WHAT DOES MY INSTRUCTOR MEAN?

Text | Skye Littlefield

Here are five common instructions that you may be given during your lessons and why you should take note:

01. “Heels down”

Having your heels down in the stirrups allows for a stronger position in the saddle. It also puts your weight into the back of your leg and foot. This puts your weight through the rest of your body, keeping your body upright and back in the saddle. However, try not to force your heels down, as this will make you grip more with your knees - rather, think about keeping your toes up. Practise at home by standing with your toes on the edge of a low step, holding on to something. From this position, practise lifting your toes while putting your weight into your heels.

02. “Sit up”

Leaning forward affects your overall balance and makes it harder to stay in control of your pony. Stretch your body up as tall as you can, keeping your shoulders relaxed and back and don’t forget to look up. Looking down weakens your position, so make sure you look between your pony’s ears with your chin up. This will help you remain tall and in balance when riding.

03.“Keep your leg on”

‘Leg on’ doesn’t mean that you should be nagging your pony with kicks every stride. Instead, you should think of wrapping your lower legs around his tummy and squeezing when you need to. Keeping your leg on, and wrapped around your pony’s sides, allows you to keep good rhythm and impulsion.

04.“Use your inside leg to outside hand”

You will often hear your instructor use this phrase, especially when you are on a circle because this practice helps you keep your pony balanced around a turn while maintaining impulsion. Your inside leg (the one closest to the centre of the arena) should have even pressure on your pony’s side, which keeps him moving forward and pushes him into the bend. Your outside hand (the one closest to the outside of the arena) maintains an even contact and contains the energy to stop your pony from falling out.

05. “Shorten your reins”

We all get told to do this, but why is it so important? Riding with your reins too long means that you can’t keep an even contact with your pony, which makes it difficult to give him instructions and show him what you are looking for. If this happens to you regularly, ask your instructor to tie a knot in your reins at the correct length or place some coloured sticky tape where your hands should be. Doing this can help to guide your hand position and keep it consistent.