The 30 day challenge

I have been challenged to ride without stirrups for 30 days.  And you know me and these sort of challenges.  I love them.  So I have taken it up.  At least with Dingo, and in dressage.

So, I have duly detached said stirrups from the saddle.  It feels weird to be sitting in a saddle without any stirrups.  But, you can't sit around looking at the view forever, so off we went at a walk.  Then the trot.  Whoa!  This little pony thinks that if he goes fast enough he will just bounce me out altogether.  And this is where the whole seat and half halt thing came in.  I sat in the saddle, and half halted until I was blue in the face, but eventually we got a lovely trot, that I could comfortably (OMG! Really?) sit to.  And I had a totally lose rein!

Since the trot was now so good, we tried the canter.  This was an amazing experience.  It made me realise just how flat Dingo normally is.  This canter was just amazing.  It was as light and fluffy as drifting along on a cloud.  This is what riding is all about!

Now I am absolutely hooked on riding "sans stirrups".  So much so, that now Lil is on a mission plan to ride without stirrups within about 4 weeks.

What I don't understand is this.  Three years ago, I went to a riding instructor and said "there is a problem with my seat and I want to fix it".  Which part did she not understand?  There was a problem with my seat, and riding without stirrups has fixed it.