help with riding.

[Collaroy]

Hi all, i am new to this.
I am waiting to do dessage and hacking but i am not that good of a rider i have only really done pleasure riding.. then my Thoroughbred throw me off not so long ago so i havent really be riding which i know i should be.
I am going to send my gelding to get some training but i would like to improve my riding so i know what to do when he comes back. Does anyone know a less expensive way to improve my riding?? as it can be very expensive getting lessons.
i am 21 and i have only just moved to the Sunshine Coast a few months ago so im not to sure who and whats around.. Any help would be great

[davidunwin]

Perhaps you could try watching videos. I find this very helpful, and you can watch them over and over. One other thing you could do is go along to your local club and watch some competitions, paying attention to warm up routines and gear etc. You have a great local club at the coast - Nags at the Nambour Show grounds. They also run beginners days called dtta days. Their web site is www.nags.asn.au

[Collaroy]

thanks for your help i will have a look at the nags website.

[Ivanka]

hate to be a spoil sport..... I think you can only improve your riding by hours in the saddle.
Have somebody on the ground who can tell you if it looks OK or not.

Yes, lessons are important but so is your health! Riding can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing and although I agree with David that you can learn a lot from watching videos... I don't think they can be a substitute for having an instructor.

Good luck!

[Vera]

Have to agree with Ivanka on this one.... Reading books and watching videos is great ....... but nothing can substitute hours in the saddle, you can't really gain any knowledge of 'feel' from books and videos.

Good instructor is a must, dosen't matter how hard or 'thinking' you ride at home if you are doing the wrong thing and don't know it.

You don't have to have a lesson every week, I have them fortnightly, as long as your instructor gives you some 'homework' to take home. then you have something to work on when they aren't there...........

Unfortunately with riding it takes many, many years of experience, the more you learn the more you realise just how little you know and how much more there is to find out...... this is part of the fasination of horses.
Don't look at it as how little you know, but look forward to how much you have to learn.........