Finding your post diagonal

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Having to go from feel ONLY what method would use to find the correct posting diagonal?  My son is legally blind and a good rider....his biggest fault is being on the wrong diagonal...UGH!  I have tried so many things to try and help him achieve this...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ask him to do a flying lead change!  Success!  Simply posting diagonal...NOT!  Ideas welcome!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Sodapoppers]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Hi patricia...when i first started riding my coach made me do a lot of work on posting diagnals. One method she used to teach us was that we closed our eyes, asked for the trot, and tried to pick it up from there. What she told us is that if you let your horse push you up on its own (at the beginning of the trot) you get the right diagnal. There will be one smooth step and then the one that pushes you up. Just follow that rythm #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Marty_Jones]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#How about getting him to put his outside hand on the horses shoulder so he can feel the outside leg going forward that way he will know when to post. He could do this until the rising comes natural.... just a thought it may just help. Good luck#ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Word_Greetings/7.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Arial Black" color=#ff80bf#ed_cl#Soda....That is what I have been telling him for quite some time.  When we go from walk to trot I always tell him to sit a few stride and relax and let the horse throw you out of the saddle.  Normally you should be right a good part of the time.  I find if he has the horse going too slow and not forward enough he forces himself out of the saddle and on the wrong diagonal.  It also doesn't help that his horse is kind of smooth.  #ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Arial Black" color=#ff80bf#ed_cl#He has some vision but can't see the shoulder being forward.  I don't know if he will be able to feel the shoulder come forward..we can try that too.  He is riding very well....this one little thing is holding me back from taking him to a show...His answer is I will sit the whole test...LOL!  I told him though that this is important.  Although, I did notice the last time he rode I asked for a more forward trot.  So after some canter work he energized the trot.  He then seemed to get the posting diagonals.  We shall see.  Thanks!#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Sodapoppers]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Aw! sit the whole thing...so cute Good luck to him when he shows! Our sport needs more males Maybe putting his horse on the lunge line and trying for a more forward trot will make him a bit bouncier and help him out. Then you could be close to correct him and tell him if you need to. #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys//ec-thumbup.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Judy F]

He needs your help to know when the inside hind leg is coming forwards. To start with, try at a walk. Have him 'listen' (its a feel but you know what I mean... You can tell him:' Now, now, now' as you see the leg coming up, so he learns what he is feeling/listening for. Then he tries it saying: ' now, now, now' as he feels the leg coming. Once you get it working at the walk, he can try it at the trot.

My first coach did this to me, and I have explained it to other beginners and they find it helps. One thing about dressage is perfecting your timing. Getting the feel of the inside leg lifting is critical to timing your aids for the canter transistion.