Classical Riding!!

[only1wu]

For my birthday I had "Classical Riding" lesson with a young lady who rides at Grand Prix level, so I'm told. I said to start at the very beginning, I know nothing. She began with 4 parts of the lower leg to achieve various results and while I was trying to divide my lower leg into 4 parts she threw in the "direct rein of opposition".

Does anyone have a clue what she was talking about??

[zara]

I have absolutely no idea! I suspect she was just trying to baffle you with big words - I hate it when instructors do this and then look at you as if you're stupid when you don't understand. My instructor is excellent (Heather Moffett school of thought) and if I don't understand - which is quite often - I I tell her and she uses simple language. Don't feel bad about it Zx

[brigadier]

She is a monkey doing that to you on your first lesson- I can only suspect Zara is correct and she was trying to impress you.
In a nutshell- the rein when used can have an influence on the forehand and quarters of the horse and also the direction which you know already from having a basic knowledge of schooling. Normally we use a slightly open rein on the inside which together with a forward driving leg allows the horse to go forwards and bend. The direct rein of opposition is where you would apply pressure on the inside rein to enable the horse to move away from the inside leg with his quarters ie turn on the forehand, whichdiffers from open reins to allow the horse to move forwards etc on a circle, then there are indirect reins to create more outside bend, and indirect reins of opposition which get really complicated when used in front or behind the wither. Best to absolutely ignore these until you are doing elementary and above dressage work and then used under absolute guidance by a competent instructor when they can explain what its all about etc.

Theres the science but the reality is keeping hands level, maintaining a light even contact, using the outside rein to contain the movement and the inside rein to offer direction. anything else too early on will cause a rider to twist their body and collapse at the hips etc everything classical riding hopes to avoid. Your first lesson should have been about the seat, in fact your first ten lessons should be about the seat. She's a silly woman- dont go back!!!!!!
Brig

[only1wu]

Thanks Zara & Brig. I feel better now.
I think one problem was that the teacher was Bulgarian so she knew the words and what they meant to her, but couldn't get it through to me. Don't ask how I ended up with a Bulgarian teacher - this sort of thing happens to me all the time ...

Brig: Your explanation was magnificent. Very clear. Could have managed most of it some of the time if it had been explained like that. Are you an equestrian writer?? Many thanks, anyway.

The bummer is that I did tell her I wanted to start from the very beginning and assumed that she would explain the seat. Perhaps I should have stopped the (gorgeous) horse at X and shouted "First tell me about the seat" Wimp, wimp.

No matter. All part of life's rich pattern. Perhaps it's time I took up origami/flower arranging.