Building a Better Seat Part 1, From AdagioDressage.com

A good seat means a seat that can rest on the horse’s back, feel the horse’s movement, and tells the rider when to time their aids. A good seat is neutral: receives the horse’s movement and follows it as opposed to trying to create movement from the seat (shoving or driving before the forward energy arrives to the horse’s back and rider’s seat. Next I’m going to describe the working components of a good seat…I recommend practicing this

on a lunge line
at the walk
in front of a mirror
If those options are not available to you, use a quiet horse and practice this on the buckle as opposed to on contact. A good seat is independent from the rider’s legs and arms. When you think of a rider’s seat, you generally picture pelvis and “seat-bones” that rest in the saddle but the seat is more complex than that. In order to have a seat that follows the horse’s movement, you must first have an excellent but not forced posture in the saddle. Bring your chin in to stretch your spine and as the horse steps under your seat and moves you, draw yourself up by the top of your head, sternum, base of the rib cage, and belly button. This is referred to as your “front-line” and it draws the seat-bones through the hips as the horse moves. To FEEL the seat resting in the saddle and drawn forward by the front-line, CAREFULLY pick up your legs so they are not laying against the horse’s sides and ask the horse to walk. If your back and thighs are weak, this will be difficult. In order to develop a good seat, you will need to strengthen them. This is possible through practicing this very exercise as well as through yoga, ballet, and other sports that use precise movement to strengthen abductors and abductors. If you can hold them up to the side without bracing yourself for even three strides, you can make progress. You should feel like a weeble-wobble that is moving in the same direction as the horse.

So let’s summarize: You are balancing in the saddle on ONLY your seat-bones. If your legs are not strong enough to lift up and out, then you may rest them on the front of the saddle. You are folded slightly at the waist to keep your upper body in line with the horse’s center of gravity. As the horse moves, your seat-bones are drawn forward by your front-line (belly button, base of rib cage, sternum, top of head).

Be patient with yourself as you strengthen your leg, back and stomach muscles through this difficult exercise. We’re shooting a photo session of this exercise so that you can follow more easily- this will be up Sunday evening at the latest (tricky snowstorm)!!

Ask me your questions, let me know your concerns and roadblocks. I have seen this exercise help many riders learn how to isolate their seat from their legs and unite their front-line with their seat-bones so don’t forget to share your breakthrough stories, too!