How do I sit up more in the saddle?

Question

I recently switched riding barns, and have been told that the whole 4 years at my other barn has resulted in me riding way too far forward. I really need to start sititing up more, especially since I do hunter shows. Help!

Answer 1

find a straight back chair... your computer chair will probably work... and sit up straight and tall and put your back against the back of the chair.  don't let your shoulders go forward... push them against the back of the chair.

It's remarkable how often I find myself sitting straight up with my back against the back of the chair...  that's how I take notes in class... I have my back against the back of the chair, my shoulders back, and my hands out in front of me on the computer...  all because I ride horses ;o)

When you're riding, especially when you're walking and have time to think about it, every couple of minutes remind yourself to push yourself back against the chair...  try thinking about pushing yourself too far back because after so many years of riding forward, it's gonna feel really far back to you, but it really won't be.  Try to make your stomach stick out... don't do it by pushing your lower back forward, but by pulling your shoulders back...  try sticking your stomach out as if you're trying to display it to the world.

Really all you can do is keep reminding yourself.  If you can't remember to remind yourself, see if there's someone who will watch you ride and will remind you constantly.  If not, you could hang yourself a sign in every corner so that you're bound to see it constantly and remember to sit back.  It'll just take some time to get your body back where it should be.  Good luck.

Answer 2

Every trainer teaches differently. You can be taught "forward" or in various other styles. Forward is not literraly sitting really far forward but just an example of a style. Anyways just note how your horse responds to your signals in various sitting positions. You will notice that when getting too quick you have the most strength and a better and more immediate response from your horse when sitting up straight with your shoulders back. Also, watch tendencies to lean forward while around turns ALWAYS sit UP MORE around sharp turns because it allows your horse a smoother transaction and keeps you in a safer more comfortable position instead of slowly after several sharp turns craning farther and farther down. So instead of just trying sohard for it to be a reflex like all of your other riding abilities have come to be, just think about why you're siting up. For a while it WILL feel like you have so much to think about and its effecting your performance. You have to work through that for it to become reflexive, just think back to when you were trying to think about keeping your heels down , legs tight, hands still and all of those things that come easily to you now.

Answer 3

Are you sitting forward right now looking at the computer?

Just practice not being on the horse but sitting up straight. Maybe practice on a stool or something while you watch TV or read or something. Then when you go back in the saddle, every five minutes reposition yourself sitting up straight again, then try not to think about it. After about a month you'll be sitting up straight again.

Answer 4

What you should do is make your back straighter and less bending over like your the hunch back of notre dame.