Student's Page

Firstly, I would recommend that if you do not have mirrors - then practice with a friend who can video you or who can watch and advise you on your position!

HERE IS OUR GOAL AS DRESSAGE STUDENTS AND RIDERS:

OFFICIAL FEI RULES REGARDING OUR POSITION:

1. All the movements should be obtained with invisible aids and without apparent effort of the rider. The rider should be well balanced, elastic, sitting deep in the centre of the saddle

and smoothly joining the rhythm of the horse with his loins and hips supple, thighs and legs steady and well stretched downwards. The heels must be the lowest point. The upper part of the body should

be easy, free and erect on the vertical. The hands should be carried steady and low and close together, with the thumb as the highest point and independent from the seat.

The elbows should be close to the body, enabling the rider to follow the movements of the horse smoothly and freely.....

There shall always be the impression of a harmonious co-operation between horse and rider.

Let's start at the top ... your head/helmet!

Is your head cocked to one side? Does your chin droop down towards your chest?  Does your head tilt back?  Does your head bobble around like those ornamental dogs on a car dashboard? (smile)

Let's give you some visualization aids to assist you in keeping your head UP and STRAIGHT!

• Imagine that you had long earrings on - you need to keep those earrings absolutely equal in length on both sides ... and dangling directly ABOVE the shoulder!
• Imagine that you have a book on your head .. or better yet, practice walking around with a book on your head (in private .. you will get some strange stares!!!)
• If safe to do so, wear some (shatterproof) sunglasses as you ride - are those sunglasses absolutely straight as you ride?
• If it helps to get extreme, imagine the long-necked ladies of the Padaung tribe begin wearing brass rings around their neck (argh!) .. Click HERE for an example of this!

HOMEWORK:  Write some great visuals that will help you remember (and to hold) your head in a correct, balanced position as you ride:

(If you have some great ideas - please send them to me - all of our students can benefit from your creativity!)

Visual Aids to Keep My Head Straight and Balanced:  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Find some photos or videos online of top FEI riders and try and copy their position!  For the best examples of a great head position - check out The Spanish Riding School photos - click HERE!

Why is it important to have the head up and balanced?  Instead of me telling you .... go out and ride your horse and see what happens.  Make sure your horse is safe and that you practice this at a WALK only.  Try not to disturb your horse too much, give with the reins when necessary as not to upset him/her.

As your ride along in a straight line at a walk, look down at he ground. Now ride the straight line with your head cocked to one side!  Now the other side!  Now safely tilt your head backwards.  Return your head to the correct position.  What happened?  How did your horse react?  Did your horse become heavier on the forehand?  Did the line remain straight?  How did YOU feel?  Did you feel a loss of balance and security?  Let me know!

Next, let's move down to the shoulders - that is a real big one .. I am guilty myself!

As you watch yourself ride - is one shoulder higher than the other?  Is one shoulder more forward or backwards than the other? Be fair with yourself and watch or video yourself on a straight line as you try to measure your straightness.  It is very difficult to be critical when riding a circle!

How about some visualization aids to help you keep those shoulders straight and equal:

• Imagine that you are one of those old-fashioned milk maids who have to carry a yoke with two urns of milk on each side!  Click HERE for an image.
• Imagine that you are wearing a stiff uniform with golden epaulettes on the shoulders.  Click HERE for an image of the Queen's Blues and Royals!
• Try taking your purse and wearing it on the other shoulder! It slips off right?  There is your clue that one shoulder is probably a little higher than the other.  Begin trying to wear your purse on the other shoulder!
• Ladies, imagine you are wearing one of those sexy "off-the-shoulder" dresses - how terrible would that look if your shoulders were crooked!  Flaunt what your Momma gave you, girls!
• Try this for me ... Simply STICK YOUR BELLY BUTTON OUT ....!  What Happened?  Did your body become upright and your shoulders go back?  Easy, huh?

HOMEWORK:  Write some great visuals that will help you remember (and to maintain) your shoulders in an equal, level and balanced position as you ride:

(If you have some great ideas - please send them to me - all of our students can benefit from your creativity!)

Visual Aids to Keep My Shoulders Above My Hips, Level to the Ground, Equal and Balanced:  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Why is it important to have the shoulders level to the ground, equal and balanced?  Instead of me telling you .... go out and ride your horse and see what happens.  Make sure your horse is safe and that you practice this at a WALK only.  Try not to disturb your horse too much, give with the reins when necessary as not to upset him/her.

As your ride along in a straight line at a walk, round your shoulders and slump down in an ugly position (I bet your horse did not like that!).   Now ride the straight line with one shoulder collapsed and the other raised higher ..  be careful!  When your shoulder was crooked, did you find your opposite foot pointed out? (uh-oh, there is a whole new set of problems!!) Now the other side!  Now safely lean your shoulders back behind the vertical (don't pull in your horse's mouth).  Now, with one slumped shoulder - try riding a circle in the opposite direction!  How hard was that?  Did your horse want to follow the weight of your slumped shoulder, even though you were asking him to circle in the other direction? Did he slow right down and lose impulsion?  Return your shoulders to the correct position.  What happened?  How did your horse react?  Did your horse become heavier on the forehand?  Did the line remain straight?  How did YOU feel?  Did you feel a loss of balance and security?  Let me know!

Remember, I can talk and explain until I am 'blue in the face', but the best way to understand how your posture affects your balance and the way your horse moves .. is to FEEL it for yourself!

To learn how we can help improve your posture, seat, legs, feet, arms and hands ... please ask during your next lesson!

Bookmark this page:  Next Topic -- Ways to Restore Your Confidence!

Students, if you have a specific question - please email me and I will address your question on this page!