# Developing a good seat. . . help!



## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

Relax! Take a good deep breath and let it out slowly, pretend you're tired out and sit 'heavy' in the saddle and let your legs dangle - if you're feeling brave, quit and cross your stirrups - sit slightly 'behind the vertical' (ie lean back a little bit)... it will come eventually!


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

Imagine you have a tenner or buck or what ever note currency you wish to imagine and that unless you sit on it it will blow away. Works wonders for me.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Are you tipping your upper body forward at all? That'll pop you out of the saddle in an instant. Concentrate on really sitting upright, almost behind the vertical a tad so your hip angle is open and your lower back can absorb the motion better. It might just be an issue of muscle memory where you sit a little forward, but don't know it and it feels right.


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## o0hawaiigirl0o (Aug 8, 2008)

Having a few lessons on the lungeline really helped me to get my canter seat. Also, riding bareback is another great way to improve your balance.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

No stirrups, no reins and on a lunge line is the best way to develop your seat.


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

definitely agree with Anebel. You'll be amazed how fast it comes along.


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## bellybaby (Sep 25, 2009)

I found the best way to sit to a canter is to practice bareback. Dont imagine your sitting on the horse in=magine your sitting in the horse, so that your connected and as one. I admit you may fall off a bit (i fell off a lot when doing this!) so its advised that you wear a current standard hat and body protector if you have one. But if you are persistant with it then you will see great results. The best time to do it, iv found, is coming to the end of a riding session, use the last 5 mins to ride bareback. this way your horse is already warmed up and should be quite relaxed. hope it helps.

bellybaby x


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## flamingauburnmustang (Dec 25, 2008)

The bareback thing would be a good idea.

As well as riding with long stirrups so that your legs are stretched down, and sit upright, and imagine the movement of the horse. If you can, close your eyes and just feel the horses canter for a few minutes. Relax your back and move with the horse.

That really helps me alot. Good luck. = )


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## Tara1981 (Nov 8, 2009)

I have a similar problem after a break of a few years from riding and I think its due to two things:
not having the core muscles to hold myself upright and having tight hamstrings which mean my legs can't really relax away from my hips, so any movement in my hips moves my legs too.
SO I am working on improving my core strength and flexibility. I am planning on taking up pilates or yoga to help with this. Maybe this will help you too!


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

Get someone to lunge you riding your horse, put a bucking strap on, then drop your stirrups (cross them over the saddle is safer) and canter without stirrups. Anytime you feel you're getting out of balance grab the bucking strap and pull yourself deep into the saddle.

Make sure you sit straight up in the saddle, your legs drape around the horses barrel (not pinching or that will pop you out of the saddle) and you've got your shoulders back and are looking straight ahead (not at ground, not left or right).


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## luvmyperch (Oct 5, 2009)

Make sure you're back on your seat bones. Do you have an instructor that can give you lunge line lessons? No stirrups!! It's torture, but nothing works better...


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

> No stirrups, no reins and on a lunge line is the best way to develop your seat.


Exactly Anabel!

Did you know that those who are brought into the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, are not allowed to ride on their own for a whole year?

They are put on a lunge line, with no reins for a whole year - why? Because this forces them to ride SEAT first, establish their seats and teaches them to focus primarily on the more important aspects of their body, than the least important *unlike here in North America where 8 out of 10 riders ride hands first*

Do exatly this - not for a whole year, but have someone put you on a lunge like who is experienced to aid you - and drop your reins and leathers. You're seat will quickly say "HELLO! Remember me?!?!"


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

One of the big things I see riders doing today is trying to be still. You can't be still you have to move _with _the horse.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

MIEventer said:


> Exactly Anabel!
> 
> Did you know that those who are brought into the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, are not allowed to ride on their own for a whole year?
> 
> ...


I rode with a lot of crazies early on in my dressage career. My first dressage trainer couldn't really teach anything beyond correct seat and position so I was basically stuck on the lunge. My second dressage trainer decided I was "unbalanced" (having never ridden a horse with big gaits) and put me on the lunge line on an imported Hanoverian state stud mare (read: VERY large gaits) and then had me touch my opposite foot with my hand in all gaits. 
Then I had a jumping trainer who would remove her students stirrups for weeks and she would set up a chute, tie your reins up and give you a blindfold, the "crazy" part was that the jumps were at least 3' tall and the final oxer was always reminiscent of a free jumping oxer for a stallion testing. When I trained with her all I had to say about x-country was thank God there was no way to set up a chute out in the middle of nowhere!!

The good thing I got from all the crazies is that now a horse can absolutely bronc on me and I do not move. The last time I fell off a horse was dismounting and my horse spooked when my leg was already over and the time before that was getting wiped off on a wall by a mare that most of the trainers in my area won't touch with a 10' pole.
Lunge lessons in excess = you do not fall off.


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