Seeking advice: Help me make 2025 the year I (finally) stop looking down

[bananasforall]

I’m hoping for some collective wisdom from this community as I try to break a riding habit that’s haunted me for a long time.

I rode as a junior/ammy for about 12 years before taking a 10+ year hiatus to focus on my career. This year, I finally returned to regular riding at a lesson barn, and it’s been incredibly rewarding (not to mention fun). The program is fairly relaxed, with mixed-level group lessons and nothing too intense or technical, which has made it a great environment to focus on the basics and work on long-standing habits.

So I’ve decided that 2025 is going to be the year I finally stop looking down.

It’s always been my worst habit, and even though I became a fairly competent rider back in the day, I never managed to fully kick it, especially on the flat. I find myself constantly glancing at my horse’s ears, mouth, and poll as a way to check in, rather than trusting what I feel. It’s such a crutch and I know it’s holding me back from being more effective and confident in the saddle (not to mention it probably drives my trainers a little nuts).

I’d love to hear from anyone who successfully overcame the habit of looking down. What worked for you? Did you use any specific exercises to help retrain your muscle memory and mindset? It’s such a deeply ingrained habit at this point.

Thanks in advance!

[junesj68]

I havens personally dealt with this but I saw a trainer on the plaid horse say they use dribble glasses sometimes… so maybe you could give that a shot? At risk of looking silly. lol

[Willesdon]

Tie something bright, like a ribbon or piece of wool, onto the top of the mane or the bridle crown piece. Every time it catches your eye think “Look up!”

[mroades]

Dribble glasses…and…you look out the windshield when you drive don’t you??? Don’t you???

[MHM]

Sometimes it helps to just find a different way to think of it.

Instead of saying to yourself, look up, or don’t look down, maybe try to lift your chin instead.

Good luck!

[bananasforall]

I feel like this will just draw my attention even more closely to my horses head. ADHD problems.

[bananasforall]

Yes I look up when I drive, but for better or worse, there’s not a pretty pony to distract me in that context. I do however have a tendency to not look up enough when I ski, whatever that’s worth.

Can’t believe I haven’t heard of dribble glasses until now, but I will def look into them. Looks promising.

[MHM]

I’m going to have to do that next. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Lol.

[lintesia]

Think about separating your eyes from your head. One of the big problems with looking down is that it usually involves the head and the horse reacts to the position of the head (it’s surprisingly heavy). If you can glance down with your eyes rather than your head, it will give you the freedom to check in with your horse’s neck and poll, etc. but will keep your head where it’s supposed to be. (And, tbh, I can’t fathom how you’re looking at your horse’s mouth…!)

[dmveventer]

@lintesia

If you can glance down with your eyes rather than your head, it will give you the freedom to check in with your horse’s neck and poll, etc. but will keep your head where it’s supposed to be.

Came here to say this. I had a clinician tell me once that I was allowed to look down as long as I didn’t move my head. Eyeballs only. That felt a lot more doable than not looking down AT ALL. This is mostly for flatwork though, when jumping I go with the classic picking a spot over the jump in the distance and keeping my eyes there on the approach.

[ThreeWishes]

Chin up. Are we talking over fences or just in general ? If over fences ? You always pick a spot beyond and higher. If in general maybe you need to read centered riding. And understand the difference between soft eyes and hard eyes. Seriously look it up. Hard eyes focus on a certain point. Usually what you’re worried about. Like your horses, ears or the ground.Soft eyes take in the whole landscape. And where you’re going or maybe it’s been what I’ve seen online about picking a focal point at every corner where you ride that is above where you’re looking now where you need to turn

And make sure your body is tall. Your shoulders. When you collapse you look down.

[bananasforall]

Unfortunately I mostly look down without moving my head. It’s not like my chin is tucked to my neck or anything, but I have a soft downward gaze most of the time I’m flatting. I still feel like I do it too much though and use it as a crutch.

[bananasforall]

Not so much over fences, more of an issue on the flat for some reason.

[bananasforall]

@lintesia

tbh, I can’t fathom how you’re looking at your horse’s mouth

Ha! I meant more the corners of my horses mouth. So for example, doing some kind of lateral movement, or working a horse on a circle, or doing some changes of direction; essentially anything where there is some kind of bend of the neck involved.

[add_leg]

Can you get out of the arena? We flat out in the fields quite a bit and have to go around trees, XC jumps, the occasional bird - I do a lot less looking down when I’m being aware of my surroundings (and watching for things that might pop out of the woods)!

[bananasforall]

This is a great idea! As far as I know there aren’t really opportunities where I’m riding currently for this, but I’ll bookmark it for the future.

[BellaFortuna]

When jumping, I had a trainer who would stand on the straight-line after (a safe distance away) and hold up numbers. You had to call them out as you approached, over, and landing. It helped with jumping.

I’ve also had to do countdowns with strides to poles and fences, i.e. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 [jump]”. It’s harder to do if you are looking down.

[ChocoMare]

I’m guessing you’re mostly in an arena and that’s perfect for this idea I’ve used on others: Get 4 to 6 1X4’s, attach a BRIGHT colored “flag” (can be just a torn piece of fabric) on top securely and drive the posts into the dirt around the arena or zip tie them to the arena posts… whatever works for your situation. Then while riding, look to the flags.

For jumping, start with a line of four 2-stride jumps with the Posted Flag straight ahead at the far end of the line, dead center. Again, Look to the Flag.

[paw]

Might help to work in an area with others. And better yet, others you recruit to do things (like pass too close in front of you) that make you pay attention. So easy to concentrate on the horse when your horse is the only one arouond…

[Live_Wire]

Tying your ponytail to you belt loop is probably frowned upon nowadays

If you have access to some type of markers (we use dressage letters) - have your trainer or someone on the ground call out directions and really make a point to focus on your marker.