"Round button" on barrel?

[tollertwins]

So is there a 'round up' button on the horse's barrel?

We tried the counted walk and were getting good carriage. Then going to trot - hollow and scoot....and I KNOW that this pony can do a very athletic little trot and flex his hocks!

Finally put my stirrups up a hole and really stretched the hips back so that the part of my leg just below the calf was on the wide part of the barrel. When I was riding like that (which felt like 'sitting on my feet') he got round and went forward nicely - even tho my legs were just 'there' and not squeezing or anything. As soon as my leg swung forward we hit the brakes! If I had the leg back to ask for go again - not bad up transition....but if the lower leg was a little forward - hollow and scoot.

 

[Heather]

Any photos Tollertwins? It sounds to me as though your legs are too far back if on the widest part of the barrel- wouldnt leave anywhere to go when bringing the leg back for lateral work, or both legs back for piaffe, for instance!

Is your saddle permitting an easy ear'shoulder/hip/heel line? Or do you have to work at it to achieve it?

Heather

[tollertwins]

Will try to get some pics tomorrow.....and am planning on trying to get some help on the ground, too.

Just went back to look at the video my husband did. Doesn't look like the leg is too far back - but it FEELS WIERD   ! Maybe the twist in the saddle is different enuf that between that and the different horsie conformation I'm just having to do some adjusting. Looks better when it feels worse - but horse is going better and my lower leg isn't looking floppy.

I'm having some trouble opening my hip angle...and am also having difficulty w/ getting my foot in the stirrup correctly. If it was sitting across the ball of my foot I'd be ear/hip/heel.....I don't think it's ever been right in these boots - am wearing kind of wierd orthopedic boots, which I only got after my mare started getting really wonky - and I wasn't riding much when she was really bad.

And unfortunately, just did an experiment in the kitchen - and can't get my heels down to save myself if I have much bend in the knee (which no doubt isn't helping any  )

I might just do walk tomorrow and have my 'ground guy' walk along and yell at me to get my leg where it belongs.

[Heather]

Heels need be no more than half inch below toes for flatwork, tollertwins, any more and you will put constant torsion on the calf muscle, with loss of use then, for sensitive leg aids!!

Heather

[tollertwins]

And the culprit was....

Stirrups that were too long pushed my butt too far back in the saddle - then shortening the stirrups from there was just a bad spot.

Put butt in right spot in saddle - leg stays on horse...

[Heather]

  Glad you have solved it, and simply too!!

Heather