In today’s video I demonstrate with another horse that we can work on getting on the bit. Again, it’s just about pressure and release. So when I put pressure on the reins, when I put pressure basically on his tongue and on his lower gums, I want him to drop his neck and flex at the poll and arc his neck.
So I just start again like I did with the other horse. I feel each corner of his mouth, and I don’t want to use more pressure than I need, but I also want to get a reaction from him. When he gives, then I release.
You can see with this horse too, sometimes he drops too low in his poll. I’d like him to stay up in his poll and just flex at the poll and keep his poll the highest point. When he tries to drop his head, I’ll lift my hand for a second.
I also have a bend in my elbows. I’m sitting on my seat bones and thinking about getting my seat connected.
You really need to think about your position here too. You want your hips to be in a neutral position; you don’t want to have your back overly arched and your stomach too much out, and you also don’t want to be slumped either. You want your seat bones to stay pretty much up and down into the saddle. Another thing to consider is your leg position. Once you have your pelvis where it should be, you kind of check in with where your legs are. You want a nice straight line from your heel to your hip to your shoulder.
Another thing to consider is your head position. I tend to always look down. When you look down, your head’s really heavy, so where you’re looking affects your whole spine and alignment. So you just want to be looking up and neutral.
Let me know if you try this out, and stay tuned for part 3!
Happy Riding!
Amelia
