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As I recall my Dynamics class as an engineering
student, I think about things like center of gravity,
inertia, and acceleration. People like to think in terms of "being one with the 
horse," but with the laws of physics a rider is just a projectile like a person 
in a car without a seat belt. When I think in Newtonian
physics, I consider “acceleration” as any change in
inertia, whether it’s going faster, slower, up, down, or
turning.    If one is going at a constant straight speed on
a smooth horse, there really isn’t a whole lot of
“work” required of the rider to account for motion of
the horse.  The rider can afford to have his/her center of
gravity behind that of his/her horse.  When one looks at
eventing or show jumping positions, the rider’s center of
gravity is ahead of the horse’s.  This is kind of an
inertia bank that the rider makes to account for any change
in the inertia of the horse.   Same goes for a lot of the
western sports like barrel racing, roping, and pole bending.
Look at how the riders set their own center.  They are just
preparing themselves for some form of acceleration that
will come in form of a turn, a start, or a skid.

When I see photos of this lady form KSA I just think
to myself how much she must really trust that horse.  If
that horse changed his inertia in the form of a turn or a
sudden shy I don’t think she’d be in that saddle for
very long.  Also, I don’t think this seat would work very
well in wooded areas or uneven ground that would require the
rider to shift weight (i.e., center of gravity).  In the
chair seat the rider’s inertia bank is depleted:  the rider in unable to 
quickly shift weight to account for a change in the inertia of the horse.  
Looking at photos of the Gulf States riders on rides away from the groomed
flat terrain and you will see a seat more in tune to how we
ride. It’s only natural to assume a position that will
result in the least amount of “work.”  I’m not saying
this type of riding is lazy, I’m just saying that people
will expend the minimum amount of energy required in any
endurance sport.

I’ve got admit to be a little envious of the lady
from KSA:  she appears relaxed in the saddle and she looks
like she’s having fun. The flat groomed sandy terrain
looks totally boring though, and I could never do a ride
with a caravan of support vehicles within sight.  So not my
cup of tea.   I’m too into self sufficiency for this kind
of riding.


Lynn

I'm so far behind I think I'm first





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