Chair Seat
The problem with the chair seat is that the rider is not sitting vertically aligned, meaning they are not balanced within themselves. They cannot distribute their weight into the stirrups, which leads to an excessive load on the horse’s back.
Split Seat
In the split seat, the rider’s stretched knee creates a rigid, stiff seat, preventing the rider from using their leg like a spring to absorb the horse’s movements. Additionally, the rider cannot drive the horse effectively using either their seat or legs due to the leg slipping backward.
Collapsing at the Hip
Collapsing at the hip is also very problematic because the rider (rightly) feels as though they cannot apply leg aids on one side—specifically the side where the leg stretches away from the horse due to the collapse. This prevents clear weight aids and creates asymmetrical pressure on the horse.
Sitting Heavy and Driving with the Seat
“Sit heavy” is something you hear from time to time as advice, but it should not be taken literally. If the rider pushes their weight into the horse’s back, the horse will immediately hollow its back and tense up. In reality, the rider should simply allow their weight to flow down through a completely relaxed hip into the sides—into the stirrups—without pressing down. The legs should hang loosely from the hips and be supported by the stirrups without pushing down into them.
In this context, it's important to clarify that "driving with the seat" does not mean that the rider should push into the horse with their seat or try to drive the horse forward by pressing. There is nothing in the horse’s back to drive forward! Only the rider's legs can stimulate the lateral muscles and influence forward movement.
- Correct Seat -
All of the rider’s movements should originate from the horse. The rider allows the horse’s motion to flow through them in complete relaxation and adds no active, conscious “swinging” of their own. "Driving with the seat" only means that the pelvis is slightly tilted forward (in the natural sitting position), allowing the horse’s movement from back to front to flow through, while a half-halt can be executed by briefly and precisely resisting with the seat.
The Importance of the Upper Body
To engage the pelvis and sit bones precisely, the rider needs an upright seat. A collapsed upper body with rounded shoulders and a pulled-in stomach causes the pelvis to be permanently pushed forward and unable to swing freely. As a result, the horse finds it difficult to recognize a precise half-halt. It’s like trying to pick out one important voice from a crowd of many. Without the necessary tension to hold the upper body upright, the aids become blurred and "muddled" rather than clear and "sharp." Additionally, every horse has the rather unflattering habit of mirroring its rider. The amount of body tension the rider has will also be transferred to the horse.
Hollow Back and Rigid Shoulders
A hollow back often results in the rider’s pelvis tilting backward, making it difficult to bring the horse in front of the driving aids. Riders with a hollow back may struggle to intuitively perform the movement of resisting with the seat. One tip: sit on the edge of a chair and rock back and forth a bit. This movement is very similar to the one you should use when riding the horse.
Rigid shoulders often accompany a stiff seat and inevitably lead to rigid, inflexible hands. Again, the fact that every horse mirrors its rider comes into play here: a tense rider creates a tense horse.
Get more information about the riders seat in one of our upcoming blog posts.
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