The Swing from Horseback The Three Steps of the Polo Swing from Motion This chapter covers the transferring of the swing technique you have learned standing on the ground to sitting on horseback. In principle, the swing movement is performed analogously to the exercises you have learned with the walking stick. When hitting, the player changes from the half-seat into the hitting position. The swing from the horseback has to be phased according to the horse’s movements, momentum, beat and rhythm. So you must especially take into consideration the timing of the swing according to the different paces. From Half-Seat to Hitting Position To recap: In order to reduce thrust on the horse’s back and obtain a better balance himself, the player rises up from the saddle and bends slightly forward to harmonize his center of gravity with that of the horse. It is important to have your buttocks in a stable position over the saddle and have your upper body float almost parallel to the horse’s neck. At this time, your back should be straight. The role of the legs is a stabilizing one here; together with the horseman’s weight, they guide and control the horse. The position of your lower legs is of crucial relevance in the polo seat and especially in the hitting position. This is the reason why you should watch the position of your lower legs before rising up to the half-seat and hitting position. They should be bent somewhat backwards behind the girth, with the knees bent at the flap. In a polo player’s terminology this would be known as “bend the knee”. From this position bend slightly forward, lift your weight off the saddle and rise up a bit. If you keep your legs straight, you will not find any balance in your saddle. In the hitting position the horseman’s knees are bent; lower and upper legs represent an angle of almost 90 degrees.
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