Awareness of the outside world. “I haven’t been to Louisville since 2013, and I find that lots of things have changed. Horses that were WC in 3 Gaited classes are now showing in Walk Trot equitation. Horses that were showing in Fine Harness are now Country Pleasure.” The American Saddlebred: 8/25/17 World’s Championship Horse Show at Louisville Kentucky. I can only assume that this has continued &/or accelerated. The horses at Academy Nationals got fancier each year. I’m equally sure it happens in all breeds & disciplines.
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More on my riding, riding theory, and why saddle seat hasn’t been working for me. You have been warned. [Afterthoughts II, Saddle Seat]
No ASB lesson last week. Barn at show. I was all prepared – over 100 words in note form – to whine at you about this. Instead I was struck by a sentence I wrote for yesterday’s post.
“I compensate with seat & leg.” [Goldy Sparkles]
Perhaps that is why I have so much difficulty understanding saddle seat. It is upside down for me.
My Leg. Lots of leg. Strong educated legs, wrapped around the horse. Able to be light or heavy as needed. When not in use, they stay calmly and quietly on the horse’s side.
My Seat. Sitting in center of saddle. Using weight to influence the horse to bend, to go forward, to listen. I’m not always good with my balance, but I’m aware of it and able to work with it.
My Upper Body. I slump. I round my shoulders. While a strong upright upper body is ideal, you can get away without it, particularly if one is thundering around at the lower levels and over small jumps. Horse does not need to rock back on their haunches to jump a cross rail, or really anything under 3 feet.
Hands. What hands?
I’m not saying these are desirable habits. A good rider would use all the aids in balance. I’m saying this is what I do. This what comes instinctively to me.
Shall we look behind door #2?
Saddle Seat Hands – I’m starting to wonder if hands are the primary aid in saddle seat. I don’t mean harsh or strong or badly used. Just that most of the communication with the horse comes via the rider’s hands. That would be consistent with the amount of driving in the saddle seat world. Most horses have done it a bit. Many riders trying it a least once. In driving, hands are the only one of these four body parts in use. I remember early on trying to shift the cart over with my weight. But I digress.
Saddle Seat Upper Body. All about longitudinal balance. You sit up and back to allow and invite the horse to lift the front end. Since this has no effect on a school horse, it has seemed arbitrary rather than necessary to me, subconsciously.
Saddle Seat Seat. First off, you sit back on the cantle in a chair seat, rather than in the center in a fork position. This is “wrong” to me. I can’t use my balance the way I am used to. It may also be less necessary? There is no lateral work in saddle seat. None that I have found. If you are using both edges to skate in a straight line, no big if you have a bit more weight on one edge. Equal weight in both edges or on both sides of the saddle would be best, but not too much of a problem if it’s not.
I wonder if one feels more over the center of the horse when the horse is doing fancy things. Much like the hands are in a straight line when then horse is up. [Center of Gravity, High Hands]
Saddle Seat Leg. “Do not ride from the lower leg. Use it and remove it. (Noooooooo.)” [Dissecting My Position]
Again, a good rider uses all of the aids as needed, It’s question of proportion. How much of each? Which comes first? When?
I wonder if this is why I have a hard time crossing over. What comes to me instinctively is not useful, and what is useful is not instinctive. That would explain why sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and I never really understand why.
I haven’t mentioned voice. Saddle seat and all disciplines of driving use voice. Got no problems there. If I ever find myself in the dressage ring again – where voice aids are not allowed – I may have to put a Band-aid over my mouth. I read that some quiet voice aids are starting to be allowed in dressage. Still wouldn’t help. I would be too loud.
Anyway.
Will knowing this make a difference? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Onwards!
Katherine
