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 Veteran
Posts: 138
 
| Looking for ideas and exercises that will help with getting left behind. I tried searching for answers and couldn't find what I was looking for.
My horse is running harder than she ever has and I'm struggling to stay up in between barrels. We made our first run back last weekend and she did really well, but because I was a hindrance getting left behind, we lost the "horse race".
Would love advice from those who have struggled with the same issue.
I'll see if I can upload a video. Maybe that'll help a bit. In the meantime, please help! Going to haul out this evening and try to brainstorm ways to not sit on my rear. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
 
Location: North Dakota | Without seeing a video first, I guess I would say to hold onto your saddle horn longer when you leave the barrel, to help you stay out of your horse's way. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 232
Location: Winging It in KY | Core strength will really help this issue. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| My mare was leaving me behind around her 2nd and 3rd barrels. She just eats them up, and she is short, and doesn't slow down much, and it has been YEARS of me trying to get with her. I did 3 things that I think have really helped me. Some or none of these may pertain to you, but maybe you can find something to help.
1 - I practiced the pattern going slow a few times where I went into the barrel sitting down, and on the backside of the barrel, I stood up and leaned forward, practicing using the horn to hold myself forward.
2 - I got a new saddle. My new saddle has a higher cantle and horn, so IF I get out of sync, it can only throw me back so far, and the taller, narrower horn is easier to grip and twist my hand around, when changing from going into the turn, to holding myself more forward leaving the barrel.
3 - I lost weight. I still am in the process of loosing some more weight, but since I've lost almost 15 lbs, I have found it easier for me to sit better, and hold myself up better. In the process of loosing weight, the exercising was building my core strength, I long trot in the 2 point position to build leg and core strength, which I think has helped a great deal with my ability to adjust my position in a run. |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| Losing weight has been an ongoing struggle for me. I'm a work in progress, but have been trying to incorporate daily core exercises to help.
I'm trying to get the video on youtube... but not so successfully. I'll share the facebook link and hopefully in can be seen. My phone won't load onto youtube for whatever reason.
I am riding in a BM, so when I pull myself forward, the horn comes back to me some. So I can't rely on it too much for keeping me forward and out of her way. I'm just trying like heck to think of ways to get up and stay up!
https://www.facebook.com/100005410486004/videos/vob.100005410486004/... |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
 
Location: Texas | It starts leaving the barrel. When I slow work, i consciously sit deep on the backside of the barrel, pull up on the horn, shift weight to outside stirrup, and in one motion around the backside i'm up and forward. You have to be sure to not confuse it with getting top heavy and having your chest/rib cage forward breaking at your core- you do not want that.
let me see if I can find some pictures. Anyway, I do that all the time- at a walk, trot, lope, run, etc.
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| casualdust07 - 2015-06-11 9:54 AM
It starts leaving the barrel. When I slow work, i consciously sit deep on the backside of the barrel, pull up on the horn, shift weight to outside stirrup, and in one motion around the backside i'm up and forward. You have to be sure to not confuse it with getting top heavy and having your chest/rib cage forward breaking at your core- you do not want that.
let me see if I can find some pictures. Anyway, I do that all the time- at a walk, trot, lope, run, etc.
Thank you! Would love some photos or video! |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| Those are great! I can see what you mean. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | CallMeSkidmark - 2015-06-11 9:58 AM
casualdust07 - 2015-06-11 9:54 AM
It starts leaving the barrel. When I slow work, i consciously sit deep on the backside of the barrel, pull up on the horn, shift weight to outside stirrup, and in one motion around the backside i'm up and forward. You have to be sure to not confuse it with getting top heavy and having your chest/rib cage forward breaking at your core- you do not want that.
let me see if I can find some pictures. Anyway, I do that all the time- at a walk, trot, lope, run, etc.
Thank you! Would love some photos or video!
you know what, I bet I can find video. My mom videos my exhibitions a lot so I bet I have some. |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| casualdust07 - 2015-06-11 10:12 AM
CallMeSkidmark - 2015-06-11 9:58 AM
casualdust07 - 2015-06-11 9:54 AM
It starts leaving the barrel. When I slow work, i consciously sit deep on the backside of the barrel, pull up on the horn, shift weight to outside stirrup, and in one motion around the backside i'm up and forward. You have to be sure to not confuse it with getting top heavy and having your chest/rib cage forward breaking at your core- you do not want that.
let me see if I can find some pictures. Anyway, I do that all the time- at a walk, trot, lope, run, etc.
Thank you! Would love some photos or video!
you know what, I bet I can find video. My mom videos my exhibitions a lot so I bet I have some.
That would be wonderful. Incorporating something like this into our slow work would be perfect. |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | Seeing as how your a very petite girl. Sounds like you may just have to get stronger. And a saddle with stirrups that actually position you more forward might work better for you. Kinda like a double j. Start lifting some weights for sure though. Most of us have to lose weight. I'd love to have your problem LOL |
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 Veteran
Posts: 129
Location: South | I watched your video and we are built very much alike. What I have found that helped me alot was Yoga and Pilates workout. Sounds silly I know. But like you, I struggled seemed like overnight with keeping my balance and I would get behind or sometimes just ride like a monkey.  . Once I started working out I was much better, and I could tell my core strength was so much stronger. I also lost about 40 lbs total, which made a huge difference in my seat. I also recommend repetitive muscle memory exercises that way your body learns what to do and you don't' have to think about what you are doing. I would workout then head to the practice pen and walk to the first barrel and sit down, grab my horn, then push my horse (not literally) but get my body up for us to head to the second and so on. I also found that really sitting deep when we take off in the alley helped so much.
It is not something you will fix overnight, it's something that will take time. But you will notice a difference I promise. |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| jewishprincess - 2015-06-11 10:39 AM
Seeing as how your a very petite girl. Sounds like you may just have to get stronger. And a saddle with stirrups that actually position you more forward might work better for you. Kinda like a double j. Start lifting some weights for sure though. Most of us have to lose weight. I'd love to have your problem LOL
I need to print this out! lol You think I'm petite!? <3
I'm really not... Im a biggun. I've tried several types of saddles, but the BM is the only one that fits my horse and feels phenomenal around a turn. I really want to learn how to ride in it as I've seen such a big difference with my horse since starting in it. It doesn't help that I'm not used to riding a push style horse. I've always done better on a horse that is out in front of me because I never really had to get up in the saddle. Now with her, especially running harder and turning harder, I need to quit being a dummy strapped on for the ride. lol
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| trobertson - 2015-06-11 10:51 AM
I watched your video and we are built very much alike. What I have found that helped me alot was Yoga and Pilates workout. Sounds silly I know. But like you, I struggled seemed like overnight with keeping my balance and I would get behind or sometimes just ride like a monkey. . Once I started working out I was much better, and I could tell my core strength was so much stronger. I also lost about 40 lbs total, which made a huge difference in my seat. I also recommend repetitive muscle memory exercises that way your body learns what to do and you don't' have to think about what you are doing. I would workout then head to the practice pen and walk to the first barrel and sit down, grab my horn, then push my horse (not literally ) but get my body up for us to head to the second and so on. I also found that really sitting deep when we take off in the alley helped so much.
It is not something you will fix overnight, it's something that will take time. But you will notice a difference I promise.
I used to do yoga a lot and noticed a big difference in my core strength while riding as well. I'll start back up and see if that helps me.
I realize there are no quick fixes for this... which is why I'm just looking for exercises that I can do in slow work. I don't like to run my horses much and certainly don't want to run the hair off of them while I'm trying to work on my own issues. So getting some that I can incorporate in slow work is absolutely perfect! |
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 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | After watching your run, I think it is a saddle issue. I too had a power house of a mare that always left super hard. I rode her in a Kelly K saddle, I think circle y made it. It seemed to help her "stay " with her. I was a lot thinner back then, I am pretty sure if she was still alive she would leave me in the dust now days |
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Veteran
Posts: 160
| I dealt with this too. Rode in a treeless and was getting launched around the turns. Some saddles sit you behind, or in front. I bought a pozzi and have not once been launched since. To say i love my pozzi would be an undunderstatement! It sits you exactly where you need to be! |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | Try shortening your stirrups. I went to a clinic with the same issue. The instructors REALLY shortened my stirrups. Kind of like if I was riding English. Made a run. What a difference. Dummie me, let them back out bet not as long as I had them. Several runs later I got to thinking on why I was having problems. Thought about that clinic, shortened stirrups, horse finished his third instead of blowing out of turn. Happy dance. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | I had to switch from a BM because I was having the very same issue. No matter what I did I was always left behind. It was keeping me locked in too much. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I don't know how anyone CAN get up and over in a Bob Marshall. I've ridden in one and my boobs go forward and my butt goes back and my legs go out when I tried to get up and over because there's no structure to the saddle. I say just sit on your ass and actively ride to your next one. |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| Lol, Hammer, that made me laugh.
Unfortunately, I don't have the budget for a treed saddle that fits my horse, hence the BM. For what I purchased it for, I couldn't even buy a test ride on a Pozzi or anything worth riding in. I truly wish I could! Just trying to work with what I have without going into debt. I know that my horse likes the treeless better than the saddle I was riding her in before. I may try to run in my Bobs Custom to see if it is in fact a saddle issue that is keeping me behind, rather than me just not being an efficient rider. I know that there are people that can get their hinneys out of a treeless... Fallon does it, and I've seen a local competitor or two run successfully in them. I want to give this saddle a chance, because it feels great and my mare really seems to like it.
I assure you... if I had the budget it takes to buy a treed saddle that fit both my horse and I, I would in a heartbeat. |
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