| If we choose to listen, our horses are actually | | | | noticeable movement of your body. This is the |
| great communicators. A horse will provide you | | | | key to acquiring balance. It should come quite |
| with an excellent opportunity to feel simply by | | | | naturally and be undetectable to an observer. This |
| resting one of his hooves. At first, the rider will | | | | exercise may be practiced through halt, walk and |
| feel off balance and wonder why. Upon further | | | | trot as the rider becomes more comfortable with |
| examination, the rider will notice the resting hoof | | | | his seat. |
| and understand why he is now tilting to the left or | | | | Posting trot also provides us with the opportunity |
| right in the saddle. Perhaps this simple movement | | | | to work on feel. When we post on the correct |
| is our first chance to actually feel our horse. This | | | | diagonal, we should feel in unison with our horse. |
| exercise will happen quite naturally and we only | | | | The opposite may be said when we are posting |
| need to be aware. | | | | on the incorrect diagonal. We should practice |
| A comparison can be made between riding a | | | | posting trot without looking down to check which |
| horse and riding a bicycle. When you first learn to | | | | diagonal we are posting. It will come by feel given |
| ride a bicycle, you are forced to learn balance or | | | | enough time and practice. |
| you will fall. A similar statement may be made | | | | As the rider progresses, the same may be said |
| about riding a horse. If I take away your saddle | | | | of cantering on. Only through feel and balance |
| and your horse makes a sudden turn, you will fall | | | | should we realize if we are on the correct lead. If |
| if you do not have proper balance. Practice sitting | | | | the rider still has to look down to determine what |
| on your bike and notice what happens if you lean | | | | lead the horse is on, it should be said that the |
| to the left or right. Concentrate on staying | | | | rider has not yet developed proper balance. |
| centered on your bike and, by necessity, you will | | | | Canter must be practiced and proper leads must |
| develop balance. | | | | be felt. If we were to skip these basic steps, the |
| An excellent exercise we can practice on our | | | | rider would never learn to ride with a balanced |
| horse is maintaining balance through transitions. | | | | seat. |
| Ask your horse to walk on and then ask him to | | | | This ends Part 2 in my series of "Horseback |
| halt. Notice what happens to your body when the | | | | Riding - The Art of Acquiring Balance". |
| horse stops. If you are rigid in your seat, you will | | | | Part 3 of my series will be devoted to more |
| be thrown off balance and forward. If, however, | | | | advanced exercises we can practice on |
| you relax your seat and move with your horse, | | | | horseback to further challenge our ability to feel |
| you will stay centered and there will be no | | | | and maintain balance. |