Post by Calaminty Jane on Jul 21, 2009 11:59:29 GMT -5
The Importance of Seat, Legs and Hands in the Gaited Horse
by Gary Lane
WindsweptStables.com
Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009
All good horsemen and horsewomen will agree that "SEAT-LEGS-HANDS" coordinate together in a smooth action, to assist the horse in achieving his foundation gait. Have you ever wondered why this saying starts with the seat first? The seat is the control center that starts all requests, and fine-tunes the balance of the horse to the hindquarters. As riders, it is our responsibility to ride the horse from the hindquarters forward. The seat, when used properly, will hold the horse together, and assist the horse in developing a consistent gait for a smooth and gliding ride.
When I think of the gaited seat, I think of a total seat that involves your two seat bones, pubic bone, and the thighs that supports a soft feel. In the old days growing up on a farm, I saw people using three-point (legs) stools to milk cows, as opposed to four-point stools. Why? Because the three-point stools were stronger, and supported weight better. Keeping your two seat bones, and pubic bone deep on the saddle also forms a three-point base triangle offering the same stable support.
Taking a step further, it can make all the difference in the world with safety when you ride your trail horse. You do not have to be an Olympic rider competing for a gold medal to get the benefits of a stable seat. Remember, a good seat is a lasting impression on your horse's back. Your horse knows if you care about his back and, by the way, that's where his gait is located. Lets take a closer look at the SEAT, and how it affects you and your horse.
Lets start by looking at a rider's profile. Seeing a plumb line in your mind's eye, you want to see the ear, shoulder, hip, elbows and ankle in a near vertical line. How do we achieve this? Start by getting your two seat bones deep into the saddle. Sit in the saddle like you see a jockey sitting on his horse. This position puts your two seat bones deep in the saddle. When taking a break on your horse's back, this is a great position to rest your horse's back. Now you want to drop your legs onto the horse's side and let them fall around the horse's sides like you would lay a lead rope across his back. Now here is the key. Line up your pubic bone, belly button and sternum in a straight line to your shoulder or collarbone. You actually rotate your pubic bone up and forward to come in line with your stomach and chest. When these line up, it will form a tee when intersecting with your shoulders. You now should be sitting on your seat bones not your pants pockets. You will also feel your pubic bone touching the saddle. Fill in the rest of the seat with your thighs, letting your heels go slightly downward. In this new seat just take a deep breath into your stomach. This will release your back for great trail rides. This position may feel awkward but give yourself time to develop this concept.
Remember, when you ride with your legs stuck out in front of you, like you're sitting in a recliner chair you are behind the motion of the horse. When in this position, the seat bones are driving into the horse's back and this will result in a high-headed horse with a hollow back doing a tail-bobbing lick. The hindquarters are disconnected, and the horse is cut in two. In this mutated seat position, the rider is usually leaning backwards and the pubic bone is off the saddle. This seat position can also produce a stepping pace or hard pacing action.
When you sit on your pubic bone and lean forward off your seat bones it creates a perched position. You are now putting your horse on the forehand. The horse never truly comes through from the hindquarters. He becomes very heavy in hand. This heaviness requires you to support your horse constantly. This mutated seat will develop a fifth leg to support your horses movement and your hands are holding up your horse's head. Your hands become very busy and overactive hands add even more problems for the trail horse.
All of this talk about seat, legs and hands may seem to be overkill for the weekend trail riders. You may ask yourself, "is it worth learning to ride from the rear forward?" The answer is, absolutely, yes. When you line up your pubic bone, belly button, sternum and collarbone to form a tee with your shoulders, you are freeing up the top line of your horse. You are now letting the power come across the back from the hindquarters to the horse's mouth into your hands. Your legs are underneath you with a soft feel on the horse's sides. All of this action serves to recycle forward energy and add balance to the horse's motion no matter how tough or extreme the trail footing. Using a good balance seat and riding slowly, you can develop a great gearbox into the flat walk no matter what breed of gaited horse you ride.
If you need help with these concepts feel free to contact me at windsweptstables.net or email.
by Gary Lane
WindsweptStables.com
Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009
All good horsemen and horsewomen will agree that "SEAT-LEGS-HANDS" coordinate together in a smooth action, to assist the horse in achieving his foundation gait. Have you ever wondered why this saying starts with the seat first? The seat is the control center that starts all requests, and fine-tunes the balance of the horse to the hindquarters. As riders, it is our responsibility to ride the horse from the hindquarters forward. The seat, when used properly, will hold the horse together, and assist the horse in developing a consistent gait for a smooth and gliding ride.
When I think of the gaited seat, I think of a total seat that involves your two seat bones, pubic bone, and the thighs that supports a soft feel. In the old days growing up on a farm, I saw people using three-point (legs) stools to milk cows, as opposed to four-point stools. Why? Because the three-point stools were stronger, and supported weight better. Keeping your two seat bones, and pubic bone deep on the saddle also forms a three-point base triangle offering the same stable support.
Taking a step further, it can make all the difference in the world with safety when you ride your trail horse. You do not have to be an Olympic rider competing for a gold medal to get the benefits of a stable seat. Remember, a good seat is a lasting impression on your horse's back. Your horse knows if you care about his back and, by the way, that's where his gait is located. Lets take a closer look at the SEAT, and how it affects you and your horse.
Lets start by looking at a rider's profile. Seeing a plumb line in your mind's eye, you want to see the ear, shoulder, hip, elbows and ankle in a near vertical line. How do we achieve this? Start by getting your two seat bones deep into the saddle. Sit in the saddle like you see a jockey sitting on his horse. This position puts your two seat bones deep in the saddle. When taking a break on your horse's back, this is a great position to rest your horse's back. Now you want to drop your legs onto the horse's side and let them fall around the horse's sides like you would lay a lead rope across his back. Now here is the key. Line up your pubic bone, belly button and sternum in a straight line to your shoulder or collarbone. You actually rotate your pubic bone up and forward to come in line with your stomach and chest. When these line up, it will form a tee when intersecting with your shoulders. You now should be sitting on your seat bones not your pants pockets. You will also feel your pubic bone touching the saddle. Fill in the rest of the seat with your thighs, letting your heels go slightly downward. In this new seat just take a deep breath into your stomach. This will release your back for great trail rides. This position may feel awkward but give yourself time to develop this concept.
Remember, when you ride with your legs stuck out in front of you, like you're sitting in a recliner chair you are behind the motion of the horse. When in this position, the seat bones are driving into the horse's back and this will result in a high-headed horse with a hollow back doing a tail-bobbing lick. The hindquarters are disconnected, and the horse is cut in two. In this mutated seat position, the rider is usually leaning backwards and the pubic bone is off the saddle. This seat position can also produce a stepping pace or hard pacing action.
When you sit on your pubic bone and lean forward off your seat bones it creates a perched position. You are now putting your horse on the forehand. The horse never truly comes through from the hindquarters. He becomes very heavy in hand. This heaviness requires you to support your horse constantly. This mutated seat will develop a fifth leg to support your horses movement and your hands are holding up your horse's head. Your hands become very busy and overactive hands add even more problems for the trail horse.
All of this talk about seat, legs and hands may seem to be overkill for the weekend trail riders. You may ask yourself, "is it worth learning to ride from the rear forward?" The answer is, absolutely, yes. When you line up your pubic bone, belly button, sternum and collarbone to form a tee with your shoulders, you are freeing up the top line of your horse. You are now letting the power come across the back from the hindquarters to the horse's mouth into your hands. Your legs are underneath you with a soft feel on the horse's sides. All of this action serves to recycle forward energy and add balance to the horse's motion no matter how tough or extreme the trail footing. Using a good balance seat and riding slowly, you can develop a great gearbox into the flat walk no matter what breed of gaited horse you ride.
If you need help with these concepts feel free to contact me at windsweptstables.net or email.