Many riders lean behind the vertical (especially in trot extensions!) because they think they’re driving their horses more forward.

The problem with leaning back, however, is that you’ll end up pushing your horse’s back down.

So if you tend to lean back, here’s a quick tip to give you some muscle memory for keeping your upper body straight.

While you’re standing on the ground, lean back and ask a friend to put the palm of her hand between your shoulder blades. Ask her to gently push your upper body forward until your shoulders are above your hips. Repeat this several times. Close your eyes as you’re being pushed forward so you can really memorize the feeling of bringing your upper body over your hips.

Then when you’re riding your horse, pretend your friend is gently pushing your upper body forward so you can sit up straight.

Technorati Tags: good balance, lean behind the vertical, ride your horse, rider position, sit upright, trot estensions

So here’s a great image to help you keep your pelvis in a “neutral” position in your quest for good balance.

Imagine your pelvis is a big bucket filled with water. When your pelvis is in a neutral position, you can keep all the water in the bucket.

If you ride with an arched, tense back, the top of your pelvis tips forward, and the water spills out the front of the bucket.

If you ride with a rounded lower back, the top of your pelvis tips back and the water spills out the back of the bucket.

So, help your horse find his balance by riding with a neutral pelvis and keeping all the water in the bucket!

Technorati Tags: dressage rider, Dressage tips, Equitation, Jane Savoie, neutral pelvis, Program Your Position, rider balance, Ruth Poulsen

When riding your dressage horse, it’s important to keep your hands forward in what I call the “work area”.

The work area is just in front of the saddle above the horse’s withers. Put your hands in that position and draw an imaginary box around them. That box is your work area.

No matter what rein aids you’re giving, keep your hands in the work area. If you bring your hands closer to your body, you steal power from the hind legs. If you put your outside hand forward, for example, you lose control of the outside shoulder.

Most dressage riders tend to draw their hands toward their bodies and behind their horse’s withers. So here’s a simple tip to remind you to keep your hands FORWARD in the work area. Imagine there’s a basketball in front of your stomach. Keep your hands in front of the basketball. You can’t draw your hands closer to your body because the basketball is in the way!

Technorati Tags: Dressage Position, Equitation, Horseback Rider's seat and hands, Program Your Position

 Ask a ground person to stand behind your horse. 
1. Is your seat in the center of the dressage saddle so that each seatbone is the same distance from the middle of the saddle?
2. Is the distance between your last rib and your belt equal on both sides?
3. Are your shoulders level (i.e. the same height)?
 
If your seat isn’t in the middle of the saddle, you’re collapsed at your waist, and your shoulders aren’t level, you’re not balanced correctly.
 
Here are 3 simple tips to help your position to be straight and centered on your dressage horse:
 
Let’s say you’ve collapsed your left side, your left shoulder is lower, and your seat is off to the right.
 
1. Bring your right seat bone over and place it on top of an imaginary line that runs down the center of the saddle from the pommel to the cantle.
 
2. Stretch your left arm straight up so it passes by your ear and your fingers are pointed straight toward the sky.

3.  Now to keep your position straight, centered, and stretching tall on your dressage horse, pretend you have two sticks of equal length between your last rib and your waistband. If you collapse again, you’ll get jabbed in the ribs by the stick on the left side. And the stick on the right side will end up on the ground.

Technorati Tags: collapsing waist, dressage horse, Dressage Position, Program Your Position, Sit Straight