The Rider's Balance
TSRIBAProduct Details
The Rider's Balance
Understanding the
Weight Aids
Sylvia Loch
How to best communicate with the
horse has long been pondered, studied, and deciphered. From a handler's body
language on the ground to the rider's use of “aids” (seat, legs, reins) when in
the saddle, the ways we convey our wishes to the horse are the essential
foundation of the partnership we seek with him. Although the basic aids are
taught at the most elementary levels of equitation, renowned classical dressage
trainer Sylvia Loch feels that most riders never fully realize how their weight
when mounted impacts the horse in hundreds of nuanced ways–both good and bad.
Developing an understanding of “weight aids” ensures that riders cultivate
better balance and “feel,” ultimately riding with more empathy and a finer
connection. Here, Loch provides an image-driven visual guide that shows how
each tiny shift of the rider's weight affects the horse's balance. With the help
of dozens of illustrations and fabulous color photographs, she demonstrates the
minute changes in rider position that determine a horse's comprehension of
instruction as well as his physical ability to perform. With this book, novice
riders will develop a much greater awareness of their own bodies and abilities,
as well as those of the horse, from Day One, while more experienced riders will
discover new avenues that lead to successful riding performance and fulfilling
relationships with their horses.