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Hunter Riders In Dressage
Back in the day, I took Super Saint to a dressage clinic. Within five minutes, the clinician said, “Oh, so you’re a hunter rider.”
Oh, so yes I am. And?
The clincian’s point was that, since I jumped at home all the time, I could do the cavalletti exercise first because I’d be the most comfortable with it. What, you thought this would be about the differences between a hunter seat and a dressage seat?
Right, it is. His point was also that I didn’t sit deep enough for dressage.
I still don’t. Heh.
On purpose, though–I still want to drive with my seat / use my seat instead of my legs / what have you. So a deep seat would be a bad idea, don’t you think? A lighter, more hunter-y seat, on the other hand, is helping me get the idea of where my legs need to be–and as my leg aids improve, we’re slowly working on how to sit without driving.
It’s a long process. I still look like a hunter rider in the dressage ring. But hey–I have my whole life to get to that long-legged draped look, right?
Tonight, for the first time, I finally believed it would be possible for me to one day lengthen my stirrups to a definite dressage-y length.
Among my many bad habits: using my heel instead of my entire calf. Which, of course, means I shorten my leg and turn the knee and toe out. Which, of course, means I am that much further from a long, dressage leg.
So tonight’s lesson focused on turning the knee in, which brought my calf against the horse, and stabilized my leg so that I felt I could use the calf–instead of the heel. Ah ha! All of which mean that I could drop my leg down while still using it. Amazing. Who knew? (Yeah, yeah: every dressage rider out there. Maybe I’m just a slow learner.)
Another effect of the knee-in exercise: when I pushed with my inside leg against my outside leg, I could feel the wall I was trying to create with the outside aid. Well, for two or three steps at a time, anyway. But I’m not complaining: seeing two lights at the end of the tunnel is a good thing, and they make for quite a nice lesson tonight.
We also talked a little bit about how I revert to my hunter-jumper days when I get in trouble–I want to move up into a half seat and float the reins, which… doesn’t really work in dressage, right?
I’m still thinking through that portion of the lesson and trying to sort it out, but I think it means I’ve come to a cross roads in terms of my position. Prior to this, if I used the half-seat-and-float “out,” it didn’t really hurt the exercise–I wasn’t necessarily riding with enough connection for it to matter. But now that we are starting to bring the horse together more, I can’t throw away my connection like that.
My hunt-seat background is part of the reason I float, of course. The other is that I am afraid I’ll drive with my seat–so I go too far forward instead. But I think (I hope!) this all means I’m reaching a place where my seat is good enough that I should be able to get myself out of those sticky parts without floating–but also without driving. In other words: I need to give myself persmission to stay sitting and maintain the contact when I feel like I’m in trouble.
It’s interesting: I’ve always liked what my hunter background brought to dressage, so to reach a place where it’s starting to hinder me is a little disconcerting. Now to set about unlearning some habits–how’s that for a New Year’s realization?
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Comments
Hi. I am actually searching for someone who shares my current situation. I’m a 37 year old dressage rider who has just gotten into hunt seat due to my 7 year old starting lessons. I’m having to learn to stick my toes out, dig with my heel, lean forward, loosen your reins, etc, etc..
I’m hoping I don’t lose my dressage lessons which I worked so hard to learn. But, this jumping stuff is grand. I did some eventing in pony club and elsewhere but never really focused on hunt seat.
We’ll see. Fun to read your blog and hear what it’s like for someone coming the other direction.
~Totsie
Hey Totsie—Isn’t it amazing that disciplines that are so close in so many ways can seem so different when it comes to shifting the body forward or back just a bit?
I don’t think you’ll lose all your dressage lessons—I know even though we mostly work on thinking/riding as a dressage rider, every once in a while my trainer has me move into two point or whatever and all my hunter years come right back. It’s like riding a bike, maybe.
Had a jumping lesson last night. Fun, Fun. My instructor gave me a break and let me ride with my stirrups a little longer then she liked and allowed me to sit trot a couple times around ring (bringing horse onto bit and rounded).
Then, “raise ‘em and let’s go”. Was a nice compromise and I think helped this crotchedy ole school horse (whom I love) to a nice start. By the time the lesson was over we had a nice, soft, frothy mouth and a good communication going and the last jump (2 ft roll top)was DEVINE!
The best of both worlds!
On Jan 16, 2007, MiKael said:
Back a few years ago I was at the AHA anuual convention. They offered a clinic that was about sitting properly in your saddle. Their contention was that most women sit in the saddle incorrectly (and are instrustec to do so by trainers) and that causes them problems with their aids. They had different types of saddles there and you’d sit in the saddle that was your discipline of choice so they could diagnosis whether or not you were sittin properly. I participated because I felt I was really struggling with my leg aids. They had me rock my pelvis forward slightly and I couldn’t believe that difference. It improved my seat (which I had thought was fine), changed my leg position and vastly change my effectiveness with my legs. This information has been the most helpful information I’ve learned in regards to the use of my legs. I like your blog. Have added you to my blogroll.