"Wrap Your Legs Around The Pony"?

Question

So I recently starting horseriding again after stopping a few years ago(couldn't afford the lessons). I've just started cantering and I suppose I'm doing alright but I bounce a lot and feel that if I move, I'll fly off or topple myself.
My instructor tells me to relax, go with the motions and wrap my legs around the pony's belly..

I know I should be trusting my instructor, I mean, she is fully qualified, but does she mean literally? I keep my legs on the pony at all times? I did figure to do as she says but whenever I put any tension on my lower half, even if I'm just putting my heels down in canter, I just bounce up off the saddle. And I think, how much worse am I going to bounce if I put even more tension through myself by keeping my legs on the pony's stomach?

Am I just being silly and frightened or are there any tips you guys could give me?

Answer 1

This sounds almost exactly where I am at with my riding! My instructor tells me the same thing as well. You are NOT being silly. Like me you are probably nervous though?

When I start to canter my stomach is in a knot. I lost a stirrup just last week at the canter and then I sort of leaned foward and gripped with my legs, hard. Which is NOT the right thing to do haha. All I succeeded in doing was make my horse move faster and end up panicking myself.

I think when my instructor tells me to "wrap" my legs around my horse is means that I should have contact with the saddle but I should not be gripping with my legs.

She tells me to keep my legs long- heels down and relaxed. This is hard because she tells me this and I still do what you said you do, which is bounce from the saddle.



I find it's hard because if I'm too tense, I bounce around. But if I try to loosen up and relax and I just look like a sack of potatoes and then I get worried about falling.



Most people say that it takes a while and that eventually you will get used to the rhythm of the canter. Btw I can't sit the trot and I am thinking this is also hindering me when I canter. Hope this helps and it will get better for you!

Answer 2

First off i wouldnt wrap your legs around the horse. Just let them lay naturally against his sides and just use whatever leg pressure is necessary to keep him going. The biggest tip i can give you for a smooth canter (besides relax) is not to push down on your stirrups. By bracing on the stirrups you partially lock your legs in place making it harder follow the horses motion. Start by practicing a sitting trot with no stirrups then canter without them. I know it sounds hard but almost all newer riders find it easier to do a sitting trot or a canter without stirrups than with them! My guess is that your instructor said this because you were bracing on the stirrups which also pushes your leg out away from the horse

Answer 3

I'm going to be the vulgar one here.



Shoulders like a princess, hips like a whore.



There, I said it.



Sorry if you're too young for that.



There's a difference between having *contact* through your calf/inner knee/thigh, and *gripping*. You don't ever want to grip, because, you're right, you'll make yourself tense. You do want to have a *light* feel of his sides at all times, but it's not ever a pressure. You only squeeze when you intend to use the aid, otherwise you'll be doing two things:

1.) You'll dull your horse to your leg aids.

2.) You'll be keeping yourself in the saddle through strength alone (instead of balance) and that is bad. Littaeur always said that this is the biggest sin.



Assuming you ride English, you should be able to feel the saddle below your knee, and if your horse is not narrow, you can feel the girth (assuming you have a leather or thick fleece girth) on the inside of your boot.



Don't think so much "wrap your legs around" as "find his sides with your calves."

Answer 4

Kind of. Wrapping your legs around them would mean "grip" your horses with your thighs/calves but don't necessarily squeeze. It is a difficult thing to discern, between squeezing and just getting a grip on the horse but with practice you'll figure it out soon enough. Another thing, sit you rear WAY back in the saddle. Think that you're glued there and aren't allowed to bounce up. Really just think about rolling with your horse. Keep your hips loose and relaxed and concentrate on feeling the rocking motion of the canter. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Rock your hips with the motion in canter back and forth, let your shoulders and body relax, but sit upright int he saddle, sit on your bum muscles so your bottom is tucked in. Don't grip with your knees or legs in canter!! worse thing to do, relax, hold on tot he front of the saddle or some mane and go with the movement. I have never ever been told to wrap my legs round the horses tummy.

Answer 6

those are polo wraps, they are merely fleece wraps to guard adverse to impact if the horse's legs hit one yet another even as he's shifting. Polo wraps do not provide any tendon help, yet they do make wraps and boots that do. Polo wraps have also develop right into a way assertion, there are countless relaxing colorations and kinds so many times it really is in uncomplicated terms finished because it seems that useful also. wish this clears issues up!

Answer 7

When your in canter, yes you should wrap your legs around the horse, but not squeezing, but you should just have pressure, almost hugging the horse with your legs, not too hard. Also, when cantering, you need to be quite good with your hips, in moving with the rythmn of the horse' canter. Hehe dont worry, i had the same problem when i first started! You just need to trust the horse more than yourself.

Answer 8

Riding without stirrups should help. Also, you could (at walk or halt) take away your stirrups and hold both legs out about a foot from the side of your horse and hold it there until your hips feel dead, then allow your legs to stretch down, you should feel them stretching down and your seat and legs should be working more efficiently this way :) maybe have someone there to assist in case you slide off!

Answer 9

Yeah she is right- you're not supposed to grip around the horse's belly hard or use that for balance, but let your legs fall naturally around instead of out to the sides- your legs should be on the horse's belly for the whole time so you can cue it. If you take your legs off you immediately lose one of your aids. Keep your legs loose with your weight in your heel and let them follow the shape of the horse's belly like this http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=horse+rider+from+the+front&start=131&num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=gHb58lvbj7-s4M:&imgrefurl=http://www.ehow.com/how_2324158_train-horse-leg-yield.html&docid=FZBng6c6FJnAsM&imgurl=http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/ehow/images/a02/6t/lu/train-horse-leg-yield-800x800.jpg&w=615&h=410&ei=U2TCUID9GsSp0QWzv4D4CA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=278&vpy=53&dur=3011&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=218&ty=176&sig=115951479302320408774&page=5&tbnh=158&tbnw=249&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:55,s:100,i:169



(not a great example but just to give you the idea. You don't want them to come off the horse's belly anyway)

Answer 10

I think if you are confident you should be able to canter and just sit there without squeezing anywhere, with anything. I think when you would squeeze your legs it would just push you up. Let your legs and feet just dangle. Practice standing on one foot and lifting your knee, putting your other leg and arms in different directions while on one foot. Learn better balance.

Answer 11

Its really good to wrap your legs around their belly!!!

Thats how i learned to canter

Answer 12

Canter without your stirrups.

Answer 13

trust the horse and just flow with him