August 1, 2003, Newsletter Issue #136: Saddleseat Riding Tips
Tip of the Week
In Saddleseat, you must maintain your balance at all times, and your position will always affect your balance. You must remain tall in the saddle, keep your heels as deep as possible and sit more on your pelvis than you ever will in Dressage, Western or regular English Flat work. Only in Jumpers or over fences will you ever come forward onto the pelvis as you are required to do in Saddleseat.
Your shoulders must be back well over the hip and square, with your chin higher than you will carry it for other disciplines. Hands are held high, but level with your horses` mouth, and in keeping with the elevated carriage of the head and neck.
Your upper thigh contact is the only part of your leg that will remain on the horse at all times. The lower leg comes into contact on the horse only momentarily to increase impulsion, and then is taken off. The best description that I can give you of the seat in Saddleseat, is that you sit as though you were "snowplowing down a ski hill", with the upper body remaining back and centering your point of gravity over the back of your seat. Both heels and the seat forming a tripod of balance around/over the horse.
The most common mistake of those learning Saddleseat is either the "fatal fetal" position or the "chair seat". Both are common, and both are incorrect.
Saddleseat, more than other disciplines is one of balance, and feel. The more you adopt the other riding discipline frames, the more you will loose your position and balance and seat in Saddleseat, and all the more so if you have a horse with a lot of hock action. As, the hock action is the motor that will elevate you from the saddle at the trot.
More next week.
September will cover Diet and Feeding Tips.
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