Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Hi

I think what isn't being taken into consideration is the horse's anatomy as well and how the rider effects that anatomy.   We change some of the dynamics when we sit astride on the horse's back. 

 

 The jockey on the track are going around 35 mph and they are flat down on the neck; without even much stirrup support. But jocks have leg muscles like iron!   Sometimes even manage to have crop fights too on the back stretch! :) 

 

However, I can remember a time when I laid down on a horse's neck during a shy.  Young Tb off the track and we were doing road work.  I had ridden down to the grain store to place an order for my farm and of course there was a semi and while we were waiting, the semi's air brakes went off.  Well, this got the Tb more than a bit worked up.  But off we went.All was going well until we happened upon a very bright shiny ballon caught in some tree branches, with the sun glinting off of it.  This guy went up like he had a stick of TNT up him!!!  Literally, all 4 feet went off the ground and we were moving towards the right.  Problem with all of that was there was a huge ditch that we were going to come down in.  I just gave him his head, in the hopes that he would keep his balance.  I laid down on his neck as self defense because there were also a lot of trees just beyond the ditch.  Fortunately, he stayed upright.  Unfortunately, he shot right into the trees!!!  I flattened down as far as I could get.  Which only encouraged him to run more (ie track training).  We eventually popped out of the trees and jumped over someone's fance into their back yard!  By then, I was sitting upright again and doing a lot of swearing!  We were both okay.  I was scratched up and a bit bloody but the horse was fine.

 

Thinking about it now, I wonder if I would have thrown him off balance if I hadn't laid down on his neck during the initial areobatic shy!

 

Jackie

 

 

Melissa Alexander <mcalex@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Interesting. My husband, who has just had his first couple of riding lessons
> since camp 20 years ago, and I were just having this conversation. His
> academic background is Physics, and he was arguing that if someone wanted a
> secure seat on a horse, they should be riding low along the top, not sitting
> up straight. I argued and said that riding straight aligned our centers of
> balance, and he just shrugged and said from a physics standpoint that just
> wasn't the most secure seat.
>
>
> Melissa 
>
>
>
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