Position, Posture, & Steady Hands with Catherine Shelley

This article is from the August 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

The importance of learning to maintain a correct riding position; good posture, as well as keeping a steady hand whilst riding your pony, is essential. It is very important that at the very beginning of your riding career, you are taught the correct riding position. This includes maintaining good balance together with the correct position of your arms and hands as well as how to hold the reins properly.

If your hands are not steady, moving around and thus causing discomfort to your pony’s mouth, you will never get your pony to go forward in a happy, relaxed and balanced frame; with, of course, having complete trust, with you on his back.

When you first start to learn to ride, it is a good idea to put a neck strap around your pony’s neck and if you feel unbalanced hold onto the neck strap with one hand. Do not use the reins to balance yourself, nor use the reins to hang on. Always remember that the reins are attached to a metal bit that is inserted in your pony’s mouth and rests over his tongue. To maintain a steady hand one must have a certain amount of balance and your riding position plays a very big part in helping you to keep your balance; therefore aiding in a steady hand.

Rider’s position and posture
Try spreading your weight evenly over each side over your saddle and sit deep. To get this deep feeling of sitting in the saddle - a little exercise is to tighten your bum muscles then release them, its the release feeling that gives you the deep seat feel. From a side view, at a halt, the ideal riding position is to have your ear, shoulder, hip and heal in a straight vertical line and your knees and toes are also in a straight vertical line, with your heel a little lower than your toe. Also, carry your head straight and look forwards between your pony’s ears. Remember to relax your neck and breathe.

Arms and Hands
Hold your elbows lightly at the hip, think about letting a little bit of air under your armpits, then from your point of elbow, think about a straight line going down along your arm through to your hand to your pony’s bit.

Holding the reins
The rein goes in through your little and third fingers, then up and across your palm and out over towards his ears. Your reins are held between your thumb and the middle bone of your index finger, with your thumbs facing upwards. Try and keep your hands level and about 10cm apart. Make sure that your reins are not twisted and are of equal length. Your arms should be relaxed allowing your hands to move independently of your body and are able to give and take at all times; whilst maintaining a light even contact with your pony. You will never achieve anything from your pony if you use force.

Learn to guide your pony with a quiet and elastic hand; this will allow your pony to take a light and steady contact with the bit. This takes a lot of practice, but well worth it in the end. There is nothing better to watch than a horse and rider moving in complete harmony.

The best way to learn balance, good posture and steady hands without causing pain and distress in and around your pony’s mouth, not to mention his back, is to invest in having lunge lessons on a pony or horse that has had the training to work on the lunge with a competent coach on the other end. The coach will have control of the horse or pony while the rider concentrates on improving his or her balance, seat, and hands.

Always remember, if you are having difficulties trying to master a particular movement, transition or gait, go back to the basics; even accomplished riders go back to the basics to work on any difficulties they may be experiencing.

Until next month keep practicing and happy horsing around!

Written by Catherine Shelley
NCAS EA SSTA/ CE Level 2 General Coach, NCAS Level 1 RDA Coach, Dip. of TB racing - Melton Equestrian accredited with EA Ready, Set, Trot program.

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