365 Days in Horse Country – Working on Your Equitation
Equitation, quite simply put, is ho you sit on a
horse. Part of it is about looking good,
but the other part is about having balance and security on the horse.
The type of equitation you should strive for depends on the type of riding you are doing. If you are competing in jumping events, you want equitation with forward seat. If you are riding Western, you want to sit farther back and deeper in the saddle. Dressage riders ride with longer stirrups than do hunter and jumper riders, which changes their position in the saddle.
When you ride today, spend some time focusing on your equitation. Study the way you should be riding for your discipline. If you take lessons, or have taken them in the past, think about what your instructor told you about lining up your body in the saddle.
Consider your seat and pelvic bones and whether they are making contact with the saddle. Think about where your leg is positioned. It should de directly under you. No matter what your discipline, these basic truths apply.
A good book to study for English equitation is “Centered Riding” by Sally Swift. Here you will learn all about how to properly sit in the saddle, whatever English discipline you choose, so that you are well balanced. This will give you a more balanced and independent seat, and it will also make carrying you easier for your horse. If you ride Western or saddleseat, you may find some of Swift’s advice helpful, too.
Michael