www.enlightenedequitation.com. Equisimulator. canter

[Lothmorwel]

Fantastic. A really good visual aid for me here. You can see the 'rocking horse' motion when she's pushing with her seat - not nice to see. Very nice 'horse' action when she's light and doing the backwards circle. I hope I remember this next time I'm cantering!

[kawwilover]

I want one of those machines!!

[ponyangel1987]

I know it's insane, but this reminds me of my skippy ball when I was 5 ^^* haha... It looks like it... Everyone was always jealous how high and far I could jump with my 'ball' but for me it was like an extention of my lessons haha.. I'm going to find an equisimulator in my country now to improve my seat! Thank you!

[enlighteneduk]

@ponyangel1987

You do have one in Holland- it is with my Enlightened Equitation teacher, Fiona Meilink.;-)

[secretsquirrel1978]

Its amazing too, seeing how the equisimulator actually comes off the forehand when changing from the 'driving seat' to the correct seat. Brilliant. Can't wait to try this with my mare whose back roundness tends to ping me straight up and my 'driving' seat has been so far only managing to 'drive' her mental!

[whilyone]

excellent demonstration thankyou!!

[enlighteneduk]

@whilyone

Glad to help!!

[moonstonegoddess]

Why doesn't the US have this machine???? This is awesome!!!!!

[khb315]

You talk about a backward circle, is it in different directions for different leads? One clockwise and one counterclockwise?

[enlighteneduk]

@khb315

No, same way, as the horse is still going forwards! But the movement will take your seatbone/hip in the direction of whichever leading leg.

[PoulnabroneModesty]

Wow amazing!

Now I can't ride! =D

So we don't have to push down but push up?

quite confusing with out trying ^^

[enlighteneduk]

@PoulnabroneModesty

Its more 'suck up', as if you are trying to draw the back of the horse up into your seat. This means your seat is very light and allows the horse to lift the back, but your butt remains in quietly glued contact with the saddle. Essentially, sucking up lifts your seatbones and leaves room for the back to come up into the squishier and less compressing seat muscles/flesh (depending on the size of your butt!)

[barrelhorserider7]

this thing is amazing!:-) i am wondering how much it costs???

[enlighteneduk]

@barrelhorserider7

Sadly they are not on sale. There are others on the market now, but far more exotic and much more expensive. But for me, I only need the basic movement so I can teach the synchronising of the rider's movement with the horse. Anything more is superfluous.

[plutohajnal]

I first became aware of Heather when one of my clients went on a simulator course with her. There was a huge improvement in her canter work when she next had a lesson! I have since seen Heather ride on several occasions on various types of horses and they all go beautifully for her without any force and in harmony. The way we would all like to do it!

[enlighteneduk]

Thanks June! June, one of my EE teachers, has a simulator at her yard in the New Forest, too, Fir Tree Farm EC, and she is a fantastic teacher too!!

[Tashakat]

I have seen Heather ride several occasions both in clinc & demo situations and on her own horses. She rides beautifully and effectively no matter what the movement and no matter what the horse is doing underneath her. I have seen her not only ride Iberians but all breeds including TBs, cobs, Warmbloods etc. She looks equally elegant on them all.

I was cynical about simulators, having seen other people teach on them but after seeing, Heather ride I decided to give it a try and was v impressed.

[whispersmum1]

Heather may not be plastered all over You Tube but I can assure you, she does ride in public! I've seen her demos many times and she is an inspiration. If you join the EE forum there are also vid clips available there and a free DVD for full members. ;-)

[mandeigh]

I enjoyed a fantastic evening with Heather in Aberdeen a couple of years ago when she did a lecture demo. WOW! If you ever get a chance to get to a demo you'll get to see some pretty fantastic stuff. Heather's riding is flawless, I've never seen anyone so soft in the saddle, still legs and so balanced.

[hels811]

This seems like an interesting concept, however I have looked in vain for a demonstration of Heather riding in public and have yet to find one. Therefore I would be most dubious to see the benefits of this form of training... the proof is always in the pudding!

[enlighteneduk]

I have demonstrated in public at Equitana kentucky, Yours Horse Live, UK, Equitana Essen, Germany 2007, Horse Event 2006, Holland, in front of hundreds of people, on horses I had never seen in my life before. I am taking a lecture demo next for the BHS in Wales in April, again, riding and demonstrating on horses I have never sat on in my life. I will be posting some videos shortly of me riding, and also my working student, who has only been riding 4 months from a beginner. Judge me then.

[enlighteneduk]

I was also invited to take a seminar at Sydney Olympic Centre in March 2006, was guest presenter/;lecturer at the Association of Mounted Police instructors Annual Conference, 2002, amongst other demonstrations in public. If you go to my facebook page there are several albums of me riding my own horses.

[orlaren]

WOW Heather, I saw this from the JustEquus website on facebook and then sent it to my Trainer. Last night I was able to really really understand a lot of what he has been trying to get me to understand with wrapping my legs around the horse and relaxing my back... REALLY made a difference just to watch this video. I've just come back to riding after about 11-12 years of not riding and had forgotten a great deal. Just learning again to sit the canter... THANK YOU for this vid. Helped a lot!

[lassiesuca]

Really good video, I am 14 but can't wait until I am old enough to try and get EEET! I am a big fan of Heather's work and I am a big fan of Classical Riding- this is the way forward!

[roxismydog]

Brilliant video!

[maytheh0rsebewithyou]

i want one!

[SuperPiraatje]

Me 2!!! Ö

[enlighteneduk]

My EE teacher in Holland, Monya Erb has one of these machines. ;-)

[SuperPiraatje]

Nice! :D Does it cost much?

[verybigmath]

where are you??? I have to try a lesson whith thies riding simulators thingy, it looks like it helps alot

[kathyt140]

Heather is in Devon, England. There are other Equisimulators around the country though.

[enlighteneduk]

Hi Kathy, the methods that I use are not what other people with simulators use. There is not the emphasis on how to absorb the movement, only on position, but for me, you cannot maintain position if the rider is not fully in sync with the horse.

From synchrony, comes balance, and from balance, comes position ;-)

[ponyluverkim]

Wow even watching this is helping me realise all my mistakes, from walk trot and canter on these videos i now realise all i am doing wrong and i will put it to use next time i go riding. I do bounce a lot on one pony at my riding stables because she is very fast and just goes off round the arena. Lets hope this helps.

[enlighteneduk]

Lopsided Dream, the basis of absorbing the movement is the same, whether itr is a longer stride, or on an uneducated horse. The amount the back has to flex is the only difference, the longer the stride the more the back has to flex and straighten to remain in sync with the movement. I have been teaching for 40 years, and thousands of riders, so I do have experience of teaching riders from beginners to Grand Prix dressage level.

[LopsidedDream]

This is a great idea, but real horses don't all have the same perfect stride. If she learns to just ride this way, how will she side longer or rougher-strided horses?

[Bubble734]

really cool buit the problem is that all horses have a different canter-some smooth, some very bumpy, some with a short stride, andsome with a long stride. I've been cantering for years and have been able to sit to all the canters i've tried, but i dunno about begginers! oh well its really cool i want one!!

[ThundersRose]

What a fantastic idea. I think the point is so that you have some idea what to do before you start bobbling around on a real horse. I work at a riding stables, would be nice to put begginers on these for a breifing on balance, walk trot or whatever before they get put on the real thing. Very nice.

[enlighteneduk]

XxTheNewGenerationxX- I think you are only young, and therefore do not understand the use of the simulators. Sure, cantering a real horse is more fun, but if you are a beginner, and you are hurting the horse's back because you are bouncing and unbalanced, then it is not fair on the horse.

[enlighteneduk]

XxThe NewGenerationxX, you miss the point, this is for teaching purposes only, and not a substitute for a real horse! But think how much novice riders bounce around learning to canter- when taught on the machine, they do not bounce once on a real horse. This saves the real horse a lot of discomfort and even pain, and that, for me, is the most important reason for developing these machines.

[XxTheNewGenerationxX]

Learning to canter begginer or advanced still isnt as fun as cantering on a real horse.

[BreyerLover2585]

Thenewgeneration|The point of the simulator, Is for a person to be able to learn more about riding before they get on a real horse. They should learn more on movements and be prepared for what a horses movements FEEL like. Horses are unpredictable. They could throw a rodeo anytime they felt like it. These wont, And there going to help confidence, As the person said. You don't understand the purpose. I am not sure if I even do.

[sahara934]

c mon. enlighteneduk is right.

[JaniJaniJanJan]

My first ever canter next week, this will be so useful!

[kathyt140]

Great. Shows the correct movement and it works!