Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Learning to Post

I keep talking about lessons on Cowboy, but now I finally have actual proof of them. I drug my mom to my last lesson so she could video. Which was kind of a risk because she likes to take pictures with her finger in them, but she was successful in getting several decent videos.
Right before the canter starts you can see me tip forward and dump my hips out behind

Of course having video is a double edged sword. On one side I am always happy to be able to see things, but on the flip side I can see how skewed my perception of myself is. I always think I have my shoulders back and my hips under me. Nope my shoulders lean forward and I dump my hips out behind. It is especially bad at the trot.
Trying to rise up instead of swinging under

Additionally this time I got to discover I really don't know how to post. Theoretically I understand, but putting that theory into reality isn't happening. There is some sort of disconnect, which I texted my trainer "I don't understand how to post without tipping forward. Help." And being the amazing trainer she is, she didn't bat an eye and said "Of course!"

Don't let that face fool you, he broke a lead rope and took 45 minutes to load

The next time I rode with her, trainer tossed me up on her very nice upper level horse to teach me how to post. He is super steady in the bridle but also very sensitive so I could very easily feel the difference in his trot when my hips were under me and when I was letting them trail out behind. It really helped me get the feel for swinging my seat forward instead of up.


6 comments:

  1. So jealous of the upper level schoolmaster ride! That's awesome.

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  2. This post made me lol several times. You are a treasure, and so is cowboy. If I'm out of practice/weak in the saddle I will tip forward when I post, although Spicy has kinda cured me of my leaning forward because I don't want to fall off.

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  3. Posting is harder than people think. It has taken a long time for me to not post forward. And I still forget at times.

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  4. Riding is hard.... Why do we do it? lol. Every now and then, I get into the same habit, especially in the canter transition. My solution? Looking straight up at the ceiling. Idk why, but that helps.

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  5. The comment about your mom and her finger! Ha! She did good though!
    Isn't it weird how we can be riding for lots of years, and then realize we've been doing it all wrong all this time?! Glad you have a trainer who knows how to (and is willing!) to help! I'm sure you'll get the feel down quickly.

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