11 Tips on Holding Correct Riding Position On A Horse
Posted On May 21, 2022
(Last Updated On: May 21, 2022)
The correct riding position on a horse is very important for comfortable riding, as well as safety and freedom. Working on the correct riding position on a horse is one of the basic training for the horse riders. In this article, we will be talking about the correct riding position on a horse
11 Tips on Holding Correct Riding Position On A Horse
Whether you’re standing motionless or moving, your body position has an impact on your horse. Riders must acquire the fundamental skill of correct posture in order to move up the riding tree. You can’t get your horse to utilize its body appropriately until you position your correct riding position on a horse.
1. Your base—your seat and legs
The most essential part of your riding position is your base—your seat and legs. It keeps you anchored in the saddle and allows you to make touch with your horse’s body.
A straight line from your shoulder to your hip to your heel should provide a workmanlike basis. Your body (or core) should be straight up and down, shoulders squared, and abdominal muscles tucked in.
If you could see yourself from the side, a plumb line drawn from your ear down through your shoulder, hip, and heel should be straight. As you bike, try to keep this line in mind.
You would be in a standing position on the ground if your horse vanished. As a general guideline, if you can see your toe when you look down, your leg is too far forward.
This posture places you in a chair seat, behind your horse’s movement, and horses will slide forward or slow down as a result. As a result, many riders may attempt to adjust themselves by leaning forward.
This further jeopardizes your vertical alignment. As you and your horse move rhythmically in balance, your torso should remain perpendicular to the ground and not tilt forward or backward.
3. Leg Position
From the front, here’s a look at the leg position. There’s no daylight between the rider’s leg and his horse. It’s worth noting that his toe is slightly turned out and up. Pulling your toes up and pressing your heel down places your foot in the proper position to employ your heel or spur.
4. Rider’s leg and his horse’s side
Always keep your legs on the horse and make gentle touch. Between the rider’s leg and his horse’s side, there is no light. It’s worth noting that his leg isn’t crushing the horse; it’s simply making gentle touch with it.
To lengthen the shoulder-hip-heel line, the rider presses his heel down. Because his heel or spur is in the appropriate location and his leg is on his horse, he can rapidly “get to his horse” for cueing and having a correct riding position on a horse.
5. Your spine should be straight
Your spine should be straight, with no rounded or arched lower back. Placing your hand in the small of your back is a good idea. You’re slouching or rounding your lower back if it protrudes. You’re arching your back if your lower back feels empty. You want to feel a little curvature, but not too much.
6. Lower back vs upper back
You may also check your spine’s curvature by standing next to a wall and pressing your heels against it. What happens to your lower back when you force your upper back against the wall? Is there a noticeable arch? Is it possible to press it flat on the wall? Is it possible to lean against a wall without arching your back?
7. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed
Keep your shoulders down and relaxed. Your shoulders are drawn up towards your ears as a result of tension. Lift your shoulders near your ears and then drop them as if shoving them into your back pockets to feel the difference.
Your shoulders should be parallel to the shoulders of your horse. If your horse is executing a shoulder-in and his shoulders are rotated to the inside, your shoulders should likewise bend to the inside rather than remaining perpendicular to the wall.
8. Stand up straight in your stirrups
It will be hard to stand up straight in your stirrups if your legs are too far out in front of you. As the rider’s body does here, your body will lean forward to compensate for the lack of balance. If your legs are too far behind you, a similar issue will occur. As a result, determining whether or not your base is out of alignment is simple.
9. Your pelvis
When you slump in the saddle and round your lower back, your pelvis pushes the horse. A reactive horse may scoot ahead, whereas a sluggish horse may slow down. When it is told to a rider to sit straight, they usually arch their back to pull their shoulders back rather than raising their ribs to straighten their spine.
When you arch your back instead of lifting your torso from your hips with a solid abdominal wall, you push your seat toward the rear of the saddle and wiggle or ‘belly dance’ in the center to absorb the horse’s movements. This might throw off your rhythm since it causes your horse to hurry up.
10. Lift and tighten your midsection
Lift and tighten your midsection so that your pelvis and hips can absorb the upward tilting action of your horse. As though a sturdy rod is holding your spine straight, imagine pushing your rib cage upward or lifting from your belly button to your chin as a part of the correct riding position on a horse.
Your pelvis may tip up and forward to set the rhythm during sitting trot without traveling faster than your horse if you have a straight spine and a solid abdominal wall.
11. Your hands should also be relaxed
Your hands should also be relaxed as if you were holding damp sponges in your hands. Assume you’re holding the sponges securely enough to keep them from falling to the ground, but not so tight that you’re wringing out all of the water.
Feel the strain in your forearms as you squeeze the imagined sponges hard. Now relax your hands and feel your forearms relax as well. Your wrists should be straight and your thumb should be the highest point of your hand—no ‘piano’ or ‘shopping cart’ hands allowed for having a correct riding position on a horse.
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