Riding position (known as your seat) is one of the big areas that novice horse riders often get wrong, and this can make it hard to get any significant control over your horse.
Learn how to improve your riding position…
Having a good seat also makes it a lot easier to have good communication with your horse. It’s also safer for your horse and more comfortable for them.
A strong and secure seat is therefore a really important part of horse riding but it’s something that even fairly experienced riders can get wrong if they’ve picked up negative habits along the way. Whether you are brand new to horse riding or you’ve been learning for a while, here are some of our top tips for making sure that your riding position is correct, and for improving it if it’s not.
Common Mistakes By New Riders
It’s common for new riders to get drawn into bad habits with posture such as slumping, slouching and gripping too tight with the thighs. This can throw your balance out and crucially it can mean you’re not balanced with your horse either.
How to Achieve Balance
A balanced riding position involves having your ears, shoulders, hips and heels in a vertical line to one another. There should also be a straight line from your horse’s mouth, the reins and your elbow.
Correct Pelvis Positioning
A good riding seat starts with your pelvis. This should be upright, with an equal and even weight on the seat bones and pubic bone.
Keeping a Strong Core
Keep your back straight so you can follow the movement of your horse as you ride. Many people automatically assume that horse riders are completely still when they ride but they’re actually moving seamlessly with their horse and just appear this way.
Your back and abdominal muscles need to be tight and strong. Allowing them to go loose or floppy can throw your posture out.
Correcting Leg Positioning
Lower leg issues stem from having a seat that isn’t secure enough. If you have too much weight on your seat bones, it can encourage you to start to pitch backwards and grip tight with your legs.
If you’re having problems keeping your legs back, it’s probably due to how you’re holding your legs between the hip and knee.
You may also need to adjust the length of your stirrups so that you can hold your leg in the correct position. You may find it helpful to take your leg out of the stirrup for a little while to get your positioning right. If you lift your leg out of the saddle slightly and shift your thigh back a bit, it will encourage your foot to come under the hip and let your leg hang from your hip.
Are you a horse rider? Do you have any more tips to help beginners to adopt a better riding position? Let us know in the comments below!