Keep Your Hands Forward in the “Work Area” When Riding Your Horse

When riding your horse, it’s important to keep your hands forward in what I call the “work area”.

The work area is just in front of the saddle above the horse’s withers. Put your hands in that position and draw an imaginary box around them. That box is your work area.

No matter what rein aids you’re giving, keep your hands in the work area. If you bring your hands closer to your body, you steal power from the hind legs. If you put your outside hand forward, for example, you lose control of the outside shoulder.

Many riders tend to draw their hands toward their bodies and behind their horse’s withers.

So here’s a simple tip to remind you to keep your hands FORWARD in the work area. Imagine there’s a basketball in front of your stomach. Keep your hands in front of the basketball. You can’t draw your hands closer to your body because the basketball is in the way!

Click here for more tips on position images to improve your equitation on your horse.

How to Find Your Seatbones When Riding Your Horse

Are you unsure of how to put weight onto individual seat bones while riding your horse?

Try this exercise.

Sit up straight in a chair. Keep your shoulders and hips square while you alternately put more weight on your right seatbone and then your left one. You’ll feel each seatbone press down (heavier, deeper) into the chair. Once you can alternately press each seatbone down into the cushion of the chair without leaning left or right, try that same feeling on your horse.

Click on Program Your Position for more tips on correcting your riding position.