Beginner Riding Lesson - Seatwork on the Lunge, Learning How to Post

9 year old Merrit practices seatwork on the lunge and rides at the trot off the lunge for the first time on Molly. Here are the movements we do to challenge the rider's balance:

Kick down left, right, both
Kick up and touch your toe left, right
Fix your seat (lean back, lift your knees, and pull yourself back up to the pommel of the saddle)
Pet the horse down the neck with your left hand, then right
Put your hand on the horse's rump, twist and look over your shoulder, do both sides
Lay back as far back on the horse as you can
Arch up (put your hand on the rump, like doing a bridge on the horse)
Circle your arm like a back stroke, left and right
Touch your left heel, right heel, both heels
Frog on a Rocket (bring your heels up so you are in a kneeling position, put your hands out flat against the horse as far forward as they can go, lean down to the neck)
Pretend you're holding a stick with two hands...
Make a forward circle, a backward circle
Pass the stick behind your back
Behind your neck
Over each shoulder
Under each leg
Point the stick towards the horse's inside shoulder
Without changing hands, point the stick towards the horse's outside hip
Outside shoulder
inside hip
...Then try the whole thing combining leg movements with pointing the stick to the shoulders/hips

These movements are really good for desensitizing the horse and strengthening the rider's balance. The rider should hold the pommel whenever they are not moving their hands. These movements are intended to be distractions from sitting correctly. The rider should try to keep their seat moving with the horse even while they are doing the movements. If the horse speeds up or tries to come into the handler, it is likely that the rider has gotten stiff and her bouncing is scaring or upsetting the horse.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• horseback riding lesson
• ponypros
• ponypro
• pony+pros
• pony pros
• merritt
• molly
• learning
• posting
• sitting
• trot
• posting+trot
• sitting+trot
• seatwork
• balance
• exercises
• movements
• coordination
• seat
• work
• balance+exercises
• seat+exercises
• seat+training
• natural+horsemanship
• classical+dressage
• bend
• oregon
• central+oregon
• Kali+Vanagas

[HiddenFarmApalachin]

Wonderful methods! I want that pony for my riding lesson barn!!!

[welcometopemberley]

Thanks :)

[welcometopemberley]

By the way, I train for a number of Welsh breeders so if you ever do need a pony, let me know :)

[CDEfreak]

Thank you for posting this. I have 3 kids that I would like to teach riding and starting w/ english. I know how to ride and what to look for but need a bit of help w/ some excercises to keep their little minds going. Again, thank you.

[welcometopemberley]

Sure thing! Feel free to ask if you need more ideas :)

[GreenLovexo]

I lost my confidence at my old riding school in January i went to a group lesson for beginners, my instructor didnt teach me anything! And i lost my confidence because on one of the horses 'Pearl' she galloped off and then chucked me off twice, and once i couldnt get my foot out of the stirrups and she nearly broke my foot!

knew :\

Id love you to be my instructor! and ride Molly she looks so relaxed. What hh is she? In my old riding school i rode Bridie who was 14.2 and Pearl who was 14.3

[welcometopemberley]

Wow, that's a bummer story. Molly is 13'2hh. Type "find a parelli instructor" into Google. I bet you could find a trainer who would help you get your confidence back and have fun again. Or, find a pony breeder through Craigslist or some other online site and offer to help the pony breeder for free. Then you can use YouTube and the ponies to teach yourself.

[bettylion]

Is there a button for "really really like?" So great to see a young rider being started RIGHT, on the lunge, with the pony in a halter (rather than the all-to-usual putzing around the ring while pulling the poor schoolie's face off all the way round.) Good lessons on steering and developing an independent seat. Great job!

[PoloPonies123]

Wonderful pony :D 

[Shiloh1096]

My instructor is going to teach me the same things this friday :D

[xHorseQueen13]

Nice methods :)

[HiddenFarmApalachin]

I wish business would improve so I could take you up on your offer! It's the economy! I do love Welsh ponies the best out of all horses. I've owned 4 over the years and all of them were (are) jems. Molly is wonderful...a lot like my daughter's first pony...such a babysitter! I wish I could bring her back from Heaven to teach my little beginners. Best of luck and thank you for the great videos!