Ways to get a better seat while riding

[HorseLover121203]

How can I get a better seat while riding faster than a walk? I am beginning to bounce all over the place in the saddle and now even at times I have to hold on to the saddle horn!! It's like this if we do anything more than a walk

Any info or advice would be great!

[Sirita_88]

bareback

Work on your position, heels down and under you, sit up straight. There should be a line that runs from your shoulder, to your hip, to your heel.


Bareback will teach you lots. If you have a nice soft area to ride put on a helmet, get on bareback and ride ride ride. It can get a little scary but once you build up the balance and muscing to canter bareback you will never have a balance problem again.

[Horselady44]

Maybe its your saddle? It may not fit you the best...also, are you sure your horse isnt off somewhere...as when they are you will be too.
I think bareback is a great way as well....you will be better balanced

[HorseLover121203]

Oh goodness. That's an accident waiting to happen.

I'm scared though I may hurt him by riding bareback alot

[HorseLover121203]

Originally Posted by Horselady44

Maybe its your saddle? It may not fit you the best...also, are you sure your horse isnt off somewhere...as when they are you will be too.
I think bareback is a great way as well....you will be better balanced

Maybe it does have something to do with the saddle or maybe gettinf a saddle that fits better would help. How would I tell if the saddle doesnt fit? And it's like that when I ride anyone's horse, not just mine so it's for sure me

[ShutUpJoe]

Maybe try building your thigh muscles? I used a pillow and would squeeze the pillow with my thighs. Sometimes I'd walk around the house trying to keep the pillow in place with my muscles. Another exercise you can do is the crouch. Basically practice posting on the ground. It'll build your calf muscles.

[For8tune]

I have the same issue! I have a wonderful riding instructor who has me do a lot of standing in the stirrup exercises holding a crop horizontal in front of me at a walk and 2 point at a trot. It has helped me a lot. If your ride Hunter, English or Dressage being on the wrong diagonal can throw your balance. I also got a better saddle for my horse since that was some of the issue too. Ill fitting tack can complicate things for both you and your horse. Plus you may want to see if your horse is unbalanced. Due to me being off balance, it was causing my horse to do the same and turned into quite the rough ride. I'm not too fond of bareback for the fear of hurting myself but it is the best!Good Luck.

[Miichelle]

Bareback is great but be SAFE! Do you have a safe, calm horse and an enclosed space with nothing to fall on or run into (preferably an arena) to ride in? Don't push yourself past a walk until you are comfortable then do a few steps of trot at a time until you can trot without bouncing. When you start to bounce, walk (for as long as it takes), reorganize, and ask for a trot when you're ready. Baby steps are still steps forward and much better than getting hurt and having to start over!

[ahabarabs]

Originally Posted by Sirita_88

bareback

Work on your position, heels down and under you, sit up straight. There should be a line that runs from your shoulder, to your hip, to your heel.


Bareback will teach you lots. If you have a nice soft area to ride put on a helmet, get on bareback and ride ride ride. It can get a little scary but once you build up the balance and muscing to canter bareback you will never have a balance problem again.

I 110% agree with bareback, as long as your horse doesn't have really high withers, it is very comfy.........that being said, do not be intimidated at first, even if all you do is walk a slow walk around a small area, then just walk for maybe a half hour, there should be no time limit on how long you just walk before attempting more, ( weeks, months, whatever ) pretty soon though you will start feeling pretty comfy/secure walking/turning, then go for a little more, make yourself just do it..... be brave!!! and good luck!!!!

[HorseLover121203]

Originally Posted by ahabarabs

I 110% agree with bareback, as long as your horse doesn't have really high withers, it is very comfy.........that being said, do not be intimidated at first, even if all you do is walk a slow walk around a small area, then just walk for maybe a half hour, there should be no time limit on how long you just walk before attempting more, ( weeks, months, whatever ) pretty soon though you will start feeling pretty comfy/secure walking/turning, then go for a little more, make yourself just do it..... be brave!!! and good luck!!!!

He does have high withers and he doesn't exactly have the most comfy back for bareback. His backbone protudes just a tiny bit as well and hurts quite bad riding bareback. He's also not very thick as he's a arabian so it makes it that much harder

I had some advice try to trot without stirrups for small periods of a time then work your way up to a canter. Would that work as well?

[BornToRide]

Originally Posted by Sirita_88

bareback

Work on your position, heels down and under you, sit up straight. There should be a line that runs from your shoulder, to your hip, to your heel.


Bareback will teach you lots. If you have a nice soft area to ride put on a helmet, get on bareback and ride ride ride. It can get a little scary but once you build up the balance and muscing to canter bareback you will never have a balance problem again.

I agree with this. Also, if you are having a lot of trouble bareback, you can try rocking back onto your pockets when you sit. You'll look kinda slouchy and stuff, but it will make sitting a little easier. When you develop control over how to sit like that, then you should feel free to sit correctly This is how I learned. Couldn't ride bareback to save my life...my instructor made me start sitting really far back, I felt retarted. But I tell you after that I learned to walk/trot/lope bareback in about 3 weeks. Plus, after sitting that way, it was super easy to sit correctly. So you don't have to worry about that making it harder. Good luck!!!!!

Oh, and when you learn to ride bareback, a saddle will be no problem whatsoever

[Miichelle]

Do you post when trotting? It's hard to bounce at a trot when posting. Alternating between posting trot and sitting trot is a good excercise to learn sitting trot also. Sit the trot for a few steps and when you start bouncing go into a posting trot until you reorganize things then go sitting trot again. Also, a bareback pad is nice to have. Gives you a little extra paddding, keeps your clothes cleaner, and gives you a handle. DON'T get one with stirrups, they aren't safe!

[AnChap]

I'm really trying to work on this same thing too, you aren't alone! I'm not ready to go bareback yet, though I do agree it will def. help me. I do baby steps. I ride in my english saddle without stirrups at a walk, then at a trot, and build it up gradually. It is taking me a while. Maybe real bareback sometime. I also try to always feel my "seat bones" so that I know I'm sitting correctly, and when I focus on sitting on my seat bones, I find my whole position is more secure

[EquineAlberta]

Although I agree that bareback can help a rider feel the movement of the horse, I disagree that it is a good place to start. A rider who is already uncertain will typically end up pinching with the knee as a result and will develope a clenched seat rather than a relaxed and stretched out one. Same can happen if you ride without stirrups before you are ready...particularly if you don't have a coach to tell you to sit up and stretch your leg down!

Horselover, do you ride english or western? Do you know if your horse is unnaturally bouncy? Some horses are really hard to sit/learn on, so if your horse is super bouncy, then it may be wise to work on your position on a different horse at first.

I agree very much with posting the trot at first, until you can find your rythm and balance. There are all sorts of excercises you can do at the posting trot that help you to sit the trot.

Karen

[ahabarabs]

Originally Posted by HorseLover121203

He does have high withers and he doesn't exactly have the most comfy back for bareback. His backbone protudes just a tiny bit as well and hurts quite bad riding bareback. He's also not very thick as he's a arabian so it makes it that much harder

I had some advice try to trot without stirrups for small periods of a time then work your way up to a canter. Would that work as well?

Yeah with saddle, especially an english saddle will definately help, but if doing this way I would definately have someone you trust lunge you on horse ( if your horse lunges well ) and start off slow, even with stirrups, and even hold on to pommel, you will gradually gain confidence/seat, again over weeks/months, and you will probably get real sore, but only when you feel ready at w/t/ or canter, take your hands off pommel, but don't be afraid to regrip it if you start to feel insecure, then when you don't need to hold it anymore, drop stirrups, try to stay relaxed, you may want to grab pommel again when stirrups are dropped which is fine, little baby steps, you will eventually be able to w/t/c, with no stirrups, or hands on the saddle, then you can start closing your eyes, and raising arms above head, behind you, etc. etc. be brave and good luck!!!

[HorseLover121203]

I ride western and other people have rode him and all said the same, he has nice gaits to him and in general is a smooth/comfortable horse to ride.

[BornToRide]

Originally Posted by EquineAlberta

Although I agree that bareback can help a rider feel the movement of the horse, I disagree that it is a good place to start. A rider who is already uncertain will typically end up pinching with the knee as a result and will develope a clenched seat rather than a relaxed and stretched out one. Same can happen if you ride without stirrups before you are ready...particularly if you don't have a coach to tell you to sit up and stretch your leg down!

Horselover, do you ride english or western? Do you know if your horse is unnaturally bouncy? Some horses are really hard to sit/learn on, so if your horse is super bouncy, then it may be wise to work on your position on a different horse at first.

I agree very much with posting the trot at first, until you can find your rythm and balance. There are all sorts of excercises you can do at the posting trot that help you to sit the trot.

Karen

This is true also, I neglected to think of this aspect.
My apologies.

ETA: Try riding western without stirrups? This helped me alot.

[lopintoo]

Do you have any pictures of you in the saddle? Maybe your stirrups need adjusted? I know it sounds too simple, but it's the first thing I have to question. If your stirrups are not the right length and you are either reaching or they're too short it won't matter how you sit - it will still feel and be all wrong.

[Horselady44]

Originally Posted by lopintoo

Do you have any pictures of you in the saddle? Maybe your stirrups need adjusted? I know it sounds too simple, but it's the first thing I have to question. If your stirrups are not the right length and you are either reaching or they're too short it won't matter how you sit - it will still feel and be all wrong.

Thats why I was asking about her saddle...Im wondering if its her saddle that is causing her to come off balance...a picture of you riding would help

[lopintoo]

Others have given you great suggestions about how to sit and what to do (ride bareback and without stirrups) which are great suggestions, but IMO the best thing anybody can do, and you can do it in any saddle and on any horse is.....be an active rider.

Now, you're probly thinking "what is that?", that means feeling and moving WITH your horse - not just sitting there like a lump. Being a lump is why most people bounce. Yes, technically you are sitting, but no, it's not anything like a chair and in no way are you resting.

First make sure your saddle is adjusted correctly for your leg length and that it fits you. Next, when you get on sit just a little farther forward than you normally would and then rock back on your pockets a bit. This will lean you back just a little, but it makes it easier to sit deeper and feel with your seat bones. OK, now that you are "sitting on your pockets" scrunch your tummy a little (like how you would do a stomach crunch, but just slightly scrunch). Then start walking while staying in this sitting position and stay scrunched. Pay special attention to how your horse moves as it goes. It should feel something like a slight side to side forward motion. Now, instead of staying stiff, slightly lift your weight (only your hips/seat bones, not your entire body) as the horse moves. You don't want to change your sitting position - stay on your pockets and stay scrunched, only slightly lift weight off each side as your horse takes a step. When you get the hang of the walk rhythm and you can keep the position try trotting. Sit on your pockets and scrunch and feel the trot rythm and do the same thing. It takes practice not to bounce. It will take time for your body to get strong and be able to control the movement and "stick" to your saddle. Then you can lope/canter. Actually I think the lope is much easier to sit than the trot on many horses - the rythm is easier to master. Once you get the bouncing under control then you can sit up straighter with the - ear, shoulder, hip, heel alignment.