Horse riders/people- what is 2 pointing.. i know its dumb... but i need help?

Question

hello~ i was wondering if anyone could tell me what 2 pointing is... i had a great answer given to me and i felt bad that i didn't even know what 2 pointing meant... i also was wondering if any of you know how i can get good balance when riding my horse bareback...is there an excercise or something that i can do? thanks!

Answer 1

There were tons of great answers on 2 pointing, so i figured I'd address the bareback question. Its really important to stay in the middle of your horse, dont lean to either side. Also, a lot of people just kind of dangle thier legs when they ride bareback, and just kinda sit on the horse. If you slightly bend your knees and keep you heels down, as if you were in a saddle, you can grip a little better without kicking your horse. If you can ride a horse in the saddle iwthout having to hang on to anything and without stirrups, you can ride bareback. A great exercise is having someone hold your horse, so he wont move from beneath you, and bend in all directions, pivoting on your hips. Bend to one side, arms above your head and strech in the direction for a few seconds, then bend to the other side the same way, then lean back wards, without laying on your horse, and hold for a few seconds, and then lean forewards, without laying on his neck, and holdfor a few seconds, this will help with building your "gripping" muscles and help with your balance. Also, another great exercise it to have someone hold your horse and try to sit in the middle of him, while holding your arms above your head, and slowly pull your legs up infront of you straight, paralell to the ground, and then hold for a few seconds, while trying to keep your back fairly vertical. Then with your hands on your horses whithers, push your legs as far back as you can(be careful not to hit your horse in the flank) and hold them for a few seconds, also while keeping your back fairly vertical. This too, is good for your "gripping" muscles and balance. I have all of my students do this every day, it is strengthening and challenging if you do it right. Be careful though, at first these exercises can be kinda akward for your horse and when you lean, he may want to move, so be sure to do it on a calm horse and have someone hold him. Hope these help!! email me if you need any further exercises, I know a ton.

Answer 2

Two Point is a way of balancing on a horse.  Mostly used when jumping.  You raise up out of your seat and lean over the horse's shoulders to dispurse your weight at the spot easiest for the horse to carry it over a fence.

As I have told my students for the past 28 years, two point is used to give you a center of balance.  First of all, it's NOT about gripping with your calves, it's about using your lower thigh to keep you IN the saddle.  If you grip with your calves, you are going to encourage the horse to go FASTER and when you're learning, that's the LAST thing you want to do.

Try standing up in your stirrups first then just using your lower thighs, do a lap around the arena and notice the difference.

Best of luck.

Answer 3

two-point is when you stand up in the saddle with your butt sticking back, but you dont lean forward. its the jumping position. for bareback, just do lots of work like you would just without stirrups.

Answer 4

It is when u stand a little bit up out of the saddle and almost lean forward. This position takes alot of time to develop muscles for so don't kill yourself.

When you go bareback try these:

Froggy - you lift both legs in the air  and balance on your seat bones.

Stretch- stretch your legs down

Answer 5

Hello! First of all thats not a dumb question at all! That is being a good horseman looking for answers so good for you!

Okay so here we go, a two point is a position used to raise your buttocks slightly out of the saddle while maintaining your proper leg position, for instance, heels done, toes up, calf on horse, relaxing down thru your leg but bend your waist and lift your rear end out of the saddle, it can also be called a "half seat" as your are ever so slightly out of the saddle. This is a lovely position to stregthing your lower leg and balance! Go for it and if you have a good steady mount, it will be fun!

* By the way.....if you fall back, that means you've been riding in a chair seat with your legs to far forward, if you pitch forward, you are riding with your legs sliding back, find that perfect balance, this excersize is great for that.*

All of our students from 5 yr old lead liners to our national competitors practice and exhibit their half seat/2 point, many ride their courses like that on what is called a "closed hip angle", when you sit, you open your hip angle, therfore allowing more forward motion, I hope this helped!

Answer 6

HI

Two pointing means  two points - feet and knees - your rear is out of the saddle as if you were positioning for a fence.  It's like holding your post in the "up" position in a way.  My daughter's trainer would make her two point two laps around the arena each way  - at the walk - as  a warm up.  Later it became without stirrups.  When she could two point around the arena two times without stirrups her trainer said she was ready to jump.  Dropping your stirrups and two pointing and posting w/out stirrups will help your balance and your strength.

Answer 7

two pointing is when you have two people riding on the same horse

Answer 8

2-pointing is like what you do over a jump. Or when you are posting, you are sort of in a 2-point.  You stand up about 1 1/2 inches above the saddle. Make sure your crotch isn't over the pommel. Then you arch your back at a 45 degree angle.

Answer 9

2 POINTING---2 pointing is to make this short, when you stay in the up position in posting, so you would hold your hands still, heels down, back straight lower arms parrallel to your horses neck, thumbs up, knees bent, but held stiff, keep your body stiff

BAREBACK---i would have someone lunge you with a bareback pad at a walk first, and then however fast you feel comfortable with, and then close your eyes, hold your arms out, twist you body, so that hands are toward rear and ears, arm circles, try to touch your toes, touch your horses ears, touch their tail, things like that, but dont do these with your eyes closed, just the first one, eyes closed arms out for balance

hope this helps