5 Horseback Riding Exercises
for a Better Seat

As riders, we know that communication is key! This is why having a strong sense of support in the saddle is so important. Our seat, leg, and upper body position are all pivotal in our ability to communicate with our horses in order to set them up for success during every ride, whether in training or at a competition. Sponsored Rider Bec Braitling is a CCI5* event rider and ICP Level 4 instructor; if you've had the privilege of riding with her, then you know how much she emphasizes having a strong, balanced position at all levels of the sport. Below, Bec will share with us five of her favorite exercises you can use to improve your riding position and seat on the flat or over fences.

How this Helps Your Seat & Position:

It's important to start your ride out right! This exercise targets your core and thigh muscles right from the get-go, and encourages you to stretch and strengthen your hip flexors.

Do's & Don'ts:

• DO stay square in your shoulders and hips.
• DO focus on stretching your hip flexors as you slowly bring your legs down and around the horse's side.
• DON'T let your seat lower too abruptly into the saddle.

How this Helps Your Seat & Position:

This exercise is great for working on your balance and relaxation in the saddle, and for identifying your strengths and weaknesses.

Do's & Don'ts:

• DO make sure the horse's balance, shape, and relaxation doesn't change.
• DO remind yourself to stay relaxed.
• DO focus on quality over quantity.
• DON'T let one leg contract more than the other.
• DON'T let your body lean to one side.

How this Helps Your Seat & Position:

This exercise allows you to focus on your position while making sure the horse's balance and relaxation doesn't change as you alternate between your jumping position and full seat position.

Do's & Don'ts:

• DO keep your feet beneath you, and your ankles in line with your hips.
• DO use your core and lower leg, so that you don't lower yourself into the saddle too quickly.
• DO focus on quality over quantity.
• DON'T let your upper body get ahead of the horse.
• DON'T let your lower leg slip too far forward or back.

Setup:

Use cavalettis, small jumps, or ground rails each set 30 feet out from a center point in your arena. Feel free to change the distance from the center and number or type of cavalettis to work with your arena and what you have available.

How this Helps Your Seat & Position:

The circle of truth allows you to improve your consistency over fences and hone in on how your position influences the horse, while at the same time allowing you to focus on the balance of the canter between the cavaletti.

Do's & Don'ts:

• DO tailor the height and number of cavalettis to your needs.
• DO use your outside aids, your leg, and your seat to turn.
• DO keep your goals reasonable when you try this with one rein.
• DON'T overuse the inside rein to turn.
• DON'T over school this exercise.

Setup:

Set three crossrail jumps on the curve of what would be a 20-meter circle. Each of the fences should be around 18-20' apart, but this distance may vary based on the size of the horse.

How this Helps Your Seat & Position:

This exercise highlights the effectiveness of your seat, leg, and upper body in maintaining your horse's balance and straightness through a turn.

Do's & Don'ts:

• DO focus on keeping your helmet still.
• DO feel like you can touch your shoulder blades behind your back.
• DON'T overuse the inside rein.
• DON'T let your upper body get ahead of the horse.
• DON'T over school this exercise.

Whether we're riding in the dressage court, across the cross-country course, or in the show jumping ring, a strong base of support will help us provide our horses with the balance they need. From the beginning of your ride and throughout, these exercises are easy to practice at home to encourage riders to become more relaxed and in tune with their horse—keeping balanced both on the flat and over fences. Ultimately, having a sound foundation in our seat, leg, and upper body position will help us communicate more effectively with our horses to set them up for success. We'd like to give a huge thanks to Bec Braitling for sharing her knowledge and giving us some tools on how to improve our riding! If you have any questions for us, please feel free to reach out to our helpful customer service staff at 1-800-620-9145 or info@ridingwarehouse.com. Happy riding!