# Exercises you can do at home to improve your seat?



## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I didn't ride enough to tell about it this winter, and now I'm embarrassingly out of shape.  I had a lesson Saturday and my lower legs were all over the place and I kept slipping into the chair position. Suffice it to say, I'm glad the only person around to witness my horrendous equitation was my instructor.

So, I'm trying to get back in shape as quickly as possible, and that means exercising even when I'm not on the horse. I've been standing on the edge of the stairs to stretch my heels down, doing squats, and stretching my legs. Are there any other ways I can help get my seat back when I'm not riding? Any and all advice is appreciated.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Pilates. Those will get your core and legs back into shape fast. You'll be more sore than when you first rode a horse!


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## Chuckface (Apr 25, 2009)

Yep Pilates. Now theres something PAINFUL lol.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Thanks!
I'll try that. I don't care how painful it is if it works. XD


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Try the ones for core abdomen muscles first. You'll think you died! (heh heh heh)


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## horsequeen373 (Oct 4, 2009)

My trainer will do "torture lessons" once in a while and have us be in 2 point for a long time, do tons of no stirrup work and other stuff and it really whips you into shape. As far as stuff outside of riding I have to agree with pilates.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Stuff to do not on a horse? I have no idea. I can throw in suggestions to help when you're on your horse though. =]

One of my most favorite instructors pretty much tried to kill us every morning. It was HARD work, we hardly worried about collecting our horses but worked on our core and position. We'd go out and she'd tell us put our stirrups up two holes, and do lots of two-point. She'd make us drop our stirrups at the trot, do one lap sitting, one lap posting, and one lap two point. The lessons were amazing, I miss them terribly, and boy did they do wonders for my seat!

Another of my favorites is double posting. Sit two strides, stand two strides, sit two strides, stand two strides. When you're doing okay with that, try sitting ONE stride and standing for TWO. Sitting the two strides allows you to rebalance, sitting for one you really don't have time, you just get thrown back up. =] Keep in mind, the standing strides are not a two point, but standing just like you would if you were posting normally.


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## Endless Journey Girl (Jun 10, 2009)

horsequeen373 said:


> My trainer will do "torture lessons" once in a while and have us be in 2 point for a long time, do tons of no stirrup work and other stuff and it really whips you into shape. As far as stuff outside of riding I have to agree with pilates.


Bahaha really? That was a normal lesson with my trainer lol. The first 20 minutes of my lesson were two point in walk trot canter, or no stirrups at trot and canter.. she'd make us do posting trot no stirrups for like 10 minutes straight sometimes.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

No stirrup posting does wonders for position for when you're on your guy! 

I would have to second the pilates for when you're off


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## bubblegum (Oct 6, 2009)

i have always found that i have trouble with slouching in the seat if i am not used to riding. if you put your hands on your waist (your actual waist not where your pants end) with your thumb going to your back and the rest of your hand on the front (if you get what i mean) and rotate and puchig your body forward with your thumbs then your back will become straighter and your posture improves too.


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## dreamrideredc (Apr 16, 2009)

Okay, so this was the problem I had a few weeks ago as well! What I did was stand on the edge of something (you said you had stairs which will work great) and drop your heels down like you were doing, and then go up on your tippy toes. Up down, up down, etc. Start off with 25, 50, 75, 100. I actually just got done doing this tonight and I'll tell you it WORKS! I got on my horse after a few days of doing this and it was ridiculous how tight my legs were. Also, if you want your thighs tightened you can get one of those exercise bands and tie it around your knees. Then you spread your legs apart, then in. Out in. That works wonders as well. I hope this helps!


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## Sghorselover (Oct 19, 2009)

*I am gonna go bold and say if your in to diffrent things thanh platies try karate! i do karate 34 times a week and i have verry good ballance on my horse also in my class we wo strecting and leg wourkous and cardio that will surly help. But I also seccond platies .!!*


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