tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post8380535411463911288..comments2024-03-01T06:49:59.106-05:00Comments on Behind the Bit: Dressage light bulb momentsStacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-76278393819145452502008-08-12T10:07:00.000-04:002008-08-12T10:07:00.000-04:00I took a beginner Yoga class. It should have had n...I took a beginner Yoga class. It should have had nothing to do with dressage or horses at all. But I started becoming more aware of my position and my breathing while riding. <BR/>Cross-training for humans?A Bay Horsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16519878838113259362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-15770317162543414352008-08-11T22:14:00.000-04:002008-08-11T22:14:00.000-04:00Not dressage, but in a jumping clinic I ate a fenc...Not dressage, but in a jumping clinic I ate a fence twice and cantered up to it the third time... clinician stopped me and asked me what I was doing. I said jumping; he asked me if the track I was one worked the first time I tried it. I said no. Did it work the second time? No.<BR/><BR/>"Then do something different! Anything!"<BR/><BR/>Best advice I ever got, hands down. No point in having a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-6342527134483074412008-08-11T10:51:00.000-04:002008-08-11T10:51:00.000-04:00After weekly lessons for a year and a half, my 16 ...After weekly lessons for a year and a half, my 16 year old dressage riding daughter took one look at me,walked up and placed my leg behind the girth. "Keep it there," she said. It sounds so simple, but it was revolutionary. I'm sitting straight, I'm off my horse's shoulders-- he loves it. I've spent all summer just focusing on my seat and having soft, responsive hands and yesterday I had a ride Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-35886849899972986462008-08-11T10:40:00.000-04:002008-08-11T10:40:00.000-04:00it's funny how these visual images help us - being...it's funny how these visual images help us - being so visual myself it makes a huge difference - when we change our mind our body shifts without us knowing it - but the horse sure does! I love the looking over the cliff one as it stretches the whole body forward - i am going to try that one today - have a great oneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-11874592032240252472008-08-11T10:26:00.000-04:002008-08-11T10:26:00.000-04:00One good image that has helped my arm position alo...One good image that has helped my arm position alot is to think of holding a beach ball in my arms. This helps keep me from keeping my arms locked to my rib cage. The breathing and doing nothing are good ones. I haven't heard of the cliff one, but for canter, I like the image of being on the crest of a wave. When I feel that feeling, I know he's up in front and round through his back. <BR/><AnnLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18302520885355984852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-90911289517818328652008-08-11T09:09:00.000-04:002008-08-11T09:09:00.000-04:00All helpful tips, it's always good to see what phr...All helpful tips, it's always good to see what phrases other trainers use to get their point across. I like the 'looking over a cliff' metaphor.Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-24912254433007299852008-08-11T08:39:00.000-04:002008-08-11T08:39:00.000-04:00Ah, yes! A was having a problem with my TB, when I...Ah, yes! A was having a problem with my TB, when I asked from a transition from canter to trot, he just kept cantering slower and slower. Looking back I was doing a million things wrong, but a friend said to "think TROT" but don't do anything. Voila! <BR/><BR/>Thanks for re-reminding me of this.Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-37090785852602302562008-08-11T08:25:00.000-04:002008-08-11T08:25:00.000-04:00Funny - my daughter got the same outside stirrup s...Funny - my daughter got the same outside stirrup suggestion recently in a dressage lesson on a HUGE for her horse that was constantly gravitating to the rail instead of staying on circles. <BR/><BR/>Seemed counterintuitive that weighting the outside stirrup would alleviate that particular problem, but it nipped it in the bud. <BR/><BR/>A good friend and dressage rider/trainer told me when I firstbilliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.com