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

[Marlene Moss <MARLENE.MOSS@WCOM.COM>]

<< THEN PAT SAYS TO CAROL... I think I may know where the
forward-seat-uphill school of instruction came from.  About 7 years ago I
got a video... loaned it out, never got it back...  I think it was
through NATRC itself?.... I vaguely remember that the video was intended
to educate the prospective CTR competitors and judges.  Anyway, it
emphasized that a forward bend of the hip was appropriate when going
uphill, so as to avoid restricting the hindquarters.  It then showed a
rider in a way-forward seat, and said that, in order for this shift to be
obvious to the judges, there should be daylight between the seat and
saddle.  This way, you will not loose any points if the judge is... shall
we say... challenged visually or otherwise?  >>

Yep, I've decided to completely ignore all CTR comments on my scorecards
that say "down in saddle  -1".  I have figured out exactly how to balance on
my mare up and down hills - she tells me very explicitly by changing her
length of stride or how she carries herself.  I'm riding what works for her
(which may not be how I'd ride another horse, in fact I know it's very
different on my 4 yr old in the same saddle).  And I know I'll always get
dinged for that in CTR because I saw a pic of us at a trot and I do trots in
2-point on her, so I know it wasn't the down side of a post, but even then I
didn't look up out of the saddle - not even close to daylight.

If I force a position that showed daylight with her, she'd dump me off
easily because I'd be out of balance - and my knees would be destroyed from
shortening my stirrups too much!

So I go with what someone else said - experiment, find a nice long steady up
or down hill and see what different positions do to your balance and your
horse's.  You'll soon know the right thing to do.  That experiment will also
really help develop your balance, you learn exactly how to adjust to a
momentary out of balance situation quickly.

Marlene