Horse riding and posture?

Question

My mare already has a beautiful canter, gallop, trot, walk, all that.

My mom told me that i do have a good posture. But i want an excellent posture.

My mares riding is kind of like this, exept a little better. I will have to post a photo of her later when i can get one of me riding her.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PNxbFrw3xc&feature=related

but yea she is a little more elegant.

Any way. I would like the perfact posture to go with her. She rides western saddle.

But what are some ways you got a good posture?

And another of topic question, I was told that horse back riding is one of the best forms of exercise. Is that true?

Thanks!

Also how do you use a lounge whip on a horse? I have never used one before, or any whip. Never had. But if my mare dont move while im trying to train her to jump i will need to.

Answer 1

Is that you riding. I will come back to answer your question

Answer 2

well western riding and jumping is verryyy different.. the way you sit in a western saddle is alot different then the way you sit in a english saddle. and if your going to begin jumping i highly suggest using english tack. the western saddle is really heavy on there back going over fences, and it tends to rub giving the horse saddle sores.  lounge whip is just used when your lounging as a scare to get them to move more out in front of you, or pick up there pace.

if your giong to start training her to jump the est way to do it is to just start her with poles then slowly increase the height with you riding her. thats how i would do it ;]

Answer 3

You'll want to sit up straight with your heels pointing down. Your elbows, knees and hips should all line up. You'll want to keep your elbows into your sides and your knees tight into the saddle. You shouldn't be able to see any holes between the saddle and your legs. When she canters(or lopes or runs) you'll want to sit deep in the saddle and move with the horse but keep your body in the same posture.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

To get your posture better make a 90 degree angle with your arms...keeping your elbows and your sides and putting your fore arms out...put a stick or whip behind your back and through the inner angle your elbows make..this forces you to keep your arms at a good angle and your back PERFECT!

Answer 5

OK i might only be 12 but i was born on a horse and last year a A grade olimpian or watever its called was making us put our jumping whip behind our back so the handle and other end of the whip are coming out of you arms around your elbows. dont try jumping like this just do some flat work. also heels down and the thumbs up pointing to the sky and always look were you are going next and dont look at the horse because it will sence that and try to play up. because we all know ( well some of us know anyway) that were you look that is were you wil go so if you are looking at the horse or the ground that is where you will end up!!!

Answer 6

my wife says to put crop in front of your elbows and behind your back keep your heels down and below your hips.

as far as exercises posting is equal to running 4 miles per hour.

check your youtube.com for lounge wipe.

Answer 7

Alright, first off -- heels down a bit more. You definately need to stretch down into your heels and not let them come up. It not only improves your legs but also keeps you from being likely to fall forward. Definately just work on keeping your heels down a bit firmer and use your calf to cue the horse into forward movement, not so much your heel :)

Lounge lessons, definately and work a bit without stirrups with longer legs, you need to learn to put your heels down - I think your stirrups may be a bit too short, that could be the reason you aren't pushing down well enough into your stirrups. Also, I couldn't tell but make sure the stirrups are on the ball of your foot, not the middle or too close to the heel.

I rode bareback CONSTANTLY, so I got good balance, then I just began constantly correcting myself and working with muscle exercise.

Yes, it is. If done correctly :).

If you have a normal whip you hold it between your middle finger and your agh, index? finger. With a dressage whip you should be able to just gently tap the horse in the hip with it, but with a jumping whip you're suppose to hold the reins in one hand, reach back, pop lightly, then regather your reins. I ride dressage whips only, obviously because I'm a dressage rider...

A lounge whip is used only for lounging :). A dressage whip or jumping whip is what you need.

Answer 8

It's hard to say until i can see a video or picture of you riding her, but if you are riding western, a key element is to sit back and deep in the saddle. I learned english before I learned western, so i have really good posture from their exercises, some of which were riding with a arm up in the air, doing a lot of stretches both in and out of the saddle, and sitting straight up in chairs.

I'd have to say horse back riding is a great form of exercise. It might not be the greatest for losing weight, but you develop amazing balance, and very strong legs and arms overtime.

So you are teaching her english as well? Well, lounge whips are usually used out in front of you, but still low enough to show the horse you are not going to do anything to them. It might be easiest to understand if you look up a video on youtube, there are plenty of people lunging horses, just watch their hands and movements.