I have been spending a lot of time with Kissie lately too. She has been a great pal to me, and a great riding partner. We have been learning a lot of balance exercises. Balance exercises are a great way to keep from falling off. :) There are many ways to maintain your balance, but they have to be done in a certain fashion.
I start by making sure that I have my center balance. This means that I should be in the center of my saddle, with my legs evenly on each side. This will help to keep you from falling off or from feeling as if you are falling off.
Next, I have my shoulders turned just enough so that they are even with Kissie's shoulders. When you are sitting the trot this will help keep her in the direction you want.
Another point that helps with balance is keeping your head straight up and always looking where you want to go. I have had a problem with cocking my head to the side to see if Kissie's head is vertically up and down (this is another exercise I will explain later, in a different post). So, my instructor is helping me by telling me that my head is cocked, or just saying "look at the tip of her ears".
There are some other things that go along with your balance, to help you look efficient. Like keeping your hands so that the backs are facing out, almost as if you are holding a candle and you don't want the hot wax dripping on your hands.
I am having so much fun learning new things every day, when I go to ride. Sometimes learning new things requires going over old things too!
Kissie is doing great! She looks great, and by looking at her you can tell she feels great.
I love her! <3 :)
~ Katie ~
