Effective Leg Position for the Dressage Rider with Sue Martin

Sue Martin, a colleague and mentor of mine, recently gave a FANTASTIC lecture on the dressage rider position. It is essential to be in the correct position in order to be an effective rider.
#DressagePosition #CorrectDressagePosition #RiderPosition
(FULL VIDEO DESCRIPTION BELOW LINKS)
Free Groundwork Manners PDF bit.ly/4eXqeOp
Free Patterns and Figures PDF bit.ly/4cCSp3o
Free Flying Changes Webinar bit.ly/3zF81F6
Free Canter Course bit.ly/4cWNfzg
Free Course on Confidence bit.ly/4eS5VBQ
Free Rider Fitness PDF/Course bit.ly/4f16SYD
Free Webinar on Rider Position bit.ly/3Ljoh1h
Support me on Patreon: bit.ly/4bO7EVX
One of the most difficult and most important things when riding is giving the “illusion of stillness.” When you watch a top rider, the look as if they are sitting perfectly still, but in reality, they are moving a LOT. They are moving in perfect harmony with their horse!
This is where “hinges” come in. The hinges (joints) in your body must absorb the motion of your horse! In your leg, for example, you have a hinge at your hip, one at your knee, one at your ankle, and a hinge in your foot where the stirrup should sit.
All of these hinges must be mobile for correct rider position and to be able to correctly influence your horse. “Frozen” hinges cause incorrect and ineffective legs:
Frozen ankles - cause heels up, constant squeezing of the horse, and ineffective legs.
Frozen knees- cause difficulty kicking, rider unable to move the leg from the “girth position” to behind the girth for bending, flying changes, turning, ect.
Frozen hips - cause bouncing in the saddle, problems taking the leg off and ineffective leg aids.
It is essential that all of the hinges in your leg are moving in order to effectively influence your horse!
Have a look at this video