You can definitely help your horse with the use of concepts like neutral pelvis but you can't 'stay' in one place or you become really stiff and then the horse becomes stiff. It is about constantly - refinding neutral as the motion of the horse is like centrifugal force that will tend to move us out of it. Robyn
Sorry, I didn't mean to say that the rider would sit still in one spot. I'm not sure what word I would substitute, as "spot" does tend to imply a fixed place, which isn't what Mr. Black is talking about at all. It is dynamic, more like the "sweet spot" of a surfer on a wave then the "sweet spot" on a tennis racket. I think this is what some people call "following a feel", or "getting with the horse". The next step, I think, is you offering a feel for the horse to follow. In dance terms, as was mentioned in an earlier post, you would be leading instead of following. My idea is first you find the sweet spot for where the horse is and let them feel you moving with them, then gradually change your movements. The horse is going to want that good feel again and will try to follow you. (Now, I'm not saying I can do this. I'm about at the point where I can, say, slightly tighten my body as a foot is coming off the ground to slow that foot down. Sometimes, LOL) I think this is the way great riders like Liz can get big improvements in gait when you can't see them doing much of anything. First time I ever saw it was at a Ray Hunt clinic about 10 years ago -- at the time it was "magic". Also someone (sorry I deleted the post) asked about the weight on the inside seat bone on a turn. As I understand it, by putting your weight to the inside the horse has to "catch-up" to follow your weight so they lean into the turn and the inside shoulder drops. (Some one who is better at this, please chime in!) I was taught to keep my weight centered, but move my outside hip bone away from the horse making room for the ribs to arc out. (Think off your hip as being a drawer that you can pull out.) I find it really helpful to get down on all fours and try these things out, have some one play rider and shift their weight and see how it effects you. Kat
