What Does Your Horse Feel When You Ride?

Have you ever noticed how your horse responds when you relax, take a breath or make a small adjustment to the way you're sitting?

Next time you ride, take a few moments to notice how your horse is feeling. How are they responding to you?

Start with how you are sitting. Can you feel equal weight through both seatbones? Are you breathing comfortably? What happens when you relax a little?

What do you notice about your horse?

Developing a Balanced Seat

Our horses carry us every time we ride, and learning to be balanced, supple and easy to carry is an important part of developing as riders.

Think about how your body moves with your horse. Are you able to follow their movement with a relaxed and independent seat?

A balanced rider is able to absorb the horse's movement, remaining supple in the saddle while maintaining their own balance. This allows the rider to be light, responsive and effective in the way they use their seat and aids.

Developing this balance also helps us become more aware of how our horse is moving and responding, giving us valuable information through our seat.

Being Present with Your Horse

Horses live in the present moment and experience the world differently from us. Their evolution as prey animals has given them a remarkable ability to read their surroundings, recognise changes in behaviour and respond to what they perceive around them.

Horses value companionship, form strong social bonds and appreciate consistency and clarity in their relationships with people.

Think about the energy and emotions you bring to your riding. Your horse is sensitive to your posture, tension, behaviour and the way you communicate, often responding to things you may barely have noticed in yourself.

Taking time to prepare your mind to ride helps you become present and attentive to your horse. Focus on the time you're sharing, listen to their responses and consider what you're asking of them.

Clear, consistent aids and fair expectations help our horses understand us and develop trust in our partnership.

Developing Feel and Timing

When you're preparing to ride the next movement, think about it as a question you're asking your horse.

Have they heard this question before? Do they know the answer you're looking for? Have you given them time to organise their body and respond?

Did you give them every opportunity to be able to answer your question?

Think about the corners you ride, the shapes you choose and the balance your horse needs for the next movement. Your preparation and timing help your horse understand what you're asking and give them the confidence to respond.

My horse Jack loved performing simple changes. In the early days, I learnt that he liked to get on with things and keep moving. When his mind was busy, he would much rather offer a flying change than come back to walk!

Jack was also a showman, and our freestyle routine gave us a lovely opportunity to develop our understanding of one another. He learnt to recognise the musical cue for walk, while I learnt to recognise the feel of a thought aid. Gradually, we developed the same connection in our regular dressage tests. Our marks improved, we both smiled through that part of the test, and the work before and afterwards improved too.

Think about the aids you use when you ride. How subtle are they? Could you ask a little more quietly?

Can you remember a time when your horse seemed to read your thoughts? What were you feeling, and were you able to find that connection again?

Learning With and Without Stirrups

Riding without stirrups offers one way to develop our feel and awareness. In a safe environment, with appropriate support, it's an opportunity to learn how to adapt and respond to our horses, how to relax and develop our seat, balance and self-carriage.

A progressive series of lunge lessons, with or without stirrups, helps riders concentrate on their balance, posture and breathing while a coach guides their development. Mechanical horse sessions are another helpful way to practise these skills.

Our horses feel the effects of tension and imbalance. Our posture begins with our seat, and our horse feels how we sit and move in the saddle. Listening to their responses helps us develop our skills with consideration for their comfort.

Developing a balanced, supple and effective dynamic posture gives us the foundation for balance and communication. We learn to appreciate how it feels to ride in a harmonious partnership based on mutual respect, understanding and balance, enjoying the pleasure of continuing to learn from and respond to our horses.

Not Just No Stirrups November

This November, join us for a fresh perspective on the popular No Stirrups November challenge with Not Just No Stirrups November.

Whether you choose to ride with or without stirrups, our bingo card will guide you towards developing a better seat and enjoying the experience with your horse.

Get your free bingo card here and be part of the fun!