Re: RC: Is my mentor an idiot? :o)

[Abby Bloxsom <dearab@horsecom.net>]

>She absolutely insists that you are to ride the majority of your
>ride in 2pt.  

Nope.

> And that you are to 2pt up hills.  

Usually, yes, but only on steepish stuff.

>Now....I feel that
>2pt on a gaited horse actually increases and isolates the pressure of
>the rider/saddle on the shoulder/withers area and that this is not a
>good idea.  

Generally speaking, it tends to.

> I am of the impression that 2pt is to absorb the shock of
>rider bouncing at the trot.  

A bit of that, but be sure to distinguish between 2-point position and standing in the stirrups.  Standing up is to absorb the trot motion, but a two-point position (in which the rider is inclined slightly forward) really serves to put the rider's center of gravity over the horse's, as it moves more forward with increased speed.

> Am I stupid? (yes...I really want to know
>hah)  

Nope.

> I am also of the impression that 2pt plus the normal leaning
>forward to stay upright on hills effectively puts the brakes on the
>front end of the horse and screws up the center of gravity and
>balance.  

Only if the rider places his or her COG in front of the horse's.  Ideally, the two should be aligned. 

> She swears it frees up their back end to push.  

The object is not to put the rider's COG behind the horse's COG, so that he's forced to *pull* the weight up the hill with restricted use of the hind end.

All this is more relevant, as I said, on a steeper hill. 

>Am I just an ignorant student or is my mentor
>in need of a mentor?  

Your mentor needs to explore beyond her current level in the study of the biomechanics of riding.  She's taken some old "rules of thumb", which were originally based in good horsemanship, and applied them without adjusting for reality.  As Tom would say, she's not *thinking*.  Have fun jump-starting *that* motor.

-Abby B

==


* * * * * * *
Abby Bloxsom
ARICP Level III Certified Instructor
Recreational and Distance Riding
dearab@horsecom.net

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