First, I am NOT a natural rider. 

I have heard about or read about natural riders since I started riding in Chile some 54 years ago.  I was told by my parents that they had been told that there were these people who could just get up on a horse and ride perfectly from the very first time.  Perfect seat, perfect hands, perfect timing, perfect from the very start.  My father was…

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The Forward Seat position for jumping adds several features to insure rider stability during the horse's vigorous movements while jumping. All the features of this seat work together, and if one is wrong then the whole position is weakened and the rider can interfere with the horse. While there are a few very talented riders who do not have to have a proper position over jumps, the normal rider will be much more secure and will interfere with the horse's efforts less when riding in the proper… Continue

This description of the Forward Seat for Slow Equitation is from Vladimir S. Littauer's "The Forward Seat" (1935) p.34-36, with additional comments from "Common Sense Horsemanship" (1951, 1974) by the same author p. 61.



I have gotten questions about the Forward Seat position. This is probably the best description of the American System of Forward Riding. In the next two weeks I will write about the position for fast equitation and the jumping position.



This is the "seated"… Continue