Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] Riding styles - Richard Sacks

With regard to riding styles, the most efficient place to be on a horse for the horse to carry a rider at any speed, is right on the drive line. This is the pivot point for the horse. 60% of the horses weight is in front of the drive line and 40% behind (due to the weight of the head). This was proven by Monte Foreman in the 1950's with slow motion film. Sliding stops in reining and dressage positions are deceiving. A horse can not get their legs underneath them if you are sitting way back. In fact, the best position for riding downhill is not sitting back but to be perpendicular to the ground directly over the drive line. This allows your horse to get his hind legs under him for control. Boz, who worked with Monte Foreman, can provide you with pictures and data to prove this. I know both Linda and Pat very well and can assure you that they would not recommend riding in this position. I am sure that Linda had her student exaggerate the position to cause the horse to slow down. This would be caused by the horse not being able to use their hind legs to propel them forward. The picture shown demonstrates incredibly poor horsemanship and riding skill.

 


Richard Sacks
rsacks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.equipedic.com