Total position guide part two: the seat

Having an effective seat and good core strength is an essential part of being able to do well in any equestrian discipline, plus it will help to keep you more secure – and therefore safer – in the saddle.

In dressage, the more secure your seat, the better you’ll be able to use it to keep your horse in good balance (self-carriage) without relying too much on the rein.

You may be pleased to know there are lots of things you can do to improve your seat and core strength. If you started riding later in life, you may feel it’s too late to make changes, but that’s not the case. We can all make improvements to our core strength, whether you’ve been riding since you could walk or had your first lesson last week.

The beauty of riding is the better you get, the better your horse will go. Then, when he becomes more established, you’ll find it easier to stay balanced and secure in your seat. Let’s put all these thoughts into action.

Did you know?

At the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, riders work without stirrups and reins on the lunge for up to three years.

Go stirrupless

During lessons, no doubt we’ve all heard those dreaded words ‘take away your stirrups’ at some time or another. However, rather than seeing it as a form of torture, think about how much good this can do for your riding. Short sessions working without stirrups can help you…

• develop better core strength and a secure seat
• stay straighter in the saddle. It’s great for riders who tend to put more weight into one stirrup than the other
• learn to hold your own body posture better because your seat becomes your main point of contact with the horse
• elongate the leg muscles, which is why your stirrups feel short when you take them back. This allows you to ride with more weight into your heel, without gripping with the knee
• cope better with horses who pull you forward, due to your increased core strength

Top tip

If you don’t feel safe enough to ride your own horse without stirrups, book some lessons on a schoolmaster or a mechanical horse instead.

Discover more of Lewis’ tips for developing a secure seat in May Horse&Rider – out now!