To ride well and to deal with all situations, one must not only be in good shape, but must also place each part of the body in the correct position.
The rider, however, must never force his muscles into the right position. Although there are basic attitudes that cannot be circumvented, perfection does not exist. Each rider has a personal way of riding.
He must search for the position that suits his body and what he wishes to achieve. This is essential for achieving relaxation.
Ideally, one should have a position that stops one having to compensate defects with actions.
For some riders, it takes time to adapt to a new position. Everyone should constantly verify his or her position point by point, either looking in a mirror, or using the ‘inner video’. Equally, one should not hesitate to ask for help from someone else.
One should also think about one’s saddle. The saddle is also important since it acts as a sort of “cartilage” between you and your horse. The saddle must respond to effective criteria such as being comfortable, allowing the leg to move freely and the pelvis to be naturally positioned.
After trying out many saddles, I chose a model without knee rolls and one that keeps the pelvis close to the centre of the horse (close to the stirrup-bar). The seat’s padding must support the pelvis to avoid it slipping backwards. Try to avoid saddles that are too flat and tend to move the rider’s seat backwards, resulting in the horse suffering from back pains. In summary, choose a saddle that places you directly in the correct position.
