A Leggy Matter

When I first started showing Morgans, a major focus in my riding lessons was equitation. I took lessons in hunt seat and western seat equitation. For western, I was taught to sit on my tail bone, tucking my butt underneath to avoid the arched back look. I was also taught to suck in my breath and push my ribs and breasts out a bit. The chin was up, and I slightly stood in my stirrups to push my heels down and reduce the "bouncy" look that a jog can give the rider. This was pretty much the norm for all equitation riders in the Morgan circuit, or so it seemed to me anyway. My trainer had 2 of the World Champion equitation riders, so I assumed her way of teaching was the right way. For hunt seat equitation, it was a more forward seat. Still on the seat bones though. Back straight, chin up. The knees hugged the saddle, and the lower legs didn't make much contact with the horse. The ankles were straight as well as the toes and the heels, as far down as they could go, of course. I have scars from riding with my knees as grippers all those years.

An exaggerated example of the equitation form of my youth....

No contact with the lower legs....

In college, I joined the equestrian team. I began taking Hunter/jumper lessons with the college team coach. Giving my past equitation experience with Morgans, I thought that I would be an asset to the team. I pretty much assumed that the coach/trainer would praise my experience, or in the very least ignore me in favor of coaching the less experienced riders.

Boy, did I have another thing coming. "Where the heck did you learn to ride?!" he bellowed at me across the indoor riding ring.

Apparently, in hunter/jumper equitation, riders do not grip with the knees. They instead turn their ankles slightly so that the toes point a bit outwards. This allows the rider to have so much more contact with the horse. The heels are easier to point down in this position as well. After several lessons, I finally figured it out - I much prefer the hunter jumper method to the Morgan. The problem came when I returned home to ride Morgans again. The first time I hopped back up on a Morgan, I naturally went ride in to the grip with the calves method I had been riding. Oh boy, that Morgan, not used to contact zoomed around at a break neck speed. Try as I might to slow the horse down and collect, he was just too confused to simmer down.

The learned method ....

Now that I'm back showing with Morgans, I can't help but notice riders with their toes pointed straight forward in the equitation ring. They look nice and all, but is that correct? It seems like so much more work. I also recently read an article about equitation, it was another blog I think. The writer described correct equitation with contact in the knees. I AM SO CONFUSED!!!