Improve Your Stability in the Saddle by Riding "On Your Thigh"

When my horse walks, if I don't tighten my thighs, I wobble side to side in the saddle. Tightening my thighs seems to stabilize that loose wobbly horse flesh sliding side to side.

OK I disagree because when you ride with your thighs are in your knees and you ride with your your legs back it throws you forward and you lose balance I’ve tried this over and over again and every single time I don’t have my leg slightly forward with no pressure in the stirrup then I fly forward but yes if I put pressure in the store if I tents up that also throws my balance off to

The best advice I'v ever heard regarding the seat! Kneeling in the saddle, brilliant!. I tried it immediately, and it is a game changer! Thank you.

NICE!!!

Best. Tip. Ever!❤️

It's also better for the horse's back. As I was searching information on bareback riding I found on scientific experiment which was done with a pad with sensors in it. The riders who were applying less pressure directly on the horses spine were bearing that weight with their thighs which offers a greater surface to distribute said weight (which is technically what a saddle does, but Noel just demonstrated that this idea still applies with a saddle on because she slowed down when the weight was shifted off the thighs)

I just got a new saddle and I’m falling on to the palm of the saddle I this a video that will help?

I really enjoyed this video! The instructor and horse is lovley too!

Very nice... thanks

Exactly what I am looking for. Great tip. Gonna try this. Thank you. God bless you.

Hi thank you for this video. How is the weight distribution different than in a western saddle? I just started English riding and I am seeing the toes in heels down I was taught isn't the correct alignment for English riding, is that correct?

You probably just changed my life thanks

I just found your videos and I love them. Definitely going to use the tips to try and improve my own riding. Any recommendations on helping a rider who will not stretch their leg down? When riding she brings the leg up and in turn brings her heal up. Her knee also starts coming out from the saddle and her foot usually ends up too deep. Too me it looks like she need to stretch down through the leg and try and keep from letting her knee from creeping up. We have also tried bareback riding and riding on a lung line. I also put her in my old dressage saddle to make it easier for her to find a more up-right position.

Very good video, great advice!

Thank you

I have trouble doing the jumping Position I have no idea how to do it at my local riding school I fell of the horse I think it’s my position and the horse spend

I love how you don't pontificate endlessly, just identify problem, demonstrate it, and provide the fix. Great job!

So helpful

Great video. Thank you

This video took me from bracing, tensing, and double bouncing due to bad leg placement to immediately being able to ride a posting trot comfortably. It changed EVERYTHING to just put weight on the inside of my thigh, put my feet back slightly, and to point my knees forward. I am so grateful this video exists!

i think this is what my trainer is trying to tell me but she is definitely not explaining it well

Informative video. Thanks for sharing tips

Thank you for these wonderful tips

Hi my problem is that my lower leg wobbles all the time is a way l could attend this?

Question please: if one kneels in the saddle, doesnt that imply a little bit of internal rotation of your thigh to allow the inner aspect of thigh to make good contact with saddle? Won't that result in gripping and squeezing on saddle...because from another of your videos you mentioned not to grip the saddle because it causes bounce. Thanks very much!!

very helpful thank you

Thank you so much. I have rheumatoid arthritis and a 15.3 hand quarter horse. Every time I ride, my knees are sore for a day or two after. I tend to shove my heels down when I ride, so I’m going to try this technique and see if it helps me with my knees.

I just tried English for the first time ever today and this is really good info bc I was kinda ridding like I was in my western saddle

Great explanation

I had some time off of riding and since I've been back in the saddle, I developed a habit of pumping with my legs when I posted. It's so frustrating bc I've tried so hard to stop doing it. Doesn't help much that my horse can be lazy. Tonight for the first time I tried this method and thought about distributing the weight on my thighs... OMG... it worked! I instantly was able to control my lower leg better and post quietly. Thank you so much!!!!!

Another great explanation! My instructors tell me these things, but just in a different way. It may be that I’m home, relaxed and not in the saddle trying to take it all in at once, but your explanations on all your subjects just connect quicker, like the lightbulb moment. Hey, can you explain Quantum physics? I bet I’d understand it if you explained it! Thanks for all you do and looking forward.

i started riding last year at the tender age of 69. on my second trainer who is taking me back to all the foundations of a good seat. this is a strong point that she focuses on time and time again. and what a difference this has made!

yes...very helpful video
I'm the one got lower leg position problem when riding...
Im putting my leg too front

Thank you so much for this!

I ride western, and I tried this. It works, sort of.. But because everything is more forward. “ more like sitting in a chair” it all seems off kilter… I can picture the improvement in my head being completely underneath the horse.. I have tried shortening my stirrups by a lot so my leg is in a 45* position but it still shifts everything forward a bit. Any ideas?

70 yo.
Taking my 3rd lesson tomorrow. I’m gonna try this👍

I like the thought of kneeling, I think that will help me with my trot (which I am struggling with!)

Loving your channel. I’m reassessing my seat with a new teacher and your channel is really helpful. You’re a nice rider too 😊

Thank you so much, I really needed this but wasn't sure how to ask the question. My horse does spook and I've been thrown off hoping this will help I just wasn't sure where to grip. He was spook by a herd of Donkeys charging at us from behind so he's not a bad boy just small and doesn't want to get eaten by the lion lol. He did stop and wait for me at the top of the hill.

I am learning to ride on PasoFino horses. Years ago I did some English riding and we always posted during a trot. In my recent lessons, perhaps because of the unique gait of a PasoFino, no one has mentioned posting at all. I have comfortably transitioned from a trot to a canner but did not post at all. This equestrienne center competes world wide so I have to assume the trainers know what they are doing. One actually trained a PasoFino for a Shania Twain video. So I'm confused. This video makes so much sense though...

Thank you that’s so helpful especially as I’m struggling riding the posting trot on a new school horse that’s got a completely different feel to the one I was originally riding and I was struggling with leg movement and placement

This has given me so much to think about! I’m slowly learning the trot and I kept feeling like I wasn’t going anywhere and that I was bouncing around in the trot. -Cynthia

thank you. the word kneeling down helps a lot, on how to apply the inner thigh method..

5am and im trying to understand how the fuck to grip with my thighs and not get wobbly legs for a whole day

Thank you for this. I started playing polo recently and nearly had a really bad fall last time.

Thanks, your advise has made the best since for me. Like knelling on saddle. I never feel centered.

In jumping you do ride on your thights. The first couple of times you do this, boy your legs hurt. You turn the thighs inward.
Thats how we were trained.

I am trying to improve my balance by standing in the saddle while trotting or cantering but when I try and push/kick horse on I lose balance and fall back to the seat
How can I improve this? should I grip with knee?

This is one of the best pieces of advice to improve our riding. As opposed to the attention that usually focuses on the stirrup, using our inner thighs to absorb the horse's motion is truly an eyeopener. Thank you so much Callie for this great tip. So grateful for your video!