Beginner Riding Lesson - Seatwork on the Lunge, Learning How to Post

9 year old Merrit practices seatwork on the lunge and rides at the trot off the lunge for the first time on Molly. Here are the movements we do to challenge the rider's balance: Kick down left, right, both Kick up and touch your toe left, right Fix your seat (lean back, lift your knees, and pull yourself back up to the pommel of the saddle) Pet the horse down the neck with your left hand, then right Put your hand on the horse's rump, twist and look over your shoulder, do both sides Lay back as far back on the horse as you can Arch up (put your hand on the rump, like doing a bridge on the horse) Circle your arm like a back stroke, left and right Touch your left heel, right heel, both heels Frog on a Rocket (bring your heels up so you are in a kneeling position, put your hands out flat against the horse as far forward as they can go, lean down to the neck) Pretend you're holding a stick with two hands... Make a forward circle, a backward circle Pass the stick behind your back Behind your neck Over each shoulder Under each leg Point the stick towards the horse's inside shoulder Without changing hands, point the stick towards the horse's outside hip Outside shoulder inside hip ...Then try the whole thing combining leg movements with pointing the stick to the shoulders/hips These movements are really good for desensitizing the horse and strengthening the rider's balance. The rider should hold the pommel whenever they are not moving their hands. These movements are intended to be distractions from sitting correctly. The rider should try to keep their seat moving with the horse even while they are doing the movements. If the horse speeds up or tries to come into the handler, it is likely that the rider has gotten stiff and her bouncing is scaring or upsetting the horse.

» View the original video «

YouTube | January 17, 2009

Tags:. .rump. .kneeling. .saddle. .trot. .lunge