How important is posture to a good riding position? Very! As a matter of fact, you could say it’s crucial. Good posture helps promote a relaxed upper body which leads to an independent seat and legs. And the better your posture is, the better your horse goes!

Body posture is all about balance, breathing, and an awareness of how you are holding your body. Too many riders spend way too little time on posture. So how does one get good posture? Well, it’s definitely something you have to think about. Aside from that, being in good physical condition helps your posture. If you are weak, injured, or have poor upper body strength, you can bet that your posture is going to be negatively impacted as a result.

Riders who want specific rider-related posture improvement techniques would do well to check out any of the Centered Riding books or videos. In addition, hitting a normal gym and taking a class in yoga, pilates, or tai chi will go far in improving your balance and posture.

The first thing to realize when thinking about your balance is that all things are connected. This means that concentrating on your upper body won’t do you much good unless you have a good, strong seat and legs. Once you’ve managed to achieve a strong yet relaxed position with your seat and legs, you’ll be able to concentrate on getting your hands and upper body to where you want them to be.

Working on the longe line is a great way to improve your posture while riding. This will allow your lower body to follow the horse while your upper body works out. Ask someone to longe you on a horse who is experienced and safe on the longe line. While you are being longed, do exercises like neck and shoulder rolls, torso twists, and arm circles, all the while making sure you are sitting up straight and tall.

But even if you don’t have a longe horse there’s lots you can do to improve your posture. How about just being aware, every time you get on your horse, of sitting up, stretching your legs down and your upper body upward, and looking up? It sounds pretty easy and it is. But it pays off!

If you’ve been slouching it’s a good bet that your abdominals are going to need some strengthening. Doing pelvic tilts and crunches every other morning for 10 or 15 minutes will make a huge difference to your riding. Don’t forget your arms and shoulders. Lat pull-downs, arm raises, extensions, and curls are also key to good upper body strength.

So what about your hands? Well, if you are balanced, strong, and have good posture, your hands won’t be low or pull. Remember when I said that everything was connected? Well, just like your seat and legs need to be good in order to have a good upper body, a properly positioned upper body will do wonders for your hands. And what’s the end result when you are correct, balanced, and relaxed? Not only will you perform better, but your horse will too!