Riding With Correct Body Position

You can ride by accident, or by intent. You can get by with riding by accident. But in order to ride BETTER, you must ride with intent.
SEAT
To ride with intent, I want my seat to be following the horse and relaxed. I keep my weight evenly distributed on my feet by standing in the stirrups while still sitting in the saddle. This ensures that I stay with my horse anywhere he goes.
FEET & LEGS
Many people ride with a stirrup that allows their legs to hang long. I prefer my stirrups to be short enough that I can bend my knees and keep weight in my feet. I like to keep my legs directly underneath me so that I am balanced and square, neither in front of the movement, nor behind.
SHOULDERS
I make a conscious effort to keep my inside shoulder up so that I stay out of my horse's way and he can more easily move with balance.
HANDS
When I'm riding, I often pretend that my hands are handcuffed together at the saddle horn. Most people will benefit from using their hands less and their legs more.
EYES
It's critical to always look where you want to go. When I want to make a smaller circle at a lope, I will use my eyes to draw the circle in and make it smaller. Using your eyes to look where you want to go will make subtle shifts in your body that in turn communicate to your horse.
Initiative
"Initiative" is the decision we make to do more. It is the decision to do whatever it takes to reach a goal or to make a difference. To become better riders, we must have a measure of initiative in order to make the changes necessary to grow.

[@TracieWALTON-io1rz]

Ken, thank you for explaining things so clearly. I have been riding since I was 4 years old, I’m 59 now. I was thrown two years ago and suffered 2 compression fractures T11-12. I returned to riding 6 months after my injury, however, only trail riding. I now have a two yo filly I just sent to a trainer to start, and a three yo mare started by a great reined cow horse trainer. Arena work was something I did a lot before breaking my back, but I am having a very hard time getting myself in rhythm with my mare at the lope. I am going to follow your recommendations to improve my seat, body position and my hands. I will return with updates about my progress. My goal is to get my riding to a place where I can take my mare to ranch versatility shows, and maybe reining, but right now I just want that awesome feeling back I would get when I could lope with my horse as a rider, not a passenger. Thank you again, Tracie

[@gabrielavazquez1945]

Excellent!

[@blanca2301]

This is great! Thank you!!

[@user-cs8mo5ks4b]

Thank You Ken

[@Kk-ln1nm]

Incredibly helpful, thank you

[@k.patton3576]

Great lessons. Thanks ❤

[@ChelbySe]

Thank you! Love this! Going to work on these tomorrow!!

[@infinity401]

You are an amazing rider. Thanks for the wisdom in the end.

[@salmankhan1018]

Excellent lessons

[@robineervin8633]

I love this video

[@PONYHEAVEN]

Best video to the subject.

[@robineervin8633]

thank you so much for the very informative video.

[@jessfeldman260]

This was so helpful, Ken! Thanks for breaking down these basics!

[@louisacochrane5491]

absolutely love your videos! Im a newbie at 59! and you are helping tons! thank you

[@denniswiebe-qh2fr]

Man that was a good practical lesson. Thanks Ken.

[@denicegerstenberg3118]

One of best training videos I’ve seen! Thank you!

[@mingram008]

Outstanding information! Will start working on the changes tomorrow!

[@kengraham6288]

Thank you Ken for this video. Everyone has told me I should be very light in the stirrups and that I should feel I could slide my feet out of the stirrups at any gait but I bounce all over. I remember from a my childhood to put weight in my stirrups and not bouncing. Thanks for confirming what I believe was my theory to riding a horse and now will work on this on every ride

[@JoyceStrezo]

I just tried your exercises and I can't believe the difference in my riding My bouncing stopped and my mares turn were so much better No one never told me to pick up.my shoulders what a difference. I am showing ranch classes and want to look and perform better. Thank you for bottom of.my heart.

[@rhondaarceneaux3377]

Great instruction to stay balanced and centered. I needed this refresher course!. Eyes up does wonders!

[@elenamiyagi6669]

Wowww I love your way to teach and the final words❤

[@shano92107]

Priceless knowledge and insights and always great presentation ❤ 🙏

[@wesmccoy7061]

You know Ken I’ve been a horseman for quite awhile and if there is one thing I’ve learned is u can always learn more or something different I’ve learned quite a few things from you over the years. Thank you. God bless 🙏

[@nuperancher3115]

This is great content

[@christinalecomte4216]

awesome content. thank you, learned a lot

[@piety61]

❤ Thank you for the valuable information and demonstrations! These will help me ride so much better!!!

[@terriesavage4897]

thanks, I need to practice riding with my feet deeper in the stirrup I spent a lot of years riding english. I need to forget that I also will start raising my shoulder. good points to add to my routine.

[@gregevans1062]

Hi Ken this is a great video, iv been working on this, been finding been bouncing too much riding break ins. Think might take my stirrups up tomorrow, loved the shoulder instructions, thanks love your work 🇳🇿

[@higginsba]

What a great horse ❤ Defo need work on my shoulders and hands, and seat/balance

[@GreenOverMirror44444]

This was a very helpful and informative video for a newbie like me.

[@Inca1122]

I think you just helped me realize why my horse dips inside when loping. I will remember the inside shoulder up!

[@DeniseWorkman]

I recently ordered your dvd. Just watching the u-tube videos has clarified many mistakes I am making as a new rider. I enjoyed your teaching technique and examples

[@wernerspiel9633]

Hi Ken, many thanks for your (mostly😅,depending to my english Knowledge) simple explanations and valuable thoughts in the End. I love your kind of lessons and agree completely to your mind about soft hands. I live in Germany and thats why it is not so easy to meet you for a Riding training. That would be awesome ! Many Greets Werner

[@kevinferguson3196]

Great video! I liked your comment on the sewing thread holding your hands together! I tell myself when riding that I am using a plastic straw for a bit and sewing thread for reins. The goal for lightness is to not bend the straw or break the thread! Of course, I have yet to attempt this, but it is a great reminder to use light reins! I am definitely going to use the shoulder up inside and shoulder down outside tip Thanks! Kevin

[@wernerspiel9633]

What a Video for Improving my skills and thoughts about better riding. Thank you very much for your explanation and helpful Tipps!, God bless you !

[@bonnieglanville4336]

Hi Ken I just found you last night. I think you r amazing

[@COMB0RICO]

Nice video

[@ThePyrshepnBelgn]

Thank you! I have a terrible time riding with stirrups. I always used to ride bareback. I don't bounce at all bareback, but have a terrible time in a saddle. This explains why.

[@Nil-tz6gy]

Try removing the stirrups from your saddle and practive riding that way I've always been told not to put your weight in the stirrups and have the ball of your foot on the stirrup, not pushed up tp the heel like he does. Tbh I have doubts about how he's claiming to ride as having bad balance can be caused from putting all your weight in the stirrups imstead of balancing like you should.

[@seneynah]

This is chair seat riding… dressage is riding from the center aka your core two different styles of riding. His style and seat is for trail riding long rides and control under sketchy situations like spooking, bolting or long hours in the saddle. Centered riding is for precise athletic arena riding aka dancing with your horse.

[@johnmcpherson8540]

I’m learning how to ride I’m up to trotting so at my next lesson I will ride with shorter stirrups in hanks

[@lisaweinberger4197]

Great video- thanks for the tips Ken! What kind of saddle pad is that?

[@TroyReinholdt-fz2ds]

Might be hard to get any work done alternating riding hands? Balance and stirrup length is key to riding safty, successfully and best for horse too. My opinion of course. Thanks for your videos I've enjoyed and agree with many of them.

[@kathykellison4421]

Any advice for how to handle a ride on a troubled horse that over reaches down basically taking himself off the bit and just starts walking backwards?

[@aidandoodeydoo]

Hi Ken, I am new to horses, and the horse I rode recently had sort of a pain face when I looked at the photos that were taken. I beleive he is older, and I am new. I do give him quite the work with my reins and the squeezing my legs, and sometimes i cant decide what i want to tell him. I'm not sure if he is stressed and confused, or in pain.

[@MikeAmacker]

Ken are you neck reining or mule reining when you are turning that horse? Looks like mule reining? thought western riding used neck reining

[@MikeAmacker]

Ken as i watch the video and see you turn your horse, doesn't look like you are neck reigning the horse but rather mule reigning him. am i missing something?

[@46rambo49]

Best video on the subject bar none. Democrats in our state are trying to take away the right to own horses , I just shake my head

[@finngamesknudson1457]

Which state and what reason(s) are the giving? Do they hate horses and want them all put down?

[@Smendrickthemagician]

😂 stop fearmongering and being afraid. That sounds just weird. Repubs and Dems of all stripes own and ride horses 😂

[@JoeParker-mh4sf]

So basically I need a horse learning to ride different horses means to understand the horse each horse per say are like people I must be a fast learner per horse so ask questions and do research ok

[@KatrinaDancer]

Should your feet be that far through the stirrups with the heels of your boots touching the stirrups?! What do you mean you keep your shoulder out of your horse's way?

[@LiyaLove-sw4nf]

Inside shoulder up

[@SarahCase-od1us]

Those are bow stirrups which is ok with these feet well not get stuck

[@okie2992]

If you don’t want to ride with your foot all the way in a stirrup don’t ride an oxbow. That’s what I ride and that’s what a lot of cow hands like to ride when trotting a lot of miles outside and yes he’s riding them correctly! Educate yourself before looking like a dunbass!

[@farthernorther]

looks like your feet are way too far in the stirrup

[@mztscrazytown1463]

That's what I thought

[@JerelynDuncan]

I think his feet are pushed too far into the stirrup too. Takes away his credibility on this topic IMO.

[@farthernorther]

@@JerelynDuncan yep.. agreed

[@MaryCarroll-hg5eg]

My father and his father trained horses to saddle for many yrs. My father is about to turn 95 this yr. He has always said if you are going to ride a horse, you ride a horse with the intent to stay in the saddle. If you only have the tips of your feet in the stirrup you will more than likely loose a stirup if you become unbalanced. If you do not have the instep of your foot over the base of support (the stirup) then how can you stay balanced. The instep of you foot is your point of balance when standing, if that is not directly under you when riding then you cannot be balanced in the saddle. You Need to make sure your stirup is big enough that your foot/boot can pull free.

[@kodycross9144]

It's because he's riding oxbow stirrups.

[@ardathpainter995]

Okay, not disagreeing with weight in the stirrup. But why are his feet jammed so far into those stirrups? Do people not get dragged anymore? Things have changed. When I learned to ride, you kept your stirrups on the back of the ball of the foot. All the way in is F'in dangerous. Also, if you can't keep your ass from flapping without stirrups, you need to turn off the camera and go back to basics.