Riding is an art that requires precision, balance, and harmony between the rider and the horse. One of the key elements in achieving this is a strong, stable, and correct riding position. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned dressage rider, refining your riding position can make all the difference in your performance and the relationship with your horse.
Here are some actionable tips on how you can improve your riding position for better control, communication, and overall riding success.
1. Develop a Neutral Pelvis
A neutral pelvis is the foundation of a good riding position. Your pelvis is your centre of gravity and the creator of movement. How you position it affects your entire posture on the horse. If your pelvis tilts too far forward or backward, it can create tension in your lower back and throw off your balance, leading to stiffness in your seat and legs.
How to Find a Neutral Pelvis:
Sit in the saddle, and put your hands on your hip crests.
Using your pelvis move your index finger up and then relax and move your thumb up. You will notice in these 2 states you won't really feel your boney seat bones.
Now try to align your index finger with your thumb and you will notice that you can feel the seat bones the most.
By maintaining a neutral pelvis, you'll be able to absorb the movement of the horse better and communicate more effectively through your seat because it has the ability to move freely.
2. Engage Your Core for Stability
Your core muscles (including your abs, lower back, and pelvic floor) play a crucial role in stabilising your position. A strong core ensures you can stay balanced in the saddle, even when your horse moves unpredictably.
Core Engagement Tips:
At a walk notice what happens if you hold in your core. You will see that you won't be able to move as much or breath.
This is because you muscles need to be dynamic and moving all the time. So when we talk about engaging. What we really mean in in motion the body still be strong
So now relax your belly and will will start to feel your lower core, closer to in between the pelvis start to move more., as well as the muscles between your 2 seat bones. And these are the most important muscles to use when riding.
A strong core will help you stay centred and connected to your horse, making your aids more precise and your balance more stable.
3. Correct Your Leg Position
Many riders struggle with their leg position, either gripping too tightly with their thighs or letting their legs drift too far forward. Both issues can lead to an unstable seat, making it harder to give clear leg aids and stay balanced.
Leg Position Tips:
We have many spirals throughout our body allowing our bones to absorb force, can you feel the bones in your lower leg spiral while you move around on your horse?
Another great tip is feeling the foot getting support from the stirrup, the foot giving support to the lower leg, the lower leg giving support to the upper leg, the upper leg giving support to the pelvis, the pelvis giving support to the spine, the spine giving support to the head and shoulders.
My top secret tip is understanding that you don't want all of your weight in your seat bones, you want to evenly distribute weight between your seat bone and your hip joint, this will allow you to feel more stable when you stand and not feel like are falling down.
A relaxed, correct leg position allows your seat to remain in contact with the saddle while providing clear aids to your horse.
4. Align Your Head, Torso, and Pelvis
Proper alignment is essential for a balanced riding position. When your head, torso, and pelvis are in line, you maintain better balance, control, and symmetry in your body. Poor alignment can lead to over-reliance on your hands or legs and muscles, throwing off your communication with the horse.
Tips for Alignment:
Check your alignment by imagining your head rolling over the top of your torso, behind your torso and on top of your torso.
Imagine the ribcage and pelvis are like the core of an eaten apple, with a top price where the stalk comes from and a bottom price. Can you get them on top of one another.
5. Improve Your Hand and Rein Position
The position of your hands is key to maintaining clear communication with your horse. Your hands should be steady and soft, creating a light yet effective contact with the reins.
Hand Position Tips:
Think of the reins like a telephone connection, you don't want the line to be to long that the communication gets broken but don't want it to short where you can hear your own voice.
think of holding the outside rein (the one closest to the arena wall) like you are holding a glass of wine, you need a good grip, but you can't do to much grip otherwise you will smash the glass. Then think of the inside rein as a coke can, you don't want to crush the can.
6. Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor for Better Control
As mentioned in our earlier blog post, the pelvic floor plays a crucial role in your riding position. A strong pelvic floor helps stabilise your pelvis, absorb movement, and communicate with your horse more effectively.
Pelvic Floor Exercise Tips:
Place an Orange Franklin Ball under your seat bone on one side, now try lift the other seat bone off the chair/saddle inline with the seat bone on the ball. Slowly lower the seat bone down. Repeat 5-7 times and then head over to the other side. Fell the muscles used and those will be the bilateral pelvic floor muscles you need to use when riding.
7. Ride with Awareness: Know When You’re Out of Alignment
The key to improving your riding position is self-awareness. Many riders don't realise when they’ve fallen out of alignment or are holding tension. Developing an awareness of your body while riding can help you make quick adjustments and improve your overall position.
Body Awareness Tips:
Tap your entire body before you ride, this increases proprioception and allows your body to feel the environment around it.
Use a mirror and practice the things above in the mirror, see how it feels compared to what you have done before and then look at the difference in the mirror. Horse Riding is best taught by watching, but you can't always watch your instructor, so watch yourself.
Practice “body scanning” while riding—check in with your seat, legs, hands, and posture every few minutes to ensure you're staying balanced and aligned.
Improving your riding position is not about perfection but about making small, consistent adjustments. By focusing on core engagement, alignment, and awareness, you’ll not only ride with more balance and control but also communicate more effectively with your horse.
The journey to better riding starts with understanding your body and its mechanics. Whether you're new to riding or a seasoned equestrian, these tips can help you refine your position and enhance your overall performance.
Ready to improve your riding position? Try incorporating these tips into your rides and feel the difference in your balance, connection, and effectiveness in the saddle. If you'd like a personalised assessment or more guidance, don't hesitate to book a session!
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