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Post by rideanotherday on Jun 28, 2016 10:58:14 GMT
Having a western performance background with a science degree, sometimes I run across things that just don't make sense. I feel like this board is a place where I can get an explanation.
Half seat. I get what it is and how to do it. I understand that it does indeed take some physicality on the part of the rider to accomplish. What exactly is the purpose?
This is what I read about it, which prompted my question:
"I am always somewhat amazed, although by now I shouldn't be, when I see riders trying to do things like cross country, or even just jump in a ring, who are too unfit to get up off their horses' backs in a half seat, to relieve their horses of the burden of having to carry that unnecessary and unstable extra weight."
How exactly is riding with more points of contact (a full seat) more unstable than fewer points of contact (half seat)? Getting off the horse's back in a half seat does not remove the weight...the rider is not off the horse. I can see redistribution of the weight having some benefit, but again half seat or full seat, the weight is still there.
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Post by jacki on Jun 28, 2016 14:40:49 GMT
My daughter uses what she would call her "2-point" position (out of the saddle with weight balanced in the stirrups) when galloping long uphill stretches. It sounds like the same thing you described as "half seat". While the weight is still there, it is not pushing(bouncing) against the middle of the horse's back as the horse "rounds" its back in the gallop. When they fox hunt, they may be riding for 4 to 5 hours, and they like to give their horses any advantage so as not to wear them out. Last week she was on a trail that went uphill for a mile - she stayed off his back as long as she could on that stretch. The idea is similar to that of doing lead changes back and forth on very long straight stretches so as not to overwork one side. Hope this makes sense.
Note: it is called a 2-point in that all the weight is in the stirrups - NONE on the neck. It is a way for the rider to "get out of the horse's way" so it can use its back and neck most effectively.
Jacki
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Post by horseguy on Jun 28, 2016 17:44:09 GMT
There are four seat positions relative to the saddle. They are (1)"dead" in the saddle, meaning similar to "dead center", as in the sitting trot or deep canter, (2) light seat, which is almost seated where he fabric of your breeches or pants lightly touches the saddle but your weight is in your feet in the irons, (3) half seat, with your butt up about an inch over he saddle and (4) jumping position where your butt is out of the saddle far enough so as to prevent it smacking your butt as the horse jumps and rounds his back, thus coming upward toward your butt in the process. The half seat is used primarily to get off the saddle in order to allow your horse's back to move more freely in a gait, completely unimpeded by the movement of your butt in the saddle. Yes, the weight of your body is still supported by the saddle by means of the irons and stirrup leathers connected to the saddle tree, but the weight is carried by the unmoving saddle secured well by the girth, whereas if you wee seated yur weigh would be less steady in the horse's experience. It could be argued that there are riders who sit so deeply with so much unity that the half seat is unnecessary because the rider's movement in the saddle is completely imperceptible by the horse. There are indeed riders at this level. But for most of us, it is useful at times to employ the half seat. I believe it is particularly effective and useful when riding a tied horse in a difficult situation, provided the rider can ride in the half seat without the slightest upper body rocking that might disrupt the horse's balance or movement. It was George Morris who elevated the use of the half seat beyond it's previous practicality to a required form in his Hunter Seat Equitation. Morris believed that a horse show was a place to show off your horse as dogs are shown at the Westminster Kennel Club, where the canines are run around on leashes. The half seat was a parallel to the leash freedom the dogs receive from a good handler. By getting off your horse's back, the judge could better see a horse's movement. I suppose there is something to this concept, but being a strictly practical rider, it holds no appeal for me in this show setting. With regard to the jumping lane or gymnastics topic, a good rider can ride a jumping lane equally ell in any of the 4 seat positions describe above regardless of the height of difficulty of the lane's rhythm. Also, the half seat is used for tasks where the horse's movement might disrupt the rider's ability to hit a polo ball or throw a rope.  |
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