When considering riding position it should be borne in mind that, so long as the balance remains in tune with the horse, there are many positional variations that are acceptable. Therefore the advice from different instructors may vary slightly and even amongst professional riders it is possible to see variation in position and technique. Every rider will adopt a position that, whilst it stays in balance with the horse, suits the rider and their body shape.
However, the following provides general advice which should be useful to those wishing to improve their riding position. One of the most important things is to become increasingly aware of your posture and how it affects your horse. The ideal basic position (that is ear, shoulder, hip and heel vertically in line) is discussed in the novice rider guidance section and this section will give some tips for maintaining this position and for dealing with some common problems.
Work without Stirrups
This exercise is intended to increase your awareness of your seat, help develop your balance and help to lengthen your legs against the horse's side. You should be realistic and not aim to ride with a totally straight leg but you should aim to allow your leg to fall longer against the horse's side whilst maintaining your foot position under your hips. The aim is to use the three point seat; that is the two seat bones and the pubic bone, not the tail bone, as this would lead you to lean back and end up rocking on your seat bones. Once this is right allow your legs to relax downwards in the way they fall. If you find this means that your toes and knees stick out then you need to rotate your whole leg inwards, from the hip, so that the flatter insides of your thighs rest on the saddle rather than the more rounded backs of them. When working in the more 'bouncy' paces do not try to hold yourself totally still. Riders are not motionless, that is merely an illusion created because they are moving with the horse. As the horse moves you will feel the swing of the body from side to side and back and forth as the hindlegs are lifted and brought under the horse's body. The small of your back must remain soft and supple to allow your seat to follow this movement. Draw your body upwards from the waist, keeping your back and abdominal muscles like strong elastic, not floppy and not rigid. It is always best to just attempt walk at first allowing the legs to stretch down and work on becoming more balanced with the horse, and more aware of its movement underneath you. Progression to work in trot and canter can then follow but it is important to return to walk if you begin to feel unbalanced or tense. No benefit is gained from riding the faster paces without stirrups if it results in the rider's body becoming unbalanced and tense.
When you take your stirrups back they will feel quite short and, indeed, you may feel able to lengthen them slightly. You will feel how the stirrups just raise the toe a little. If you have trouble keeping your heels down then remember that this position comes from a backwards and downwards push from the knees. If you rest your hands on your legs where your knee joins your thigh and then stand up as you would in rising trot you will feel the muscle there tense. Try to cultivate a downwards push with that muscle as you rise to the trot and any other time you feel your heels creeping up.
Correcting Leg Position
If you have trouble keeping your legs far enough back then you probably need to alter the position of the leg from the hip to the knee. You may also need to lengthen your stirrups to allow your leg to move to a more correct position. Take your foot out of the stirrup, lift your leg away from the saddle slightly and move your thigh back until your foot lies under your hip allowing your lower leg to hang naturally from your knee, just over the rise of the horse's belly. This leg position is where you can use your legs most effectively. If you find your leg swings too far back then remember to keep your seat in the three point position with the weight in your heels rather than your knees and concentrate on keeping your shoulders back with the upper body vertical.
Correcting Body Position
If you tend to ride round shouldered or leaning forwards then a good exercise is to ride on the lunge with your arms folded behind you as you think of bringing the bottom edge of both your shoulder blades together.
One of the most important things to become aware of is your straightness, or lack of it in the saddle. Remember that on the lunge the horse is not straight so it is hard to practice this while being lunged. You should aim to sit in the centre of the saddle at all times. Try to feel how your body is symmetrical with an even weight in each stirrup and on each seat bone. Try putting more weight in one stirrup and feel how this affects the horse. Make sure that you don't collapse your hips. If you have trouble with one hip collapsing then ride with the arm on that side raised straight up in the air. Then lower your arm while trying to keep the upright feeling in your hips. Remember that straightness goes all the way up. If you turn your head it will effect the position of your whole body.
It often helps to have someone watch your position as you ride straight lines up and down the school. They will be able to tell you whether your position remains straight when viewed from the side and also from behind. The use of mirrors can also be very beneficial. However, one of the most beneficial training aids can be the use of a video recorder allowing you to watch and assess your own position later.
Remember that your position is not static, rather the ideal position is what you should always return to when you are happy with your horse's way of going. However it is sometimes desirable to change the way you sit to affect the horse. A good example of this is the use of weight: you might for instance put more weight it one stirrup to stop the horse falling in. However, the important thing to remember is to return to 'neutral' when you have got the desired response. The only thing that must always remain constant is that you should never be behind or in front of the horse's movement. Keep this in mind when you ride transitions. Leaning back will not help you stop and tipping forward will not move the horse faster; in fact these are likely to have the opposite effect.
