The Seat
"For centuries, Spain fostered two distinct
'seats' or riding styles: a la jineta, the
light-armored bowman's or lance-raider's style,
and a la brida, the knightly style. In the
first, the horseman rides with, his ankles below
his hips, with his feet beneath him as he would if
he were standing or squatting on the ground,
identical to the modern "balanced seat" The brida
horseman, by contrast, rides with his feet "on
the dashboard" and his weight on the back of his
fanny. Today this style has no specific name.
However, 'feet on the dashboard' are still
characteristic of British steeplechase jockeys
and a century ago the style was still considered
the 'proper' form over a fence. In the Americas
today, a seat indistinguishable from brida is very
widely employed by pleasure and gaited horse
riders.
"The rider's position in the saddle reflects the
profound differences between the two styles. The
jineta horseman sits as if part of the horse. He
rides with his knees somewhat bent, his legs
relaxed yet continually caressing the horse's
sides, his calves and spurs ready to be brought
into play whenever needed. He sits with an open
chest, his upper body at ease, his face steadfast
and serene, looking between the ears of his
horse, a position which enables him to direct his
mount with authority and perfect harmony.
"The brida rider, on the other hand, sits much
more stiffly. With knees locked and legs extended
to the front, he braces himself against the
stirrups, sometimes pushing back so hard that he
literally comes to sit on top of the cantle.
Having thus given his horse a cramp in the back
and deprived it of most of its ability to coil its
loins and engage its hindquarters, he then (in the
Middle Ages, and sometimes still today) uses a
monstrous bit to drag it to a stop. Turning does
not form a large part of the brida program.
"The horse's training also differs greatly in the
two styles. In the jineta school it is directed
principally to making him able to run fast, stop
hard, spin to either hand, and back up quickly and
cleanly. All movements are carried out with the
reins cradled solely in the left-hand. The brida
rider by contrast emphasizes primarily he horse's
submission and the production of elegant, if
somewhat ponderous gaits. The main object here is
to make an impression, whether upon the enemy or
upon one's subjects (or, in the modern era, a
horse show judge.)"
Conquerors, Chapter VIII, pp. 99-100.
Why is this important? Many here on these lists
(and on many other lists) frequently proclaim
their desire to be more "natural" or "at one with"
their horse. Then, when you see them tacked up
and astride, you see the brida presentation. It
is certainly dominant in the TWH and racking show
ring (witness the pictures in the VOICE). It also
carries over to the trail and general "pleasure"
riding (although it hardly looks pleasant).
Further, a common complaint of riders is that the
horse starts out fine but gets "difficult" some
time into a ride (half hour to forty five minutes
is often the cited time period). Then there are
the complaints about the "cold backed horse."
While frequently (and correctly) attributed to
poor saddle fit and poor conditioning, I wonder
how much is due to the brida style?
In Chapter IX of the book (entitled "The
Technology of the Two Seats") there are a series
of photos and drawings of the types of saddles
used historically and their modern descendants
(pp. 116-120). They clearly show evolution and
contain some important information on fit. The
stock saddle is of jineta descent. The English
hunt seat and "saddle seat" types are pure brida.
There is also some interesting information on a
third type of saddle, designed for a third type of
seat, the estradiota. Those of you who ride
trooper, Buena Vista, or Aussie saddles would be
interested here!
A truly good seat includes the head, shoulders, arms, back, legs, bottom, and crotch. It does not only refer to the triangular base of support under the body. To obtain the deep secure position in the saddle, stretch your legs downwards and open them as far apart as comfortable. A deep seat with a properly supported back and pelvis should immediately follow once the leg position is achieved.
The Chair Seat
Many of our modern design saddles automatically position riders in the chair seat. A rider sitting on his tail near the rear of the saddle with his legs forward is said to be aquiring a chair seat.
With the weight on the rear of the saddle and the legs in the forward position, a rider may feel that he had aquired a fairly secure position. This may be true, until an emergency arises. The Classical seat allows weight to be distributed evenly over the center of gravity of the horse, thereby achieving balance, which leads to true security. The Chair seat is often seen on showjumpers and cross-country riders. The forward leg prevents the rider from diving over the horse's head when landing from a jump. But if the horse bucks, a serious fall may result.
Some dressage saddles, with their long, straight cut flaps, place riders closest to the ideal position. General purpose and close-contact saddles, ridden with short stirrups, instantly push the legs out of the imaginary line of gravity.
The Three Point Seat
The Chair seat can also be referred to as the Two-Point Seat. This can simply be translated into sitting on the two seat bones. The two seat bones are the two points. The Three-Point Seat composes part of the classical seat. The third point is the inferior pubic arch. The three point seat forms a triangular base for the seat. When the rider is sitting on all three points, the pelvis will gain natural support that will hold it in the correct position. Only be sitting exactly in the middle of the saddle on all three points of the base of the pelvis can a rider open his legs and mould his thighs around the horse.
"The rider must sit rather forward in the deepest part of the saddle.
His weight must be on the two pelvic bones and
the crotch, that is three points of support."
~~A.K. Frederiksen, Danish cavalry instructor.
The ideal seat can influence the horse significantly. By flattening the back (tilting the pelvis backward), the horse can be driven forward into a more extended pace. Likewise, by enhancing the curve in the lower back (tilting the pelvis forward), the horse can be gathered into a more collected pace, as the seat will act as a restraining hand. By manipulating the pelvis while seated in the classical position, not only can you control the pace, but also the direction you want to go by subtle shifting of weight between seat bones.
Tips
When you mount, remove both feet from the stirrups. Sit erect, almost reaching for the sky, then open your legs wide, keeping your knees straight. Squeeze them as far away as possible from the horse, then relax. Place your feet in the stirrups again. Voila! In most cases, you will have achieved the classical seat!
If you have a fleshy thigh, tuck the fleshy part to the back of the thigh, leaving the inner thigh as close to the horse as possible.
Opening and relaxing the buttocks will help your body absorb the movement of the horse.
Remember that a strong, secure seat is also a sensitive one. Through practice, a sense of FEEL will develop, a harmony between horse and rider will be achieved.
"I do not approve of a seat which is as though the man was
sitting on a chair, but rather as though he was standing
with his legs apart."
~~Xenophone, 355 BC, Athenian philosopher and cavalry leader.
A Good Posture
In a chair position, the points of gravity in the human skeleton are not aligned. In a standing postion, a straight vertical line can connect the points of gravity. The points of gravity start with the ear, then the point of the shoulder, then the second sacral vertebra, then the hip joint, and finally, the ankle.
What Xenophone implied in his writings was to maintain the straight vertical line while in the saddle. To put the picture together, stand with your side to the mirror, shoulders square, back straight, legs slightly apart. Now bend your knees as they would be if you were in the saddle. Make sure that you keep your back straight and your shoulders aquare. You will notice the vertical line connecting the points of gravity has not changed. This is the ideal posture that leads to harmony between you and your horse as it places the rider in responsibility of their own weight.
"To be a good rider, you must stay on the horse
through erectness and balance of the trunk." ~~
Commandant Jean Licart, Basic Equitation.
Flexibility
It does not take a genius to recognise that a stiff body on top of a moving or bouncing body will cause jarring and banging. The human body enjoys natural felixibity and elasticity that allows it to act as a shock absorber and move in union with the horse. The motion of a horse in trot can throw about a rider who has locked his hip and back muscles, causing uncomfortable bumping against the saddle. By combining the flexibility concept with the principle of Jean Licart, one can reach the conclusion that total union with the horse can only be acheived through the separation of motion between the pelvis and the trunk.
To explain this further, a rider should remain upright with his shoulders square and his back straight, and allow his lower back and hips to move in collision with the horse, thereby separating the upper back from the pelvis, and acheiving a still, quiet seat in the saddle.
The Pelvis
The distribution of muscles in the lower back allow the pelvis to rotate and absorb the motion of the horse. By stretching and contracting these muscles, the pelvis can aquire the proper angles as the horse moves. When you flatten your back, you're stretching your back muscles and rotating the pelvis to a backward tilt. However, this should not be confused with the upright position in the saddle since the pelvis naturally stands at 0º. Also by exaggerating the curve in the lower back, you're contracting your muscles, and tilting the pelvis in a more forward position.
Sitting properly to the trot will give this concept a better meaning. As the horse steps underneath himself, you are pushed upwards (shock absorbtion in the lower back and pelvis will contract the muscles; then to absorb the downward drop, the muscles will stretch, allowing the pelvis to rotate backwards, thereby flattening the back.)
Although it may take time before sitting classically to the bouncy gaits is perfected, it does not take any strenous effort. What needs to be learned is the relaxation in the pelvis and the lower back muscles. Once relaxation is acheived, the pelvis will move naturally and absorb the motion of the horse, letting the horse and rider appear as though they have become one body.
"If
the rider is able to sit in balance with his seat bones
well underneath him and his upper body in
correct alignment over his hips, the pliancy of the spine
in the loin area will allow him to remain as
though glued to the saddle." ~~
Sylvia Loch, The Classical Seat
The abdominal muscles are attached to the pelvis, therefore tensing these muscles will drive the pelvis out of its natural tilt. By keeping the abdominal muscles relaxed, the pelvis can move freely. With the horse stationary, the pelvis should be at its natural 0º tilt. In the forward, bouncy gaits, such as the medium trot, it is helpful to tilt the pelvis slighly backwards to aid in sitting deeply into the saddle. In collected gaits, some riders prefer to accent the curve in the small of their backs, rotating the pelvis slightly forward and shifting the weight from the seat bones to the fork.
An effective, deep seat in the saddle will lead to
an effective, sensitive leg.
Introduction
We are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of a good posture while sitting, walking, jogging, etc. And we are aware of the harmful effects of a bad posture. Fitness and health experts advise us of walking with our backs straight and shoulders square. Rounding the back and dropping the shoulders causes muscle strain and back problems. A person with a stiff hip joint may walk from his knees- i.e. bending the knees without much movement from the hip joint. Since the human skeleton is all connected through joints and ligaments, a rounded back restrains the hip joints from moving to their full potential. Their full potential, however, is not necessary for a good posture. Gymnasts, ballet dancers, circus acrobats, and many others are able to use their muscles and skeleton to their full potential. As riders, such degrees of suppleness are not required of us to sit correctly and in harmony with the horse.
To reach a fair degree of suppleness in the hip joint, a good posture in the ground would be essential. Walking from the hip joints, rather than from the knees, can help supple the area. Maintaing a good posture on the ground will lead to a naturally good seat on a horse. When standing or walking, keep your back straight and your pelvis in its upright position. Keep in your mind the checkpoints that connect the vertical line of gravity, as it applies both on horseback and on the ground. As mentioned previously in The Classical Seat section, the line of gravity begins on the ground, and is carried on to place you in the correct position on horseback.
On The Horse
After ensuring that you are sitting deeply in the saddle (by lifting the thigs away from the saddle), bend your knee and bring your heel up to hold it in your hand. Hold your leg in this position for a few seconds to stretch your hamstrings, then slowly drop it. This should place your leg in an almost straight position. Now, as subtly as posibble, shift your thigh only a very small distance forward, and relax your leg. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. Provided that your pelvis is upright and your back is supporting itself, you should now be seated in the classical and most ideal position. Your legs should be bent slightly at the knee, not stretched uncomfortably straight. Your stirrups can aid in keeping you in this position but being just long enough to rest the ball of your feet higher then your heels. Riding without stirrups will help the legs hang longer, which will result in lowering the stirrups a couple of holes. It may help to watch grand prix dressage riders, as their legs appear to be longer than they actually are, while they are only letting them relax in the most natural position.
"Spreading the buttocks to form as broad a base underneath
you as possible is very important as it will
allow the leg to hang unconstricted.. ready to
embrace the barrel of the horse."~~
Sylvia Loch, The Classical Seat.
The Upper Leg
The main function of the upper leg is, working in conjunction with the pelvis, helps keep you in the proper position. Since we have, mentally, already separated the trunk from the pelvis, it is time to connect the pelvis to the upper leg, imagining that they have both become part of the horse. Beware that a sensitive horse will be able to detect the slightest tensing of muscles, therefore, it is not favored to contract or tense up the thigh muscles to provide a secure seat. If the thigh is in the position described above, its mere weight will be enough to maintain the secure and deep seat. It is amazing to know that it is quite possible to hold a piece of paper between the thigh and the saddle without any gripping from the rider if he is seated correctly!
The Lower Leg
The function of the upper leg has been identified. Now the lower leg has to work independently from the upper leg. The lower leg's purpose is the application of the aids. The lower leg should also lie closely against the horse, but contracting the calf muscle to do so must be avoided. In fact, tensing the calf muscle will cause the knee to turn outward, which will, in turn, lead to loss of contact between the thigh and the saddle. The same principle applies to the lower leg, gripping condtradicts the classical seat, and therefore the legs must lie closely yet relaxed around the horse. The foot is to 'rest' in the stirrup without any conscious effort. Be careful of pushing down with your heel to keep the stirrup, as this has a tendency to shift the lower leg into the chair seat position (leg forward). The weight of your leg is sufficient to keep the heel lower than the toes, thus, the stirrup can be regarded as a foot rest.
The Leg Aids
The aids provided by the lower leg can be summarized in the words of Sylvia Loch in her book, The Classical Seat:
"As well as activating, the lower leg also supports, directs, limits,
controls, encourages, allows, and makes possible every
variation of turn and of foreward, lateral, backward, and,
in haute ecole, even upward work of the horse
in all gaits."
An aid should be viewed as a helping hint, instead of a command. Leg aids should be in the form of a caress. Kicking, nudging, and squeezing for prolonged periods will make a horse less and less responsive, eventually growing numb to your aids. A horse can feel a fly on his belly. Violent aids are not only uncomfortable for the horse, but are tiring for the rider, confusing for the horse, visually disturbing for the onlooker, and limit the variation of aids provided by the lower leg.
The leg, applied just behing the girth, asks for impulsion. In the shoulder-in, the inside leg applied in this manner allows the horse to bend around the leg and maintain impulsion. In the half-pass, it serves the same purpose. When stationary, a slight pressure from the thighs can move the horse into walk. To trot, a gentle caress with the lower leg should be all that is necessary. For a proper transition into canter, the inside leg activates the forward motion.
Applied approximately three inches behing the girth, the leg asks for sideways movement. A single caress, however, merely supports the hindquarters from swining outwards. For instance, for the half-pass, the inside leg is applied on the girth, and the outside leg behind the girth asks the horse to step laterally. In association with shifting the weight to the inside seat bone, the horse will bend around the inside leg, step away from the outside leg, and move his center of gravity under your new center of gravity (the inside seat bone).
It is said that the pressure applied behind the horse's elbow (just before the girth) frees the elbow and encourages the horse to swing his forelegs forwards actively to extend the pace, provided that impulsion is already achieved. The aid should given with the toe, and the leg must return to its original position once the horse responds.
The Leg aids should always be applied with empathy and understanding. Remember that you should relieve the pressure as soon as the horse responds as this serves as a reward for his stimulus.
How To Use The Hands
Our seat and legs create the energy, our hands fine tune that energy. The hands carry out a polite conversation with the horse through the reins, and should never force or pressure the horse into obedience. The reins should therefore be considered a tuning aid rather than a steering wheel.
Many riders pratically ride with their hands. The weaker the seat, the stronger the hands. A deep, confident seat banishes the need of strong hands. We often hear instructors speaking of maintaining contact. But little do they speak of how to maintain contact. Contact may simply be defined as avoiding slack in the reins. With an advanced schoolmaster, the mere weight of the reins would be sufficient to maintain contact.
'Hard' hands transfers a heavy horse on the forehand into a very heavy horse on the forehand. Hard hands are hands that do not yield. Locking your wrists and elbows into one position disturbs the natural balance of the horse. You can force the horse into a nice outline with hard hands, but the horse will never be going forward with impulsion and elasticity. Only a few horses can be harassed onto the bit; most horses will rebel. The rebellion can be in the form of neck flexion, hollowing the back, and tossing the head high in the air, or it can be in the form of leaning and pulling on the rider's hands. This transforms a harmonious ride into a battle, with the horse most likely to win.
We often see horses with the habit of leaning and pulling on the rider's hands, no matter who the rider is. This habit was developed when the horse has learnt from one rider that the hands cannot be trusted. But there is hope.. even this habit can be cured through sensitive and empathetic reschooling.
So how is it possible to achieve a good outline without abusing the horse's mouth? Just as you allowed flexibility in your pelvis and seat, now allow flexibility in the elbows, wrists, and fingers. Keep the contact light, not necessarily through the weight of the reins alone, but keep the weight in your hands to a minimum. 'Talk' to your horse through the reins, let your fingers allow the horse to mouth the bit. Think of the bit as a lollipop in the horse's mouth - he needs to move his jaw and his tongue in order to taste it. If the bit is pulling against his tongue and lower jaw, the lollipop will turn into an instrument of torture.
"Never pull on the reins and you will always
have pleasant, manageable, horses that
are easy to ride." ~~
François Baucher, French horseman.
Mouthing the bit will allow the horse to salivate, making him lighter and softer in the hand. By 'talking' to your horse through the bit, finger the reins lightly. A simple, almost invisible, give and take with the fingers acts as though you were conducting a conversation of whispers with your horse. Be careful not to overdo it, otherwise the conversation may distract the horse from the main task. This sponging action on the reins can be done while hacking, walking, or taking a breather. It helps the horse to relax his jaw without anticipating the next movement.
When a horse pulls or leans on the rider's hands, the best action would be to ride more positively with the seat and legs. Bring your back a couple of degrees behind the perpendicular to strengthen to seat, and drive the horse forwards with your legs. Keep the hands light, even allow the horse to take the reins, but never pull back. Soon the horse will learn that he has nothing to fear of the bit in his mouth, and that he cannot let the rider carry his weight, rather he should carry his own weight.
The Right Position
Ideally, the upper arms and elbows should remain in the vertical line of gravity, comfortably resting by your sides. Carrying your upper arms and elbows infront of the vertical upsets the flow of gravity through the checkpoints. Imagine walking with your upper arms and elbows infront of you, as if you were pushing a supermarket trolley. Would you feel balanced? How about holding this position while jogging? The weight of your arms will drive you forwards. It is almost impossible to carry your arms in this manner on the horse without exerting a certain amount of pressure on the horse's mouth. While you're sitting down now, hold your arms infront of you as though you were pushing a supermarket trolley. How long can you maintain this position? Not too long without some kind of support, right? In the saddle, the reins act as a support for the arms.
It is more natural to carry your upper arms by your sides, after all, the classical riding is all about natural balance. Do not grip with your elbows because this will not allow freedom of the horse's jaw. Be sensitive in your fingers, and give with your elbows.
Many books stress the importance of maintaing a straight line from the elbows to the horse's mouth. This is very much true. Lowering the forearms too much makes it difficult to ease on the reins. A straight line from the elbows to the horse's mouth increases sensitivity both in your fingers and in the horse's mouth. Do not drop your wrists, or rotate your fists to face the ground. Keep your wrists aligned with your forearm and your thumbs at the top. The reason for this is that this position gives the greatest amount of 'feel' to both the horse and yourself. The slightest movement from your fingers will be felt by the horse, and vice versa. Aids will become more refined, and the ride will feel and look truly harmonious.
Do not clench your fingers into a fist. Instead, relax your fingers and keep them open. This way, a simple closing of the hand (combined with seat and leg aids) will be enough to perform a downward transition. The next section will deal with combining the back, seat, legs, and hands, to achieve different results with your horse.
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