Correct Body Position For Western Riding

A functional body position can help you stay functional in the saddle all day long.

Functional body positioning can make all the difference when you spend an extended amount of time in the saddle.

From working cattle to spending hours in the saddle, your body can take a toll if you aren’t sitting correctly.

This means that there should be a visible line from your shoulder to heel, with arms hanging naturally bent toward the horse’s mouth.

As you ride, your legs should hang down from your hips — in a position that would allow you to stand “on your own two feet” if your horse wasn’t there to hold you.

Your seat must rest in the saddle in a relaxed manner, and you should feel both seat bones in the saddle. When the horse moves at the walk, trot or canter, your pelvis follows the movements smoothly while your upper body stays quiet, upright and balanced.

Watch AQHA Professional Horseman Brent Tincher point out the different aspects of a balanced body here.