“Right, I’m just going to bring Strider back to a standstill and then we can talk about what I’ve observed with your riding.  OK, now I can see that you’re very slightly behind the movement, and your weight is slightly to the left even though your shoulders are level.  Your rein contact is slightly more in the left hand than the right but the pressure is about the recommended level”.  As Becky gave me the feedback following the couple of minutes I’d been onboard, Strider gazed back at me in the mirror unblinkingly.  “You didn’t have to show all my faults quite so transparently” I thought darkly! 

But Strider is no ordinary horse – showing even the most minor of faults is exactly what he does best, and so he should as he’s the latest version of mechanical horse, made in Germany and filled with electronic sensors which measure your weight distribution in a variety of directions.  Owned by Becky Chapman BHSII , he is a very well schooled machine, who can walk, trot and canter, and even carry out effortless two time changes, giving constant, real time feedback via a screen in front of the rider so that as you make changes to correct your faults, you can see instantly what effect it has on your horse.  By taking out the live horse factor, you can concentrate completely on yourself, whilst Becky provides a constant stream of suggestions to help you improve your position.  A humorous and observant instructor, she has a great turn of phrase including analogies so that the rider (and observers) can instantly interpret what she means.  Who from the intrepid few who ventured over to Ashen will forget Helen’s “noodle” leg, or visualising Claire holding onto the waist band of my jodhpurs to straighten my hollowed back?!  Unfortunately, the photos don’t really capture the essence of the morning but I’m sure a number of us will be returning in the near future so we’ll see whether we can get a video of someone’s session.

Thanks to Helen and Ginny for organising the trip, and to Becky for providing a really eye opening morning.

BTW – if anyone hears rumours about a legless horse being kept in a garage in Ashen, don’t phone the RSPCA – it’s Strider’s stable…….

Lynn – I’ll send some photos over at the weekend, but they’re not that great to be honest.

Cheers

Sue