I’ve just completed a survey of horse riders and found out what are the most common bad riding habits! Report published here: http://www.honesthorseriding.com/the-top-12-most-common-bad-riding-habits/
I am surprised looking down is #1.
Mine is #2, leaning forward.
Come to it honestly, after spending my life starting colts, many years race colts.
Then it is not a bad riding fault, but how you tend to stay light, balanced and off the back of a youngster, slightly leaning forward.
For other riding, that can be a fault, because by sitting straight you may influence your nicely trained horse best with the lightest changes in your position, adding and taking away, slowing down, your own energy adding to the horse’s movement.
Harder to do if you are riding lightly and off it’s back, as youngsters are started.
I had a trainer ask me one time what I was looking down for, to which I replied, “I’m looking for a soft spot to land!” 
Yes, she did laugh but somehow she did manage to break me of that habit! 
I do tend to look down when walking as well for the simple reason if I step slightly off on even a small pebble, I’ll twist/sprain an ankle. 
I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been on crutches. :sigh: I do remember probably 20+ yrs ago going to a horse show on crutches with a recently sprained ankle. Ran into a casual friend and said something like “This is the 8th time I’ve learned to walk!” To which she said, “Well, maybe you’ll get it right this time!”
I am NOT surprised at all. Gah, that drives me crazy. Rider after rider, staring intently at the insider shoulder of their horse. Bah!!!
How many of those things can you do and still be called competent?! LOL I’m worried.
My worst habit. If you don’t believe me ask my instructor/coach!!!
G.
I once read on CoTH a coach’s comment: “stop looking down at your horse. he’s not going to disappear.”
Um, yeah, mine used to… right out the back. Now that he’s stopped that, I’ve stopped looking down. :encouragement:
We used to tell a rider that keeps looking down that they really didn’t have to worry, the horse is still there, even if they don’t see it.
Riding reiners is one notch below on no horse to be seen, at all.
The horse stops at the neck, the rest is gone, now somewhere down there, we hope, kind of unsettling at first.
I like to at least get a glimpse of my horse’s front here and there.
I find myself looking at the back of my horse’s head (poll area) trying to see what the hell he’s thinking…hee, hee
i apparently do it w/o even realizing it. had a private a couple months ago, and my instructor yelled at me after an upward transition. i went, “what? what? what’d i do?!” and apparently i had looked down. :lol:
“Where ever you are looking, that’s where you’ll land” was what I was told… Stay up, look up!
[QUOTE=charismaryllis;7809617]
i apparently do it w/o even realizing it. had a private a couple months ago, and my instructor yelled at me after an upward transition. i went, “what? what? what’d i do?!” and apparently i had looked down. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I got over that by smiling, half closing my eyes and feeling changes smoothly, like sitting on a rocking horse.
Especially when you get to flying changes, that should be effortless if started from behind, when the horse starts in front is jarring.
Those feelings can become very clear, like a boat at sea, with small waves rocking it, that tends to lift our gaze, looking to the horizon.
That imagery centers you as it relaxes you a little bit, letting you follow the horse as he executes any transitions.
Imagery helps so much when riding.
[QUOTE=Sparrowette;7809661]
“Where ever you are looking, that’s where you’ll land” was what I was told… Stay up, look up![/QUOTE]
Yes looking up can get you some better air time on the way down
[QUOTE=Sparrowette;7809661]
“Where ever you are looking, that’s where you’ll land” was what I was told… Stay up, look up![/QUOTE]
Yup. And in a similar vein: where your eyes are, so goes your head & the rest of the body. If your eyes look down, your head automatically is tipped forward and then so does your shoulder & rib cage. Look Up — Look Ahead!!!
I think mine are piano hands and letting the reins slide through my fingers.
I actually think looking at the poll to see if the horse is ‘on the bit’ is a worse, nad more common fault. No?
Drop jumps: look up, feet on the dashboards and pray to your God. Or you will follow your eyes.
Meh…
Funnily enough, yesterday I had the chance to audit a BNT working with a Grand Prix jumper prospect and his rider. BNT specifically told rider to look at horse to see how he’s doing, being receptive to commands (ears) etc. He said something to the effect of “I know you can see those ears in your peripheral vision, but I want you to look AT him on occasion. I know all the talk of it being a bad habit – for lower level riders – but it’s always a good thing to check in on his expression and physical reaction”.
So like everything with horses… subject to interpretation and situation.
I always find myself with eyes on their ears…gives me a good sense of how they’re feeling.
“Don’t look down. If your horse disappears, you will be the first to know!”
-Denny Emerson
I find it’s the number 1 fault of young ammies. They spend their junior years taking lessons and competing in the equitation rings. Once they age out they often start riding some younger horses, hopping on friends horses, etc. In my experience it’s usually only when flatting. Most good riders sit up and look up once they start popping over jumps. The great riders don’t have this habit lol
