You can learn to have good equitation, it just takes determination and practice! Here are a few tips that will help you accomplish becoming a better rider and looking elegant at the same time.
Something else to think about when you are riding is to keep your jaw relaxed, your shoulders back but not rigid. You want to have a steady connection in your outside rein, your inside rein is for bending and flexing. So many riders pull on the inside rein, you don't want to pull at all or put your horse in a frame with your hands. If your horse moves his head up above the vertical, just drive forward with your legs until your horse is on the vertical again and don't compromise your horse's rythmn either. Be patient with your horse and don't worry if a mistake happens. Just regroup yourself and continue on with your riding.
Focus on keeping an elastic connection with your horses mouth in walk, trot and canter. Make sure your hips move with your horses rythmn. If your hips are not supple, you will bounce out of rythmn with your horse. This will be uncomfortable for your horse and for you.
And last but not least, check to make sure your ankles are supple which will help you to keep your heel down and in a relaxed manner. This will influence your body position in helping you to move with your horses movement. If you are stiff in your ankles, this can create more bounciness in your seat, so work on exercises like rotating your ankles in a circular motion going left then going right. Riding without irons, lunging and two point seat are excellent exercises also.
Tips: ( Please wear a helmet when you ride!)
* Lunge line work with no irons will help you develop a correct seat, develop better balance so that you can ride independently of your hands. Make sure you are on a horse that is safe to be lunged on.
And last but not least, check to make sure your ankles are supple which will help you to keep your heel down and in a relaxed manner. This will influence your body position in helping you to move with your horses movement. If you are stiff in your ankles, this can create more bounciness in your seat, so work on exercises like rotating your ankles in a circular motion going left then going right. Riding without irons, lunging and two point seat are excellent exercises also.
Tips: ( Please wear a helmet when you ride!)
* Lunge line work with no irons will help you develop a correct seat, develop better balance so that you can ride independently of your hands. Make sure you are on a horse that is safe to be lunged on.
* Riding without irons should be included in your daily riding program. This will help you develop stronger legs, an independent seat, as well as placing you correctly on your seat bones. You can always do this in your warm up class as long as it is safe. This can help you get your body in position before a competition.
* Safety is always first. Be aware of your surrounding area that you will ride in whether it is at your stable, at your trainers facility or at a competition.
* Safety is always first. Be aware of your surrounding area that you will ride in whether it is at your stable, at your trainers facility or at a competition.
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When you start your ride everyday, visualize the correct body position you want when you are riding, and try not to compromise what you are striving for. Practice makes perfect!
Dressage Seat Equitation tips
A fun place to learn more about dressage, training tips, and much more!
DressageforJuniors.Com
Every rider has the ability to ride with grace and elegance, and be effective with your aids. It takes practice and confidence in yourself and your horse. If you learn to sit correctly in your every day riding, you will be more effective in giving the proper timing of aids, which will result in clear transitions.
Think about sitting tall and looking straight ahead. If you need to look down, just slightly glance down with your eyes.
Keep your mid-section from collapsing, this is especially important when you ask for transitions. Have you ever asked for the canter departure from the trot, but your horse kept trotting?
You have to be clear in asking your horse for a movement, so work on keeping your mid-section stronger and learn the correct timing of the aids.
Work on sitting up tall and keep your elbows slightly bent and relaxed at your sides. Your hands should be upright with your wrists straight and supple. Try keeping your hand's approximately the width of your horse's withers and don't forget to keep an elastic connection with your horse's mouth.
Remember, if you are showing in a equitation class, the judge has other riders to watch and you want to ride your best and show the judge that you deserve to be first in the class!
Keep your mid-section from collapsing, this is especially important when you ask for transitions.
Be patient with your horse and don't worry if a mistake happens. Just regroup yourself and continue on with your riding.
Here is a Dressage Seat Equitation class, the riders are lined up waiting for the announcement of the awards.
Each individual learns at a different rate. No student should be pushed beyond their physical and learning capabilities
For beginners learning Dressage, start with lunge line lessons. Working on the lunge line is excellent for building rider confidence and an independent seat.
Work on sitting up tall and keep your elbows slightly bent and relaxed at your sides.
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