WP Masters needed!

StablemasterE · 11-12-2007, 10:49 AM

I need some advice guys. Im trying to get my daughter ready for showing and since Ive never shown Im not for sure what to do. Shes really intrested in WP and showmanship. Shes riding pretty well as far as on the luonge line and has taken my mare by herself a couple times in the round pen. I guess what Im asking is how should she hold her body ect.? Head down? head up? Shes just doing walk right now but I want her to get in the habit of show seat. I CAN NOT find a trainer in the area and so Im trying to do everyhting myself with books and videos. Geezz Who knew this would be so hard

. So you WP masters shoot me some ideas and pics if you could.....Thanks SOOOO MUCH!!!!

PhilinaSioux1 · 11-12-2007, 01:49 PM

With basic form you want the head pretty much level. If her chin goes to far up then her shoulders and back will get thrown off and if too far down she won't be able to see where she's going! The shoulders should be relaxed, square and aligned. She should be holding her arm so there is a bend in the elbow but the wrists should be straight and relaxed. She'll also need to practice on be able to move her arms without allowing her shoulders to go out of place. Her lower back should be soft, this will allow her to sit more deeply and absorb more bounce. You'll want her to keep her leg from going in front of the girth, ideally the heel should align with the hip. The overall look shouldn't be stiff looking though, you still want that relaxed element that allows a rider to move along with the horse. It takes time and some muscle building to be able to maintain the correct form.

ricoman · 11-14-2007, 10:12 AM

Ditto to all of the above, plus, remind her to breathe, nice relaxed deep breaths and that will help keep her shoulders back and her head level. She should always LOOK where she wants her horse to go and not down watching her horse. She should sit, centered, on her seat-bones, not rolled back on her tail bone, nor perched forward with an arch in her back.

Chic · 11-14-2007, 12:06 PM

You could contact your local 4-H to see if they have a club in your area. They may even know of some ex-4-H'ers that are giving lessons. That's where I learned all my stuff but I'm so outdated now that the judges would probably just roll their eyes at me.

lopintoo · 11-14-2007, 12:23 PM

It is so hard to get a mental picture just from a description in words. It would be my luck that just when I thought I had it and had practiced that way - it would be all wrong.

You said there aren't any trainers in your area. Have you asked at the local feed store, farrier, vet, etc.? WP is a really big thing surely there is someone she could take a lesson from. Even someone that shows and is experinced with WP that doesn't advertise as a "trainer" could maybe give you some pointers. One thing that worked for us was several years ago, we wanted to take lessons from a particular lady, she lived an hour and a half away, it was kind of far to be going every week (and expensive) so we took a lesson now and then when we could and video taped the lesson so we could go back over it and see what we needed to work on at home. Just a suggestion...thought it might work for you also.

StablemasterE · 11-14-2007, 12:29 PM

Its def a pain to find someone right now with winter coming on. We have a 4-H club ran by a good friend of the family shes going to start with in the spring. I just dont want to have her getting into bad habits btwn now and then.

Ill get some pics of her riding and post them so you guys can see. Shes really doing well for never having been on a horse until about 4 mths ago. We have done TONS of lunge work to build her confidance. (shes really shy and feels akward b/c shes so tall and thin) Shes grooming and ground working some now which is really helping. Ill get some pics today if the wind calms down. Thanks so much.

PhilinaSioux1 · 11-14-2007, 05:55 PM

Also, when she does get into the show ring, it's always nice to smile! Especially if it looks sincere.

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11-12-2007, 10:49 AM
StablemasterE Coming two Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Middle of the cornfield OH Posts: 1,631	WP Masters needed! I need some advice guys. Im trying to get my daughter ready for showing and since Ive never shown Im not for sure what to do. Shes really intrested in WP and showmanship. Shes riding pretty well as far as on the luonge line and has taken my mare by herself a couple times in the round pen. I guess what Im asking is how should she hold her body ect.? Head down? head up? Shes just doing walk right now but I want her to get in the habit of show seat. I CAN NOT find a trainer in the area and so Im trying to do everyhting myself with books and videos. Geezz Who knew this would be so hard . So you WP masters shoot me some ideas and pics if you could.....Thanks SOOOO MUCH!!!! __________________ Silence is Golden but duct tape is silver and easier to get.

11-12-2007, 01:49 PM
PhilinaSioux1 Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 51	With basic form you want the head pretty much level. If her chin goes to far up then her shoulders and back will get thrown off and if too far down she won't be able to see where she's going! The shoulders should be relaxed, square and aligned. She should be holding her arm so there is a bend in the elbow but the wrists should be straight and relaxed. She'll also need to practice on be able to move her arms without allowing her shoulders to go out of place. Her lower back should be soft, this will allow her to sit more deeply and absorb more bounce. You'll want her to keep her leg from going in front of the girth, ideally the heel should align with the hip. The overall look shouldn't be stiff looking though, you still want that relaxed element that allows a rider to move along with the horse. It takes time and some muscle building to be able to maintain the correct form.

11-14-2007, 10:12 AM
ricoman Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 440	Ditto to all of the above, plus, remind her to breathe, nice relaxed deep breaths and that will help keep her shoulders back and her head level. She should always LOOK where she wants her horse to go and not down watching her horse. She should sit, centered, on her seat-bones, not rolled back on her tail bone, nor perched forward with an arch in her back. __________________ Resistance is Futile

11-14-2007, 12:06 PM
Chic Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,342	You could contact your local 4-H to see if they have a club in your area. They may even know of some ex-4-H'ers that are giving lessons. That's where I learned all my stuff but I'm so outdated now that the judges would probably just roll their eyes at me. __________________ Jewlery For Your HorseThe Kelley Square "I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Edward Hale

11-14-2007, 12:23 PM
lopintoo Long Yearling Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,314	It is so hard to get a mental picture just from a description in words. It would be my luck that just when I thought I had it and had practiced that way - it would be all wrong. You said there aren't any trainers in your area. Have you asked at the local feed store, farrier, vet, etc.? WP is a really big thing surely there is someone she could take a lesson from. Even someone that shows and is experinced with WP that doesn't advertise as a "trainer" could maybe give you some pointers. One thing that worked for us was several years ago, we wanted to take lessons from a particular lady, she lived an hour and a half away, it was kind of far to be going every week (and expensive) so we took a lesson now and then when we could and video taped the lesson so we could go back over it and see what we needed to work on at home. Just a suggestion...thought it might work for you also.

11-14-2007, 12:29 PM
StablemasterE Coming two Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Middle of the cornfield OH Posts: 1,631	Its def a pain to find someone right now with winter coming on. We have a 4-H club ran by a good friend of the family shes going to start with in the spring. I just dont want to have her getting into bad habits btwn now and then. Ill get some pics of her riding and post them so you guys can see. Shes really doing well for never having been on a horse until about 4 mths ago. We have done TONS of lunge work to build her confidance. (shes really shy and feels akward b/c shes so tall and thin) Shes grooming and ground working some now which is really helping. Ill get some pics today if the wind calms down. Thanks so much. __________________ Silence is Golden but duct tape is silver and easier to get.

11-14-2007, 05:55 PM
PhilinaSioux1 Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 51	Also, when she does get into the show ring, it's always nice to smile! Especially if it looks sincere.