Why Stiffness Wrecks Your Ride — 4 Exercises to Loosen Up
Trying to force yourself to "sit still" almost always backfires. When you freeze your muscles and hold your breath to avoid bouncing, you actually create more impact and disconnect from the horse’s rhythm. True sitting and posting require fluidity, not rigidity—the only time stillness truly belongs in the saddle is at the halt.
Quick takeaways
- One of your most effective tools for shedding stiffness is simply your breath. Controlled exhales signal your nervous system to release tension, which lets your aids become lighter and more precise. Holding your breath starves your extremities of oxygen, making your legs and hands heavy and unresponsive.
- Pick up a working trot and rest your hands lightly on either side of your horse’s withers or just a few inches up his neck. You may need to bring your shoulders slightly forward to reach comfortably without leaning. Keep a straight line from elbow to finger through the back of your wrist, avoiding any twisting or cocking of the hands.
- Thread a soft piece of laundry line through one ring of your horse’s bit, run it under his chin, and back through the other ring. Bring the ends around his neck and knot them into a continuous loop, then tie your actual reins in a loose knot and lay them on his neck. Walk and trot around the arena using only the line reins.
4 steps to improving your rising trot
A supporting video reference for the topic covered in this guide.
Also useful if you are comparing clips around: Stiffness can ruin your horseback riding experience
- Channel: Scott Purdum
The Breath Reset: Relaxing Into the Ride
One of your most effective tools for shedding stiffness is simply your breath. Controlled exhales signal your nervous system to release tension, which lets your aids become lighter and more precise. Holding your breath starves your extremities of oxygen, making your legs and hands heavy and unresponsive.
Good horse photography almost always gets easier when the plan gets simpler.
Hands-On-Withers Posting Drill
Pick up a working trot and rest your hands lightly on either side of your horse’s withers or just a few inches up his neck. You may need to bring your shoulders slightly forward to reach comfortably without leaning. Keep a straight line from elbow to finger through the back of your wrist, avoiding any twisting or cocking of the hands.
Laundry-Line Reins for Independent Hands
Thread a soft piece of laundry line through one ring of your horse’s bit, run it under his chin, and back through the other ring. Bring the ends around his neck and knot them into a continuous loop, then tie your actual reins in a loose knot and lay them on his neck. Walk and trot around the arena using only the line reins.
The Position Progression Over Fences
Once your flatwork feels lighter, apply it on course. Start in a light two-point—balancing mostly on your legs while dropping a touch of weight onto your pubic bone and the front of your seat bones, keeping your crotch clear of the pommel and your hip angle closed. As you approach the fence, open your hips slightly into a light three-point, bringing your shoulders back just enough to stay behind the motion without falling off the pace.
Where Small Adjustments Pay Off on Course
Before the last few strides, settle into a full three-point with your shoulders aligned over your hips and heels, letting your weight sit squarely on your seat bones. Use the full three-point only when necessary, such as driving a hesitant horse forward over a vertical or creating leverage if he tries to run off.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop bouncing when I try to sit deeper in the saddle?
Stop fighting the motion and start breathing through it. Tension creates impact, so take a slow inhale before you sit, drop your shoulders, and let your hips hinge rather than clamp down. If your sitting trot isn’t ready yet, tie your reins in a loose knot on the neck and hold the cantle for support while you focus on exhaling with each diagonal pair.
What should I do if I catch myself gripping with my legs over fences?
Change your hand position first. Resting your hands on your horse’s withers or using the laundry-line reins removes the crutch of holding on, forcing your legs to stay long and relaxed. Pair that with a steady rhythm of breaths at each fence approach so your core doesn’t brace involuntarily.
How often should I practice these drills before they change my jumping?
Build one or two of these exercises into every flatwork session for at least four weeks. Add a course-walk breathing plan—pick four spots around the arena or on the jump track where you consciously exhale and reset your posture. Consistency matters more than duration; ten focused minutes daily beats an hour of tense schooling.
