So you say go. But immediately follow it up with whoa. And all because you’re blocking with your seat. It’s like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on! And you continue to blame the car for not going forward…

For many riders, the even more frustrating part of it is that it can be hard to notice. If you are blocking with your seat, you probably don’t even realize you’re doing it.  I have 2 exercises for you to ride that will help you feel if you are indeed blocking with your seat or not…

But before you begin riding, I first want to make sure we are on the same page with regards to your seat...

Understanding Your Seat

There are basically 3 basic ways your seat can be used to influence your horse. Go, whoa, and neutral. Driving, resisting, and allowing. It is the ‘allowing’ part that so many riders struggle with. Go or driving is when you use your seat to ask for forward or more. Resistance is how you ask your horse to steady, slow down or stop using your seat

Allowing is the equivalent of telling your horse to 'carry on’. It means that the energy can move underneath you, through your horse's body, on its path from the backend to the frontend.

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Additional Resources:-

• Learn to Stop Driving with Your Seat
• Connection in Your Riding; Seat and Legs
• Your Independent Seat is a Result of Your Independent Aids
• Online coaching and audio horse riding lessons for equestrians
• Groundwork for Riding
• Online community for equestrians working on their mindset & fitness
• Online Community for equestrians focusing on re-schooling horses (and ex-racehorses)