Proper Body Position in the Saddle

At the Performance Pony Company, we love working with the youth and beginners! There are some commonalities with beginners we see in how they ride and communicate with their horses and ponies that aren't always favorable. Many times as we're learning how to keep our balance, we use the pony's mouth to keep ourselves from falling backwards in the saddle when the pony gains speed. While this can make the rider feel more balanced, it can cause miscommunications and frustrations for both the pony and rider. This RodeoKids.com video explains the proper positioning while riding, stopping and turning.

NOTE: While the right bit and saddle are extremely important aspects of horsemanship, proper body position is the most important.