A common phrase in the equestrian world is that jumping is flat work with speed-bumps. And it's true- without a solid position on the flat you will never produce the results you would like when jumping a course. Jumping is fun, yes, but when you jump all of your position errors are emphasized, and those errors can be very dangerous to both you and your horse.
Common example: many riders think that if they can walk, trot and canter semi-functionally, then they are ready to jump. However, being able to walk, trot and canter isn't enough. The rider must be BALANCED, with a strong position and a steady flow of weight into their legs. Remember my two point position post? If not, have a read through it. The position that I talk about, the ideal two point position, can only be obtained by a balanced rider with a solid foundation on the flat. Without a solid two point position, your jumping is seriously compromised, and the way to gain that position is going back to flat work.
Common errors in rider's jumping positions:

• The swinging leg: if, when you go over a jump, your leg swings backwards, go back to the flat. Chances are, when you canter on the flat, your leg swings as well. You may also be bracing against the stirrup when you jump, causing your leg to go backwards. All of these things mean that you have a weak leg. If you continue jumping with a weak, swinging leg, you could really hurt yourself or your horse, especially when the jumps get bigger. To fix this problem and strengthen your leg, do lots of no stirrup work. Do lots of two point on the flat as well, really making your weight flow down into your heels.
• Hanging onto the mouth: some inexperienced riders tend to pull on their horses mouth as they go over the jump, bracing on the horses mouth to balance. What this means is that they are an unbalanced rider. They cannot balance themselves through their seat and their legs, so instead they hang onto their horses mouth to stay on the horse. To fix this problem, go back to the flat. Do lots of flat work until you have an independent seat and you don't need to use your horse to balance. You can also take lunge lessons with no reins, which will really teach you to balance with just your seat.
• The big bang: if you suffer from "the big bang" (fantastic name, I know) it means that you'll go into two point just fine when your horse goes over the jump, but when he lands, you'll land heavily on his back with a big bang. It's unpleasant for both you and your horse, and it means that all your weight is in your seat instead of in your heels. To fix this problem, go back to the flat (are you noticing a common theme here?). Really work on getting your weight into your feet and getting your heels down. A good exercise for this is to do two point on the flat.

Basically, what I'm trying to say with all this is that flat work is important. Don't dismiss flat work once you start jumping and just jump every time you get on your horse. Save some time for flat work too- yes, it doesn't give the same thrill as jumping, but it is important nonetheless. If you don't have clean transitions, a good position, clear, effective aids and impulsion on the flat, then when you jump you really won't get the same results as a rider that does. Take some dressage lessons, work on your position, and then go back to jumping and you will be surprised at how much better you feel.

Thanks for dealing with my semi-rant, and sorry for not posting, like, at all. I've been really busy with school and riding and just life in general, so while I might not post as much, I promise I'll come back every once in a while to make a little post :)

Rachel.

Ways to learn about horses, without actually being around horses

Admittedly, the best way to learn about horses and improve you riding it to actually be around horses, whether you are on the horse or just at the stables. But not everyone has the time or the money to be at the stables 24/7. So what other ways are there to actually learn about horses? 
Reading Books:
That's right- it's time to crack some spines! (book spines. please don't crack someone else's spine) There are so many non-fiction books about horses and so much that these books can teach you. If you go to your local library, chances are there will be at least one horse book there that can help you. In the past, I have recommended Storey's Horse-lover's Encyclopedia, but I will also recommend the Complete Horse Care Manual if you are more of a beginner to horse care. 

The Complete Horse Care Manual, pic from indoexpatriate.wordpress.com

However, there are many more that you can check out, from books about exercises on horse back, to training manuals, to books about horsemanship. 

But it's not just the non-fiction books that can help you. You can learn plenty just by reading about horsey adventures in fiction books! I used to be (and still am) a massive fan of the Phantom Stallion series, as well as anything by Stacy Gregg and the A Circuit series.

Watching Videos:
Whether they are DVDs or youtube tutorials, there is plenty to learn from watching videos. Even by scrolling through the youtube comments in a horse video you can find lots of advice, though some of this is not the best. A channel I will highly recommend is Evention, which is run by two eventers who have lots of experience to share. Just watching horse riding on tv can be helpful, by listening to the commentary or watching the experts do their thing.

Evention's logo, pic from www.schrammequestrian.com

Looking Online:
Wanting to know the answer to a particular question? Search it online, and I guarantee you will find the answer. Want some tips to improve your riding? Just look it up, and you'll probably find something to help you. Even if you just want to read up more on horses, type the word horse into the search bar and read to your heart's content. There are so many resources on the internet, and it can be even more helpful than reading books, just because it is quick and easy. If you're on this blog right now, chances are you've done some reading already ;)
and last but not least

Join a Horse Forum:
There are many horse forums on the internet, but the biggest ones are HGS forum and horseforum.com. If you can't find the answer you want by searching the internet, ask the question on a horse forum. You don't even have to post in a forum to benefit from it- I have learned so much just by browsing the different threads and conversations. There are a lot of experienced horse people on online forums, and they have heaps of information to share.

I hope that this has been helpful and that you learn heaps :)

Rachel.

Heels Down!

A thing that all horse riders hear their instructors yell at least once is "HEELS DOWN!!" Having your heels down and toes up is seen as quite important in the horse riding world. However, there are some flaws in the saying, which I'll be explaining further down in the post.

First off: why should you keep your heels down?
When you are on a horse, it is important to keep some of your weight in your stirrups. This is because if all your weight is in your seat, if your horse spokes or moves suddenly it is easy to slip right off and hit the ground. However, if your weight is in your feet, it is easier to move with the horse and follow its movements, thus staying on. When you have a good flow of weight down your legs into your feet, it anchors you to the saddle and creates a more secure position. However, because of your stirrups are on the balls of your feet, your toes can't move down with the weight. This is why your heels go down- because your weight is lowering it.

Picture from flickr.com

But there are some things wrong with this.
It is not the concept in itself that is wrong, but the way that people are taught it. "Heels down heels down heels down heels down heels down" is often drilled into people's minds as soon as they start riding, and this causes people to just shove their heels down instead of actually letting their weight lower their heels. This can cause a few problems, namely that by doing this you don't actually have a correct flow of weight. 
Another problem people have is that when they are constantly told to put their heels down, they actually put their heels so far down that it gives them an incorrect leg position. when your heel is too low, your leg tends to come forward, which can result in a chair seat. You should be able to draw a vertical line from your hips to your heels.

What to do if you're having trouble keeping your heels down.
There are several things that could be stopping you from getting your heels down.
1. You just can't get your weight to sink down into your heels.
This was a problem for me, and it took few years for me to finally get my heels down and a steady seat, so if you're also having trouble getting it, don't be discouraged. Unfortunately these problems can't be fixed overnight, and it takes patience and time in the saddle to perfect them. 
Something you can try is when you get on a horse, stand up in your stirrups and let all your weight just go down into your feet. You should feel your heels go down on their own accord. This puts your leg in the correct position. Sit back down and try and keep that position and feeling when you ride.
A common problem that people have that keeps them from putting their heels down is knee gripping. Knee gripping is never a good idea as it creates a pressure point and disrupts the weight flowing to your heels. If you're tensing any part of your leg, that could also disrupt the weight flow. If this is your problem, try and keep your legs and the rest of your body relaxed and supple to allow your weight to flow into your heels.

 2. Your heels physically can't go down because of inflexible ankle muscles
Some people have naturally inflexible heels, making it hard and even painful for their heels to go down. For your weight to flow into your heels, it is essential to have a nice, relaxed and supple ankle. To achieve this, there are a few exercises that you can do.

• The stair exercise: This is a well known exercise where you stand with your toes on the edge of a staircase and let your heels drop. You can also touch your toes while in this position to further advance the stretch. Hold for longer and longer time periods until you can drop your heels without feeling any pain.

  

  Staircase exercise, pic from webmd.com

• Lunge: keeping your two feet parallel, bring your right leg forward and bend your knee. Make sure your left leg is straight and your heel is touching the floor. You should feel a stretch in your left Achilles tendon. If you can't feel the stretch, put your feet further apart. 

An important thing to remember is that it doesn't matter if your heels aren't noticeably down, as long as your weight is in them. So if your problem is inflexible ankles, don't stress yourself too much if you still have a steady leg and you're not losing your stirrups.

Picture from wall.alphacoders.com

Well that's all I have to say :) I hope you learned something from this post and are able to better understand one of the most well-known sayings in the horsey world.

Rachel.

Storytime Saturday #2

Well, since my blog suffered severe abandonment, I've only done one Storytime Saturday, when I originally planned to do them almost every week.
But I'm finally back and posting, so I'm doing my second one today, and my story is on horse leasing.
You see, when I was younger and not nearly as experienced, I was offered a horse lease by a person that was going away to queensland for 6 months. At the time, it was very exciting. Like SUPER DUPER exciting, since I was still really upset about not owning a horse, and I thought that leasing was the next best thing. 
So, I went and tried out the horse. I really loved her, because I loved to go fast, and this pony was about as fast and sensitive as they got. The deal almost worked out. I was so excited. I thought about all the fun I was going to have, about all the things I was going to learn, blablabla.
But what I didn't realize at the time was that that deal really wasn't good for me... at all. I could list the endless reasons why the deal wasn't good for me. The venue had very limited facilities, there wasn't going to be anyone supervising me, but mostly because I wasn't experienced enough, and I thought I could control the horse when really, I couldn't. 
When the deal didn't work out (and thank god it didn't otherwise I would probably have a million injuries and made half the progress I have now), I was devastated. I kept thinking about what a great deal it was (which it wasn't) and how much I loved the horse. I think it took me a while to realize how bad the deal had been for me, because I was so focused on the fact that I was FINALLY going to be leasing a horse and less focused on how I was actually going to make progress. Actually, no, that's a bit of a lie. I was thinking about how I was going to make progress, except at that point in my life, I thought the only way to make progress was to lease. I thought that I knew so much about horse riding, that leasing/buying a horse was the only thing that could benefit me.

I have this theory that the more you know, the more you realize you don't know. And it's true, for me at least. After the lease didn't work out, I moved to a different barn and started learning things I had never even thought about before. I started realizing how much I didn't know, and how I really wasn't very experienced at all.
Looking back now, I'm not upset that the deal didn't work for me, not one bit. Because I know that if the deal had worked out, I wouldn't have realized my flaws, and I wouldn't have realized how I could improve. Really, I wouldn't be half the rider I am now. Thinking small and taking good lessons has taken me so much further than thinking big would have.
So anyway, the moral of this story is to not jump ahead into things when you're not ready- Having/leasing a horse is not the only way to move forward. Start small, take lessons, and realize how much you DON'T know before making any big decisions. 

Rachel.

Book Recommendation - Storey's Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia

Storey's Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia is a really great horse book that I highly recommend. It contains information about every possible word related to horses (well that might be a slight exaggeration). It is illustrated and everything is explained very clearly.
It's a really fantastic book because if you're unsure on a word, you can simply just look it up in this book. It has really helped increase my horse vocabulary and knowledge over the years, so if you are new to horses, this is the book for you!

Rachel

Riding Bareback

Riding bareback is when a horse is ridden without a saddle. But it's not as simple as just getting on a horses back and riding them into the sunset without tack. Riding bareback can be difficult, mainly because it is so much easier to fall off. A horse's back is very slippery and if you're not careful you could slide right off!

Picture credit to http://www.freeonlineblogspot.com

Choose your horse carefully:
Some horses aren't really suitable for bareback, especially when you're just beginning. It is preferable for your horse to fit the following requirements:

• A reliable horse: When you ride bareback, you should start off riding horses you know you can trust. Also try using a horse you know has been ridden bareback before, as some horses don't like being ridden bareback and may act up, which is the last thing you want!
• A horse that isn't overly sensitive: It is best to start with a horse that isn't overly sensitive as you are much closer to the horse while riding bareback without the saddle to separate you. This way, even the slightest squeeze may be enough to get a sensitive horse going, even if you didn't mean to do it, and being caught offguard when a horse suddenly speeds up is a good way to fall off.
• Preferably a horse that isn't too bony: While this isn't a necessity, bony horses are very uncomfortable to ride bareback on. Most people prefer riding horses that are a bit chubby. It also helps if the horse doesn't have a bouncy trot, as when you ride bareback you have to sit trot.

Your Position:
Your position when riding bareback is really important, as it could be the difference between staying on and falling off! 
When you ride without a saddle, it is very easy to be left behind by the horse's movements. For this reason, it's important that you sit more forward than you normally would, right behind the horse's withers.
Starting off, it also helps to grab a bit of mane to keep you forward and balanced, and to make sure you don't pull on your horse's mouth. Getting lunged your first time is also a good idea, so you can focus less on steering your horse and more on your seat.

picture credit to http://www.ponytalesblog.com

 Some things to be careful of:
Even though some of you might want to start riding bareback right away, there are a few things you need to be aware of:

•  Like I said at the beginning, riding bareback is more dangerous than riding with tack because it is so much easier to fall off.
• You are not going to be able to start cantering right away. First you need to make sure you are comfortable and balanced riding at both the walk and trot, and this takes longer than you'd think.
• While riding bareback is a great way to develop your seat, it is also essential that you have a good seat to begin with. You need to be able to sit the walk, trot, and canter with confidence without balancing on your horse's mouth. Otherwise, when you ride bareback you'll just bounce around and pull on your horse.
• Because you are so close to your horse when riding bareback, it is also easier for your horse to get sore and uncomfortable. This is another reason you should have a decent seat before you start riding bareback.

Why should you ride bareback?
While what I just said was a bit grim, there are plenty of reasons why you should ride bareback when you're ready.

• Improve and develop your seat: Riding bareback helps you grow independent from the saddle, meaning that you stop relying so much on the saddle to stay on. You also develop a deeper seat, and you'll find yourself bouncing less and sitting more, if that makes sense.
• It's quick: If you're lacking time, not putting on the saddle can save you some time and help you squeeze in some extra minutes of riding.
• It builds trust: Riding bareback is a great way to build trust between you and your horse, and make you feel closer than ever. A big reason people love riding bareback is because it makes them feel one with their horse, without anything between them.
• It's fun!: Riding bareback is an extra challenge, and, when you get used to it, is a really fun way to ride!

Picture credit to http://traceyspicsandpastels.com

Ride safe, and have fun!

Rachel.

PS: So sorry for not posting in ages! I'll try to make it up to you guys, but in the meantime, happy late new years and merry even later Christmas! I hope you all had a fantastic time.

PPS: I just realized how many dot points this post has. Oops

The basics on leading horses

Hey guys! I'm posting twice today so if you haven't already make sure you look below for my first Storytime Saturday post!
Today will be a relatively short post on how to lead horses. This is pretty easy stuff so some of you will probably already know the information here. But if you don't know how, this post will explain everything you need to know!
When around horses, you aren't going to ride them everywhere. You're going to have to lead them from the ground a lot as well. So I put together a list of things you should do when leading a horse.

This picture shows a horse being led correctly with a lead rope. Pic from http://www.carolynresnickblog.com

• Stand on the left side of the horse (as shown above in the picture). Originally this was so your right hand was closer to the horse to give you more control, but now everyone leads from this side, even left handed people.
• Don't look at your horse when you lead them. Instead, look where you are going. If you look at your horse it makes them nervous and reluctant to move.
• Lead the horse with your right hand close to the horse's chin, but not too close. Make sure you give your horse some slack in the rope so they are comfortable. Hold further down the lead rope with your left hand to make sure it doesn't drag on the ground.
• Now walk! Your horse should follow you without too much trouble but if they are being stubborn give a small tug with the lead rope to get them to move. Make sure you stay beside the horse and don't walk too much in front of them otherwise they might step on your heels.

A horse being led correctly with reins. Pic from http://ajilbab.com

•  When leading a horse with a bridle and reins, you lead the same way as you do with a lead rope, except you hold the two reins together in one hand (as shown in the picture above).

I hope you learned something from this post. See you next time! 

Rachel.