tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32857490.post8648387133972338514..comments2023-06-29T04:10:16.321-07:00Comments on The Lady of Portland House: Riding Lessons…Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860487428631923601noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32857490.post-69637396630455606692011-02-13T07:22:23.382-08:002011-02-13T07:22:23.382-08:00Thanks Steph! Great advice :DThanks Steph! Great advice :DLaurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16860487428631923601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32857490.post-6374851240124336612011-02-12T13:35:19.041-08:002011-02-12T13:35:19.041-08:00Once you figure out how to balance your seat, you&...Once you figure out how to balance your seat, you'll be fine. Movement of the hips is also crucial. The trick is to sort of balance yourself and to focus the core of your weight deep into your seat, curling your spine inwards a bit at the pelvis. Sticking your butt out is not proper--although I see a lot of Americans who ride English doing it.<br /><br />Let your legs hang like weights keeping your line centered, and move your hips with the movement of the horse. <br /><br />There is a little strap you can get to attach to the rings on each side of the pommel so you can hold onto something if you really wanted to, but you're best served learning your balance and confidence by doing some bareback work. Western saddles are kind of complacent, it holds you in and doesn't demand any skill of the rider to stay on. You're doing harder work, building up your thigh-strength by posting and sitting at the trot.<br /><br />The trick to posting is not lifting your body up and down with your thighs, it is basically doing pelvic thrusts (I know, funny) while your body remains erect and vertical. <br /><br />/lecture (it's been a long time since I taught, but I really enjoy it)Hungarican Chickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13868314128333948366noreply@blogger.com