Your horse is your mirror—many of the training challenges you face, from tension to crookedness to difficulty with transitions, often stem from your rider position. If your position is not correct, your horse will struggle to perform at their best. In this video, I’m breaking down five of the most common rider position faults and, most importantly, how to fix them.
1. Gripping with Your Legs in the Canter
One of the biggest mistakes I see, especially in the canter, is riders gripping with their legs and bringing their heels up. When you grip, it tightens your seat, making it harder to sit deeply and follow the motion. When you grip you actually end up bouncing more! Instead, focus on keeping your legs long and your heels down to stay connected in the saddle.
2. Bracing in Your Arms
If your arms are stiff and locked, it disrupts the connection with your horse. A braced arm prevents you from following the movement naturally, causing your horse to resist or lose rhythm. Instead, keep your elbows supple and allow them to follow the motion of the gait to maintain a steady, soft contact.
3. Looking Down
It’s easy to get into the habit of watching your horse’s head, but looking down strains your neck and throws off your balance. Keep your eyes up and ahead to maintain a neutral spine and allow your seat to follow the motion correctly.
4. Sitting Crooked
Many riders unknowingly collapse to one side. The most common thing I see is riders sitting off to the left and collapsing through their right side. This affects your horse’s straightness and ability to bend correctly. Awareness is key—film yourself riding, check your alignment in mirrors, and work on strengthening both sides of your body equally.
5. Not Training Out of the Saddle
Rider position issues don’t just improve in the saddle—they need to be corrected off the horse as well. Incorporating a targeted fitness routine with core, flexibility, and balance exercises can significantly improve your position and help eliminate bad habits faster.
If any of these faults sound familiar, the first step is awareness. Once you know what to work on, you can actively correct it in and out of the saddle. I also highly recommend finding off-horse exercises that mimic your riding position to help build strength and balance.
For a deeper dive into rider position, be sure to RSVP for my Free Rider Position Training. In this free training, I’ll be walking you through how to create better alignment, balance, and connection with your horse.
Happy Riding!
Amelia
P.S. Don’t forget to RSVP for my free LIVE training on Rider Position! I’ve been working for WEEKS on this epic presentation and I don’t want you to miss out!
