An article in the April 2014 issue of Western Horseman caught the eye of Saddle Up this week and we'd like to share some of the key points with you!

(photo taken from myhorse.com)

Riders in any discipline often forget the importance of how they are sitting and balancing on their horse. When you are sitting straight and centered you are riding more of the hindquarters of the horse, freeing up their front end for difficult and fast maneuvers. The hindquarters is the powerhouse of the horse and when you ride centered and off their forehand they are able to shift their weight back onto the hindquarters. If you lean forward, you put more weight on the forehand, making it harder for the horse to move well. You can also lock up the shoulder and restrict movement in the forehand by leaning forward.

When you sit straight and centered and engage your core you allow the horse to move freely and do his job better. The horse knows how to move and, if he's been well trained, knows his job. All he needs from you is guidance and to be as relaxed and centered as possible. The position of your seat also affects your elbows which in turn affects your wrists and hands. Sitting deep and centered will help you keep your hands soft and not rely on the reins for balance.

Attaining a good position will help you feel more secure and in tune with your horse and is a wonderful goal to achieve. A proper fitting saddle will also help! At Saddle Up our number 1 priority is the comfort of the horse. Our number 2 priority is your comfort. If the saddle doesn't fit you well and is too big or too small, it will impact how you sit. It may make you tense or slouch. A saddle that fits you will help you stay relaxed, centered, and straight on your horse.

Whether you're brand new to riding or have been riding for years, spending time practicing your seat is vital to for the good performance of you and your horse. The more you practice the more it will be ingrained in muscle memory.

Here's some great exercises you can do to help improve your seat! (These are best done with someone on the ground lunging your horse while you ride so you can focus more on what you're doing.)

* Ride without stirrups - this will allow your legs to hang straight down and let you know if you've been bracing in the stirrups. The lack of stirrups will force you to engage your core more to stay straight and balanced.

* Ride without reins - sometimes riders rely too much on their reins, which can tip them forward. Practice riding without reins to eliminate bracing or balancing on the horse's mouth.

(photo taken from happy-horse-training.com)

* Balancing Exercises - Do different combinations of upper body twists, making sure your hips and legs stay long and relaxed, arms stretched out, and arms over head. Turn your head to the left and ride. These body isolation’s will help you find your center and strengthen your ability to maintain an independent seat.

(photo taken from alpinepub.com)

Play around with speed and/or a combination of these exercises, all the while being safe and smart with proper supervision and an awareness of your experience and level. You won't gain a centered and balanced seat if you end up on the ground!

"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves--strong, powerful, beautiful--and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence." -- Pam Brown

~ Saddle Up