Developing your seat?

LEC

LEC

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Is riding without stirrups the best way to do this?
Has anyone tried the Tina Sederholm DVD?

I just feel that mine needs working on in order to sit deeper and to develop a better feel. I have finally managed to get my horse more respectful and better balanced and so now I am not being hauled all over the place I can now really work on me over the winter and the first place I want to start is my seat.

Is it something I can work on by myself or is eyes on the ground the best way?
 
I have been going for lunge lessons with a Dressage rider on one of her Schoolmasters and my riding and seat has completely changed.

I am so much more balanced and flexible. (After only 3 sessions) I feel a lot more connected. That in turn has given me tonnes more confidence.

I now realise I have been blocking my horse/s a lot and the hardest thing for me to do during my lunge lessons is to do nothing. I am very excited about how much difference there will be by next spring.

I have Tina S's book and I would love to see her DVD.
 
I think that yoga, pilates, and Gavin is the best way to develop the seat! Not sure that riding without stirrups is all its cut out to be TBH.
 
In my experience you need to train your horse to your seat and in doing this, you're developing your seat.
A good exercise is collected trot sitting on a circle with transitions to walk on every count of 4 and then back to trot on another count of 4. Every downwards transition should be made with your seat exerting a small downwards pressure and a closing leg. The up transitions come from a slightly more active seat. His head position is totally ignored through this.
 
LOL you and I are like riding twins! I am doing this too and am reading a very old copy of enlightened equitation which I picked up for a couple of quid in a charity shop. If you can see past the 'my way is the only way which is biomechanically correct' then it has some useful stuff in it. I will bring it to the pub and swap you for WFP autobiography! I will let you know next week if what she says works as pony starts trotting on Sunday.

(Interestingly but irrelevantly this is different biomechanic explanations/practice to what Mary Wanless teaches, and she says her way is the one true path too - they can't both be right!).
 
Gavin is an osteopath/healer- he does Carl Hester/Rodney Powell etc. Cant explain it but he just re-aligns your body so that when you get on the horse afterwards- you just feel totally straight, balanced yet strong in your core. It is magic because the horse just instantly feels stronger, softer and more balanced underneath you. Have had sessions with him for about 7 years now- honestly before I first saw him I was SO crooked- my lower legs would not even touch the horses sides- and there was nothing I could do to force them there! I bounced out of the saddle like a ball and I could hardly walk or run properly. I suppose you could say that I 'grew out' of these problems but I'm so sure that Gavin has helped me with it. I always walk out after his treatment feeling totally straight and like Im a top gymnast or something. He does mainly horses, but doesnt see any point in correcting the horses unless he corrects the rider as well.Has done so much good for Owen too!
 
riding without stirrups on the lunge is definately the way to go, and then ride without stirrups on your own (dont need anyone on the ground for this) and just try and sink into the saddle (at each of walk, trot & canter), relax without slumping and feel your weight drop into your feet, then work on keeping the correct foot position.

This is great for developing your natural balance, and helps you to feel how your seat affects the going of the horse, as slight shifts of the seat can have dramatic effects.
A lot of problems with horse not going straight or being responsive (or too forward) start with the seat

good luck...!!
 
riding without stirrups is not the best way. it makes most people tense up and grip, especially in trot, which is the very last thing you want.
once you are sure your back is absolutely straight and fine (mctimoney chiro imho), and your stirrups are exactly the right length, it is just practise practise practise, i think. and have a very good patient instructor, ideally!
 
I think Bossanova is spot on. Transitions are definately the best way to develop your seat in my opinion. If you do these sort of exercises, you will FEEL the difference - but you may be in agony for the first few weeks and you have to be very patient!
 
My seat has improved since I hurt my leg as I have forced into more sitting work as rising trot has not been possible. So I do think the more sitting work and relaxing into the saddle will help.
 
sorry to disagree with you Kerilli... Of course at the start people are, or feel unbalanced and tend to lift and grip, but you have to work through that and learn to relax . Riding with stirrups allows you to apply upward pressure which detracts from deepening the seat. However each instructor will have their opinions, so you pay your money and take your choice.
IMHO very few people can develop their riding with a straight back and stirrups at exactly the right length, and those that do win international championships. So for the majority riding without stirrups is the proven way.
Sorry again to disagree, we just have different opinions
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okay, fair enough. i've just seen too much of people trying desperately to improve with no stirrups, bouncing hard on the horse's back and holding on in front, i think! on a schoolmaster, on the lunge, i'm sure it's the best thing.
 
I am forever exploring this for teaching. What I read and then noticed is that the main problem seems to be in hip ligaments being tight in most riders. Due to this the legs go apart in a V shape around the horse rather than an inverted U shape.
Pilates and any good stretching will work the hip ligaments and help to open the hips. In turn the legs will just drop around the horse instead of cramp against it.
Once the hips can open the no-stirrups and transitions work is great but from what I see it is best done on the lunge (due to gripping mentioned above).

I personally like to 'renew' my legs often by taking them away, turning my thighs inwards slightly and then back softly. When you do this 50-70 times you really feel like your body elongates and the seat deepens.

Then there is a process of training your core so your upper body is strong, erect and holds you there while the lower body follows the movement of the horse. Easy. If only!
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It is very interesting you say this because my hips are very tight due to so much sport. I have a really strong upper body with a lot of core strength due to playing rugby but this advantage is that I have very tight hips and a lot of muscle in my legs. I do feel I ride in a V and not in a U. Unfortunately Pilates is not really possible due to time constraints and I just about have enough time to go to the gym 5 times a week. But I work really hard on stretching just probably the right muscles for running and not riding!!
 
Yes, sounds like your are working your main muscles while in riding you need the strength of 'internal' muscles. In fact, your main muscles are probably doing the job happily and the core has a time off
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Saying that, I am sure your sports training gives you a lot of strength in your upper body.
I also have problem with thigh muscles as run a lot as a teenager - it takes a lot of will not to over use the strong parts!
I must pop now but will PM you later with exercises you can do on the go
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[ QUOTE ]
Gavin is an osteopath/healer

[/ QUOTE ]

And there I was thinking Gavin was her boyfriend, as that's still one of the best ways to improve your seat
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AGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!
Noooooooooooo please dont say things like that PMSL !!
 
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