Western Dressage

Balance

by Kelley Bitter

Ihad the privilege of going to the Western Dressage Association of America’s clinic in Denver last month. As always, everyone was wonderful. We had very informative conversations about maneuvers, rules, new tests, and training. There was a common theme that kept appearing in each conversation that I found to be very interesting. No matter what maneuver or test was discussed, there was always emphasis on the rider’s need to be balanced in the saddle. It got me thinking that a balanced seat is really the foundation of riding western dressage. I think sometimes we get so focused on a circle or moving in a straight line that we forget about having a balanced seat.

What is a balanced seat and why is it so important? Let’s start with the requirements for a rider. As a rider you must be able to control your own body on the horse, know which aids to apply when, and be a good communicator. You are not a passive passenger, but neither are you a dictator of the ride. Having a balanced seat allows you to work in harmony with your horse which is a big part of what western dressage is all about. Our goal is a horse that is elastic within the gaits and grounded. We can imagine the western dressage horse working on a ranch with cattle out on the range or reining in a competition. The agility and lightness of the horse is the focus of western dressage training.

In western dressage we talk a lot about rhythm and tempo of the gaits in each maneuver. This is done by you, the rider. But to influence the gaits, the tempo and rhythm you must be able to move with the horse and develop a balanced seat. Some call this an independent seat. Here’s how it works. You have two seat bones. Your seat bones need to be centered over the backbone of the horse. Your lower back should swing with the horse’s movements as your seat stays in the saddle with no bouncing. You do this by being able to move your lower body and seat bones with the horse. Stand up with both feet planted on the floor and your body vertical, swing your pelvis back and forth. You don’t have to do big movements just little swings. You can do this because your feet are planted right. In the saddle you can’t brace your feet in the stirrups so close your knees and thighs on the horse. Now move your pelvis and seat bones back and forth. Now you can stay in the saddle and move your lower body with the horse.

As your lower body swings, your upper body should stay still and quiet. This is the often referred to as the separation of the rider’s body or an independent seat. Here is the tricky part, you need to learn to relax your hip joints so that your legs can slide back on the barrel of the horse. Sounds easy right. Try it. It takes practice. It is through your seat and legs that you effectively communicate with your horse. Here is an important tip—your lower body and upper legs influence the hindquarter of your horse. That is where tempo, transitions and connection come from.

Now let’s check your upper body. You should be able to draw a line from your shoulder down to the ground. This line would pass through your head, shoulder, hip, and heel. Your shoulders and arms are relaxed and quiet so that your hands are still. Your upper body is straight and quiet. Elbows are bent at the waist, with a relaxed arm and flat shoulder blade. Wrists are straight, the hand is closed but relaxed with the thumb as the highest point of the hand. Your

As a rider you must be able to control your own body on the horse...

back needs to be supple. Half of your body, the upper part is yours and the lower half is sitting relaxed and balanced moving with the horse. This is easier to sit on a horse who is rounded and able to lift the back. If you are uncomfortable, your horse may be hollow. Also, if you feel the horse pushing you to one side, you will need to apply the aids to get the backbone back between your seat bones. So, your seat is balanced by you sitting correctly and by keeping the horse’s back in alignment and rounded.

To check and see if you are in the correct position ask yourself this question. If your horse evaporated from underneath of you, would you land on your feet? If the answer is yes, you are seated correctly. If you feel you would land on your nose, you are too far forward. If you feel you would land on your bottom, you are too far back. If you feel your horse is not relaxed, allow the horse to reach out with the neck. This allows for a rounder, relaxed back.

Here is a little exercise to check your seat bones and alignment. (I would like to take credit for this great exercise, but I can’t. It is from one of my favorite authors, Sally Swift, and her book Centered Riding)

Walk your horse in a straight line. Ask yourself how far is the horse moving my seat bones? There is no right answer here because horses have different strides. Now whatever number you got maybe, it was 2 inches, cut that in half using your abdominal muscles and thigh muscles. Some horses will stop, others may ignore you but keep moving forward. When your horse slows down release your thighs, use your seat to keep moving your horse forward. Do not use your reins to slow him down. Lightly touch with your lower leg again. Once your horse gets it, you should be able to activate the hind legs. You have correctly used your seat to transition between active walk and a slow walk. Good job. Let’s look at that again. As you walk your horse forward in an active walk, close the thighs and slow your seat movement back and forth to slow the horse’s back legs. Once the horse slows, thighs off, keep the slow seat, then S