.jpg "Mastering rider position: Improve balance, control, and communication with your horse")
Have you ever struggled to get your horse to respond smoothly to your cues? You're not alone! Many riders unknowingly hinder their horse's movement with incorrect positioning. The good news? With the right awareness and practice, you can improve your seat and make riding more effective and enjoyable for both you and your horse.
Regardless of whether you ride English, Western or bareback, a correct riding position allows your horse to respond effortlessly. Poor positioning restricts movement and can make it hard for the horse to perform what is being asked.
- Understanding correct rider position
- Gaining control of individual body parts while in motion on horseback
- Cultivating an awareness of your seat bones while in the saddle
What you'll learn
- What seat/weight aids are an how they work
- An exercise to develop awareness of seat bones and independent movement
- The key alignment lines of correct positioning
- Mental images to help achieve correct position
- Practical tips for evaluating and improving your riding position
Why rider position matters: A real-life example
The problem:
A rider cues the horse for a canter transition while crunching over the horse’s withers, as if trying to push the horse into the canter. In this position the rider’s seat bones now point towards the back end of the horse, causing the horse to lose balance and rush forward at the trot. The rider becomes frustrated, assuming the horse is disobedient, while in reality, the incorrect position makes it difficult for the horse to pick up the canter with the rider's weight pushing on to the forehand.
A rider cues the horse for a canter transition while crunching over the horse’s withers, as if trying to push the horse into the canter. In this position the rider’s seat bones now point towards the back end of the horse, causing the horse to lose balance and rush forward at the trot. The rider becomes frustrated, assuming the horse is disobedient, while in reality, the incorrect position makes it difficult for the horse to pick up the canter with the rider's weight pushing on to the forehand.
The solution:
By learning to maintain correct rider position and applying seat/weight aids effectively, the rider can support the positively influence the horse's movement instead of hindering it.
What are seat/weight aids
Seat/weight aids influence your horse whether you are aware of them or not. These aids are directly affected by the rider's position in the saddle. Ideally, you want event pressure on both seat bones unless intentionally shifting weight for a specific movement.Basic positioning
Going straight
- Shoulders aligned with the horse’s shoulders
- Weight evenly distributed on both seat bones
- Turn shoulders turn to the inside, aligning with the horse’s shoulders
- Rotate torso (above the belt) while keeping hips aligned
- Slightly move the outside leg back, keeping the inside leg at the girth
Common mistake: If the lower body twists when turning the shoulders, it brings the outside leg forward and shifts the rider's balance.
Exercise: Developing seat bone awareness
Purpose:- Improve seat/weight awareness
- Learn to feel seat bone placement
- Develop independent movement between upper and lower body
Step 1: try this off the horse
- Sit upright on a chair and feel both seat bones pointing straight down.
- Move your upper body slightly forward, back and side to side. Notice how your seat bones shift.
- Return to neutral where the seat bones are evenly weighted.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides.
- Rotate your upper body (above the belt) so one hand points forward and one backward. Feel how your seat bones remain stable.
- Now twist your entire torso, including below the belt, and feel how the seat bones shift. This highlights the importance of independent movement.
Step 2: try this on the horse
Caution! Always perform this in a safe, controlled environment, ideally with a coach or ground person.
- Walk in a straight line, feeling even weight on both seat bones.
- Notice the natural swing of your hips as your horse moves.
- Extend both arms out to the sides and slowly rotate your torso, pointing one hand towards the horse's head and the other towards the tail.
- Return to the centre and repeat on the opposite side.
- Focus on maintaining freedom of movement while keeping even seat bone pressure.
The key lines of correct rider position
When sitting correctly, these alignment points should be visible:
- Shoulder > Hip > Heel
(If the horse disappeared, you'd land on your feet!) - Tip of toe > front of knee
- Elbow > Wrist > Rein > Bit
- Outer forearm > Wrist > Back of hand
Mental images to achieve correct position
Head position:- Keep head up, looking towards the horse's ears.
- Imaging a string pulling you upright from the top of your helmet.
Note: tilting the head down changes the rider’s position in the saddle, putting more weight on to the horse’s shoulders. Remember you can move your eyes without moving your head!
Upper body:
- Sit up straight, even weight on both seat bones, not collapsing on either side of the body.
- Keep chest open, shoulders back and down.
- Keep shoulder blades flat.
- Imaging you are riding towards a mirror at every marker.
Seat bones:
- Should point downwards in the deepest part of the saddle.
- If tilted forward, they point backward, affecting balance.
- If tilted backward, they point forward.
Hands:
- Hold your reins with thumbs up to the sky, with pressure between your thumb and forefinger.
- Lightly close other fingers - open fingers can only take and tightly closed fingers create tension in your wrist/arms.
- Thumbs pointing towards the opposite ear of the horse, creating a straight line down the outside of the arm/wrist/hand.
- You can imagine holding a mug of tea or coffee and not letting any spill out.
Arms:
- Upper arms resting at rider’s side.
- Elbows in light contact with the body.
- Bend in elbow joint as straight arms can’t give.
- Straight line from elbow > wrist > bit.
Legs/ankles/feet:
- Legs should drape naturally around the horse, without gripping.
- Knee and toes point forward (not outwards)
- Ankle softly flexed with toes up (heels down) to create tone in calf muscle and secure the boot in the stirrup - supple ankles are also important to achieve a good sit trot.
Tip: to stop gripping, briefly open your knees off the saddle every few minutes and let your legs drop back down to reset a soft leg position.
Tips for evaluating and improving your position
Even experienced riders can develop bad habits. Regular feedback is essential! Here's how to check your position:
- Ask a coach or experienced rider for feedback
- Record yourself riding (even a phone video works!)
- Use mirrors in the arena to self-correct
- Take lunge lessons with an experienced instructor
- Strengthen core muscles off the horse to improve stability
- Engage a saddle fitter to ensure you have correct fit for both you and your horse - a saddle can hinder your position in the saddle.
Final thoughts
By refining your position, you'll ride with greater confidence, your horse will move more freely and your communication will improve. Small adjustments make a big difference - keep practicing and enjoy the journey!
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