Help me sign up so I can get your tips!

YESS!🌹👏🏻💫

I'm going to try the thera band for my elbows. Thanks!

My rider flaw is looking down and leaning forward. I've been riding 34 years, am showing second level currently, and could use some tips to open up my frame and relax in the show arena. Thanks

I looked down for years too, and it's still in there, hiding, waiting to come out when I'm distracted. LOL What I did was dedicate every ride to looking up for as long as it took. I decided that looking up wasn't so hard, just remembering to do it. What I learned was that looking up gave me better feel and timing, helped my horse follow a line, and it was liberating. I could breath and relax and I felt like a dressage rider with a mental image of great riders in my head. So looking up, sitting up, was it's own reward. Try it. You'll correct yourself dozens of times. Just laugh and look up again. Looking up will help to correct leaning forward too. Keep riding, the best you can while you look up, sit up, but don't let anything interfere with looking up and looking where you want to go.

Me too

Me Too!!!

That is funny!!

I really like the tea towel idea! Could also use a couple old socks!

You're so welcome!

Ah yes! I forgot about the whip behind the elbows!

Me too.

😁😁

Yes, safety first!!

Thanks for the suggestion! Next time I will!!

Ugh!! I do this too! Try looking at the clouds and tress while you ride! Enjoy the view!!

Love this!

I always think of keeping my thumb pressing down on the rein to stop it from moving and then you’re able to keep your fingers soft

rising from the knee does that x try lifting through the core i imagine a spring in my stomach i pull on and use the rythm of the pace to rise , try rising without a saddle... this helps i think. good luck

Hmm, I will have to think of something for that!!

HI Bonnie! if you’re free today and want help getting your position in the strongest shape to execute your dressage aids, come to my FREE webinar on Rider Position and Biomechanics at 12pm PST Today! Even if you can't make it, click the link and we'll send you the recording after. bit.ly/3sJTa5R

I also struggle with it looking as if I'm kicking with my foot while in rising trot. A judge even called me out for it. I'm trying to keep my legs quieter but boy is it a struggle! Trying also to not grip with my knee... so much going on, I feel like I'm regressing!

You can try to concentrate on "stomping" your heel down on the down motion. Helps you concentrate on the strength through to the bottom of the leg but dont let your toes turn out xx

I'm no professional of course, but I find when I'm having trouble with one part of my body while riding, it helps to think about how it affects another, and fix the other part instead. i.e. if your toes out causes you to have less contact through your thigh and knee, just focus on the thigh and knee and not the toes. If you're like me and have weak ankles, toes out may be your body's way of keeping the ankle stable. In that case, try some resistance band exercises for ankle stability.

I found that when my toes were pointing outward I needed to open up my hips go get down more in the saddle. If someone can help you it's great, let go of the stirrup, sit normally on your seat bones, move your leg straight out to the side (or have someone drag it out for you) and put your leg to the side of the horse. This will put you more in the saddle and I feel like it's much easier to point your toes forward. Also think when your riding that you want to touch your toes under the horse's belly. You can never do it, but thinking "touch your toes" while you ride will stretch you to the right position. You can even try to walk with your toes pointing in for a week, this will stretch them too :)

Good idea!!

Really? An egg?

Me too Anna. Can't offer much in the way of help, but I'm planning to start adding some core stability exercises into my day and see if improving it helps my riding position. I'd love if someone would chime in with some exercises I can do while riding.

tru to do some stretches and turns in the saddle prior to riding, a strong core will help. in trot try to lift through your core rather than bounce with the horse. engage your stomach and lift into your solar plexus. a deep breath push up through the plexus in trot and keep elbows in. should help to keep you more upright and less forward. hope that helps. rise through the knee can create the will to lean forward to get the balance, instead of rising through the rythm

Danielle Holder try kinesio tape or rock tape across the shoulder blades horizontally and if slouching down center.this will tell the brain when you start to round or slouch. Kinesio or rock tape are a type of sports tape.

@@julieheyrman ok this sounds like something I could indeed use, thanks for the tip!!

E mail me at Amelia.newcomb@colorado.edu. I will try to add you manually!

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage awesome Thank you!!!

Hi Sue, Take a look at this video, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/quCfqdehqbC6oXk.html and my other ones on Rider Biomechanics!. Also take my free Rider assessment quiz: www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/dressage-rider-quiz/ And my free rider position Mini Course www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/riderpositionminicourse/? I hope all these help! Let me know and thanks for watching!

😂😂😂 eggs?!

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Yeeees, raw chicken eggs :D try it, its very fun :)

Have you tried moving your right shoulder back? The crookedness might be starting with your shoulder and ending up in your seat. If you shoulder is more back it's harder for the right side of your body to drift that way because your ribs are more in the way. If it tends to drift forward a little, it will probably eventually pull your butt forward on that side. If you can, try having someone watch your shoulders to see if you tend to let the right shoulder come forward.

@@CDN_Bookmouse Thank you.

sing jelly on a plate and breath out with the movement lean back a little more too

Definitely affected the quality of the advice. I thought some of these tricks would be helpful, but if she's dropping a shoulder a bit then obviously they're useless. I only accept tips from perfect riders. Thankfully, you were here to remind me!

Full seat breeches with leather

I have been using a glycerin soap bar on my dressage saddle every ride for years to give me a little extra grip. It not only works well but won't hurt your breeches or your saddle!

I have the same problem

thanks for the clarification Joyce!