I need help with my dressage skills!?

Question

Okay, I need help with some things. First of all, I have a tendency to 'drive' the horse with my seat (i.e. pushing VERY hard into his back) which makes me sway alot. I have also heard that in dressage, there is supposed to be no air between your butt and the saddle when you ride the canter. Also, I have trouble suppling my back and sit very ram-rod in the saddle. Suggestions on how to sit the trot would be nice too.

I do dressage, so advice from experienced people would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

time for no sitrrup work!!!! take a few lunge line lessons with your trainer and drop your stirrups, and take away your reins. no hands, no stirrups. Drop your heels and absorb all the impact there. This trick will fix all the problems becuase you will discover that you need to relax to stay on, that you cant sit up there tense and ramrod.

for the sitting trot: RELAX, drop your heels, I will act like i'm going to slouch down but still sit up straight, with my shoulders back (it allows me to relax drop my weight down but not 'drive'). Some riders dont sit up as tall as they would during any other gait. Start at a very slow trot, like maybe a collected trot and try sitting it. With the whole drive thing, theres a simple fix, RELAX, annnnd drop your stirrups, when you do this, you will focus more on your balance and staying on than driving your horse forward. Just go with his movements, relax, and drop your heels. good luck!

Answer 2

It sounds like your problem is coming from your hips.

So try some things on the ground to loosen up your hips.

-do candle sticks-you lay down stick your feet up in the air and practice balancing-then practice touching your toes to the floor by going over your head.

-Stand with your legs a few feet apart and work on swinging your arms down and reaching as far behind you as you can by reaching through your legs.

-Set a stack of books on your kitchen counter and practice moving them with just your hips.

-and practice rolling your hips and back-you know as if you were at a high school dance and breaking the rules as you dance.:)

-Backbends or bridges will help with the back.

-On the horse drop your stirrups and practice swinging your legs back and forth from the hips

-practice pulling your knees up to your nose while riding

-and lots of no-stirrup work to develop a better seat.

-And as for the no-air part while cantering-thats for every sport.

think about scooping ice cream with your hips while you canter-but keeping your upper body still.

-as for the driving seat try sitting up don't lean back and tilt your pelvis ever so slightly down to prevent using a driving seat.

oh and as for Dressage being boring

-it is

-only for those who truly don't understand the sport nor the kind of riding they do.

dressage is the basic (or should be ) the basics of all training wether it be western or english it is dressage.

Answer 3

Here are a couple of visualizations to help with your seat in the sitting trot and canter:

For the trot, think of dribbling a basketball.  You can't do it with a stiff, flat hand.  The only way to do it is with a supple hand which absorbs the upwards movement of the ball then redirects it back downwards.  Same with your seat in the trot - be supple in your hips and absorb the bounce.

For the canter, it should feel sort of like swinging on a swingset.  It's not just an up/down movement, it's more of a back to front movement.  A good way to get a feel for it is to get someone to longe you, you hold the front of the saddle with your outside hand and the back with your inside hand, and hold yourself down on the saddle then gradually try to lessen the amount you're pulling down with your hands.

For your overall stiffness problem, you might try riding with your eyes closed for a little while.  It sounds strange, but it can sometimes let you feel the movements of the horse better, and allow you to follow them better.

Answer 4

Try to open your hip angle and absorb the movement with your hips. Some people say to imagine you are 'making love' to the saddle. Yes, there should be no air between the saddle and you in any of the gaits.

Answer 5

Take a few lunge line lessons... do you have a trainer? If you don't get one. For your riding, relax and breathe. Imagine how you feel to the horse... you don't want to feel bad. Run a checklist through your mind, for instance, are my hips relaxed, elbows? am I breathing? Stuff like that. I really suggest taking a few lunge lessons with someone because those will really help develop a supple, secure seat and independent aids. Good luck!