Going down steep slippery hills??

[rainechyldes]

Going Down…

Didn’t have time to read all the replies.

I ride in pretty mountainous country all year round, pretty much if you aint’ going up, you are going down (Interior B.C.)

We deal with a lot of loose slippery slopages and some pretty much straight down ups at times, due to the clay/granite/shale crap that goes for footing around here.

I will always let a horse pick it’s way down as a rule, unless I’m riding a stupid horse who can’t figure out where to walk, then I’ll direct (most of my horses learn this skill pretty quickly though)
I tend to lean slightly… just slightly back, nothing major, a small shift in weight that frees up the horses shoulder.

I will go crossways across a hill if its safe footing, otherwise it’s straight down.

By the by, a horse can fall backwards going down a steep hill, I had a horse do it. He ended up sitting on his rump pretty much is all, but he definitely fell.

Think of us walking down a steep section, when we fall, do we fall forwards or on our butt if our feet slip out from under us? (Both - depending on where our balance is at that moment)

[wateryglen]

Yay!!!

Well then!!! I don’t see me going on a trailride anytime soon with Shadow! Nope!! Ain’t gonna happen!!! Deep snow in the dark??? nope! I ride in a machismo-free zone!

We all agree then…it’s balance, balance, balance!!!
Yay!!!

[LookinSouth]

@Shadow14;3954448

I had a horse that could jump anything I put her at and I used that skill with no question if my position, my attire, my turnout matter. It was purely wheather we made the coarse and time.

it’s quite clear you paid no mind to anything but jumping clear and fast cause if you did you would know that Dressage is not forward seat riding!

However, Jumpers IS.

Whether or not you’ve taken a dressage lesson is a moot point.

[equinelaw]

I think there is some really amazing stick art on this thread. Words are not needed. The stick art says it all:)

[katarine]

I really suck at stick art! I tried, but it alludes me.

[equinelaw]

[QUOTE=katarine;3955131]
I really suck at stick art! I tried, but it alludes me.[/QUOTE]

No! It was great! It said what about 100000 words would need to say all in a few of theses ( ) ( / And the one from page 1 with the orientation to the slope? No way to misunderstand that.

[Beverley]

@Shadow14;3954448

Sorry if I don’t use the correct terms. As for doing it all I started this post on how to do steep slippery slopes and you guys try to turn it into a roast???
Not very nice but it reflects the nature of the posters.

Let’s review, Shadow. You start a thread offering bad advice. I, and others, dare to disagree with you on the merits. You call that a roast? I call it a public service.

If you can’t stand others disagreeing with you, maybe you shouldn’t start threads offering bad advice! The ‘nature’ of the posters is very nice indeed- disagreeing is not rude, and can be done- has been done here- without being disagreeable.

[Beverley]

@rainechyldes;3954761

By the by, a horse can fall backwards going down a steep hill, I had a horse do it. He ended up sitting on his rump pretty much is all, but he definitely fell.

Think of us walking down a steep section, when we fall, do we fall forwards or on our butt if our feet slip out from under us? (Both - depending on where our balance is at that moment)

Sitting down on their butts, and sliding down the hill that way, is exactly what they are supposed to do if they have a predicament. That’s why it’s important to go straight down a really steep hill- their hind and can stay under them, and be useful- if you are at any angle at all, indeed you have a fall of horse and rider because gravity’s going to work and they won’t be able to retain control of where their legs should be. Of course the rider needs to maintain good balance (not too far forward:)) and can help the horse with the reins as needed.

So yes, technically a ‘fall’ in the manner you describe, like us falling on our butt on the same type of hill- but not flipping over backwards as Shadow indicated. It is, for a horse on a steep hill, the moral equivalent of a rider’s ‘emergency dismount’ I suppose.

[RackOn]

[QUOTE=Beverley;3955608]
The ‘nature’ of the posters is very nice indeed- disagreeing is not rude, and can be done- has been done here- without being disagreeable.[/QUOTE]

That is incorrect. There was at least one very rude and insulting response to Shadow’s post, which was deleted by the Mod.

Agree or disagree with his views/methods/philosophy, he at least does not resort to personal insults.

[katarine]

LOL Oh yes he does! I just beat him to it this time Laid out his way of functioning. His way or the highway, he threatens to leave, but never does, if only we’d listen, etc etc.

If you’ve been here a while, you know every word I posted is true. And your pal Shadow was edited for being insulting, too. Did you miss that? Or was it an honest oversight?

He got thoroughly put out with me in a PM when he insisted he’d take me under his wing if we boarded together. I politely-truly, I was polite-I reminded him I’d never ASKED for his mentorship, thanks but no thanks.

And somewhere there’s a post of his about how he Must Be In Control of His Horses at All Time or they pay the price. This is different…how?

Find the lie Rack On, and I’ll eat my hat.

[Sithly]

[QUOTE=RackOn;3955989]
Agree or disagree with his views/methods/philosophy, he at least does not resort to personal insults.[/QUOTE]

:lol::lol::lol:

Are you for real?

[Moderator_1]

Please continue to focus on the main topic of the thread vs. getting back into the discussion of general “issues” with other posters.

Thanks!
Mod 1

[sketcher]

[QUOTE=Beverley;3953183]
You later say that you’ve managed to flip a horse backwards going down a steep hill. [/QUOTE]

Twice. :rolleyes:

[Mtn_trails]

Same here. I try to keep my weight back when going down steep hills and some have been almost as steep as Man from Snowy River, but then not at a full out gallop. It didn’t look like Denny had a problem with Jack leaning back on the downhill and also didn’t look like he was anywhere close to going over backward. We have pretty big hills here in Washington too.

[EventerAJ]

A couple comments.

What I’ve read about the famous Man From Snowy River scene: YES, the descent actually was that steep, and the actor himself rode down the hill (in good form, I would say!). However, the hill wasn’t nearly as lengthy as it appeared; multiple trips down the hill were cut together to make it seem like an entire mountain slide. Still one of the greatest equine movie moments EVER!

Regarding eventers: it is NOT, absolutely NOT! common practice to lean forward down a steep descent (aka, “drop”). There are exceptions; some riders, some situations, will allow for a “forward position” down a (smaller) drop to keep a forward balance with the horse.

But 99% of pictures you see 4* riders leaning way back (perhaps excessively?) because it is the SAFE place to be. Examples:
Karen O’Connor
Buck Davidson
Lucinda Frederics down the Beaufort Staircase: 1- 2- 3-

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=EventerAJ;3965451]
A couple comments.

What I’ve read about the famous Man From Snowy River scene: YES, the descent actually was that steep, and the actor himself rode down the hill (in good form, I would say!). However, the hill wasn’t nearly as lengthy as it appeared; multiple trips down the hill were cut together to make it seem like an entire mountain slide. Still one of the greatest equine movie moments EVER!

Regarding eventers: it is NOT, absolutely NOT! common practice to lean forward down a steep descent (aka, “drop”). There are exceptions; some riders, some situations, will allow for a “forward position” down a (smaller) drop to keep a forward balance with the horse.

But 99% of pictures you see 4* riders leaning way back (perhaps excessively?) because it is the SAFE place to be. Examples:
Karen O’Connor
Buck Davidson
Lucinda Frederics down the Beaufort Staircase: 1- 2- 3-[/QUOTE]

See – now this makes sense to me. The part about the hill in Snowy River – if it has been as long as they make out in the movie, a horse moving at that speed and all strung out like that, would (eventually) have been in grave danger of a tumble – simply because (no matter where the rider was placed) the speed & angle would have produced enough momentum to cause a lack of balance…although common sense tells me if the rider was farther back, it would help (as opposed to forward).

And I don’t think anyone with ANY common sense would advocate going down a hill THAT steep and THAT long at that speed. Even wild horses wouldn’t do it, but they have an innate sense of survival.

As for the extreme “lean back” position in the photos you posted – wouldn’t you say it can be that extreme and still work (since they are world class riders), because the downward direction is a JUMP – and when the horse lands, the force of his hindquarters will help “throw” you back into a better balance?

It certainly is a far safer and secure place to be than midline or forward.