Guest Author - Darling Poor

The most important thing when learning to ride is to find your balance (also called your seat). If you can find your seat at a walk, then you will progress well into the trot, the canter and the gallop (or jog and lope in Western).

For purposes of this discussion, we'll be talking about body position while in a walk. In a walk, the horse starts out with the right rear leg, then the right front leg, left rear leg, left front leg, and so on. So it is a four point rolling amble, using both legs on one side before using the legs on the other side.

Body Position

Sit deep into the saddle and focus on the action the horse’s back makes as it performs the walk. Allow your pelvic girdle to move along with the motion, not against it, by keeping your hips loose. Think four point movement. Later, you can master the three point movement of the trot. For now, balanced and centered at a walk is your goal.

Where is the horse's center of gravity? It is not in the middle of his back, but a few inches behind the withers. If you keep your weight aligned with his center of gravity as he moves, he will move easier.

I recommend starting with your feet out of the stirrups so the leg can hang long, and a position akin to standing with a horse beneath you is adopted. The biggest mistake beginning riders make is to think of sitting on a horse as if they were in an easy chair. Think standing and you’ll be better off in adjusting to a well-balanced seat.

Eventually, pick up the stirrup irons, putting the ball of your foot on the flat part of the stirrup. Feet should be pointed straight forward, neither toe nor heel hitting the horse’s side, and heels should be down as much as is comfortable (i.e., foot flexed slightly at the ankle). Inside knees touch the saddle and inside calves touch (where it can gives cues to) the horse’s side.

Do not squeeze with your calves unless you are asking your horse to increase its gait. Once he complies, instantly release the pressure and go back to light, steady contact with your calves. Do not allow your legs to bounce against his side.

Shoulders should be relaxed but back (think 'chest open') so that the spine is arched slightly and the pelvic girdle titled slightly forward. This helps you get deep into the saddle. Imagine a straight line running from your head, down your back, through your hips to the back of your heels.

Elbows are bent and reins held in one hand for Western, two hands for English. Your instructor will show you proper finger position for holding the reins. Never wrap the reins around your hand or wrist or create any situation where you would be unable to quickly drop them and dismount. In future articles we will discuss rein, hand and arm position indepth.

Focus on feeling the horse move beneath you, and that line running from head to heel. As you get used to the position, it will become more natural to move as one with your horse. And by being one with your horse, you cause him less strain. Your leg cues will also be more clear that this is a request for him, not just you squirming in your seat.

What keeps you in the saddle when your horse spooks or when he’s accelerating to faster gaits? It’s not your legs, the stirrups or the reins. It’s your balance.

For further analysis of the balanced seat, I recommend Centered Riding by Sally Swift. Widely popular for its innovative style of helping the rider visualize proper riding position, I have found it to be an invaluable self-training tool.


Sally Swift's follow up book is also good for riders of any experience level and adds new techniques. I was delighted to find her second book which came out in 2002.