Equitation

Equitation has a purpose. It is not to make you look pretty on a horse. It is to put you in an effective, balanced position so you can make the most of your aids. Often riders find themselves frustrated because their horse is not responding properly, usually it can be traced back to the aids not being given properly. When reaching a training block often just concentrating on your equitation not your aids, and trying the exercise again will prove more useful then dwelling on what your doing wrong.

For example: if you are practicing your transitions from the trot to the walk and your horse is resisting, raising his head and tightening his jowl, it is instinctive to try is again, asking with lower hands, fidgeting more, and in the end stiffening your back, legs, arms and neck in turn stiffening the horse and creating the same result if not worse than the last time. Now if the rider were to try again and instead concentrate on her equitation: sinking down in her heels, pushing her pelvis forward and relaxing through her lower back; sitting tall while looking ahead better results would occur. Why??? because the rider instead of focusing on the horse's resistance, has focused on her position and making herself the most effective. Her soft back does not resist against the horse, her heels deep lengthen her leg against the horse pushing him into the transition, and her looking ahead keeps her thinking forward and not completely blocking him in the mouth. The result will be the horse no longer stiffening against the rider, in his back, neck and jowl. It may take a few tries with this new approach for the horse to give and relax because the horse is used to the stiff, demanding rider who makes him uncomfortable and causes his resistance.

Equitation no matter what should be natural, not a forced stiff "look" that is aimed for winning a class. Also not all riders have the long, lean perfect for riding bodies but that does not mean they can not have just as good if not better equitation then the 'ideal" riders.

The overall picture of proper equitation is balance. The rider should appear and be in balance at all times. Looking from the side in the full seat (used in sitting trot, walk, canter) an imaginary line can be drawn from the ear, through the shoulder, the hip, to the heel. Viewed from the front the rider should be balanced, not tipped to either side, a line drawn through her nose should go straight down the middle of the chest, the middle of the saddle to the middle of the horse.

The Rider in balance The riders head should be straight, looking ahead (in the direction you are going so if around a corner, ahead to where you are riding too), should be still, and not looking at the ground (those who look there end up there!!).

The shoulders should be straight, even and parallel with the horse's shoulders. . No shoulder should be tilted or dropped down. The shoulder blades should be not touching but close with the chest out, this holds the riders back straight and tall. The shoulders should not be forced back as this will only create a stiff non effective position. In the full seat the shoulders should be straight, in line with the hips as this puts the riders center of gravity over the feet which puts the rider in balance. In the posting trot, two point, or following seat they should be inclined slightly to stay with the horse's motion and to keep the riders balance over the feet. The riders center of gravity is just below the rib cage. While galloping or jumping the shoulders incline closing the hip angle so that the center remains over the feet and keeps with the motion of the horse

Keeping the center of gravity over the feet at the gallop.

The riders hips should be straight, parallel with the horse's hips. For example when asking for the canter the inside hip should be slightly forward just like the horse's inside hip, thus freeing up the horse to get the correct lead. As with the shoulders the rider should keep them soft yet straight.

The hips and shoulders of the horse and rider on the circle.
Note how the rider's stay parallel with the horse's The seat has three different positions. The full seat, also known as the three point seat has the crotch bone, and the two seat bones in contact with the saddle. This puts the rider in a driving position to keep the hind end momentum up. The pelvis should be soft and tilted forward to place the rider in a soft, impact absorbing position. The Two Point position no parts of the seat are in contact with the saddle. This position is often used while galloping between fences in cross country, over the fence, or two practice on your balance. It is sometimes also called the balance position. The following seat has just the crotch bone in light contact with the saddle. This in conjunction with shorter stirrups keeps the rider in balance with the horse at the hand gallop, between fences but still keeps the rider close enough to the saddle to drop back and become more influential through the seat.
The leg should be lightly rested against the horse. The calf should be in contact with the horse at all times. This allows for soft and subtle aids through the leg. The knee should be bent slightly for flat work, more with shorter stirrups for jumping however the heel should always remain in line with the hips. The thigh should rest lightly against the saddle. The knee should be laying against the saddle but Not squeezing (pinching) the saddle. For riders who tend to do this they must concentrate on keeping the knee off the saddle so that their calf can be in contact with the horse not the knee creating a much more effective and secure leg.

An ideal leg position. The lower leg could be placed a few inches
further behind. Note the weight in the heel but it is not forced down. The foot should be not parallel against the horse but no more then 45 degrees away from the horse. The weight should be in the heel of the foot. This does not mean forced down as that prevents the ankle from absorbing shock from the horse's movement, jumping etc. The stirrup should be placed across the ball of the foot to allow for even placement and balance against it. The ankle should be tipped in slightly to allow the heel to sink deeper.

The arms should be placed ahead of the rider with a slight bend in the elbow. If the bend is too great in the elbow the rider will lose efficiency as she can not move and absorb movement from the horse's frame through the arm.

The hands should be placed infront of the rider, three inches apart. The hands should be infront of the withers in such a place that if the rider where to go into two point they would not have to move forward to keep the balance. Riding with the hands too close to the body loses the riders balance and makes the rider much less effective. the hands should be just at the mane or slightly below beside the crest not pressing against it but able to if support is needed (jumping etc.). The hands should be tilted in slightly with the thumbs on top, so that if the rider were to hold straws in her fists they would cross but at the top. This puts the hand at the ideal position for the crest release. The wrist should be straight, not bent in, out or down. The hand should be closed, fingertips touching the palm, the rein going between the pinkie and ring finger, up through the fist and across the top, with the thumb holding it at the top. The thumb should have a slight bend in it so that the thumb tip pressed lightly against the rein making a secure contact.

Exercises which work on Equitation:
ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!! while doing any riding concentrating on your equitation is a must as it makes you the most effective!!!!!!