Why do I keep falling back in the saddle when I post?
When riders fall back into the saddle while trying to post, it is usually because of one or both of two problems:
1. They are sitting in a chair seat
Sally Swift gave a demonstration of this at a conference I attended once. She pointed out that in order to rise without falling back, you have to have your heels under your hips. She had us all sit with our hips back in our chairs and our feet in front (the way you normally sit in a chair) and then try to rise. We all fell back into our chairs. Then she told us to bring our feet back or push our bottoms forward until our heels were under our hips and then try to rise. We all did so easily. She pointed out that we automatically do this when rising from chairs, but riders with chair seats usually keep their feet in front of their hips, which is why they have a terrible time trying to post.
So to correct this problem, we have to correct the student's seat by having them pull their legs back until their heels are under their hips. Usually, they will lean forward because they are used to keeping their hip-thigh angles closed (like a right angle), and it needs to open. So you have to remind them to open their hip joints and keep their shoulders and upper body back. I usually tell them to stretch up tall through their torsos.
2. They have a wrong idea in their minds about what posting is
They imagine that it is rising up on your tippy toes, going up and down. It isn't. It is keeping your feet flat in the stirrups (stirrup bar under the ball of the foot) and thrusting your hips forward as you rise.
To correct this, have them practice on the ground. Have them stand with heels under them, feet flat on the ground, well balanced. Then have them squat and rise, thrusting their hips forward and opening their hip-thigh angles as they rise. It will look and feel like a hip-thrusting hip-hop move when performed on the ground. It also helps to have them bend their elbows when they squat and push their hands down so their elbow joints open when they rise. This is crucial because if you keep your elbow joints closed when you rise, you will pull the reins up along with you, tugging on the horse's mouth. By opening and closing the elbow joint, you ensure that your hands remain steady in the same place above the saddle.
Once they get the feel of this on the ground, have them do it under saddle while you longe them. Keep reminding them to keep their heels under their hips and to thrust their hips forward as they rise while pushing their hands down so that the hip and elbow joints open and close with each post.
In my experience, these techniques ALWAYS solve the problem.
By the way, I STRONGLY recommend against using polo wraps, straps, etc tied onto the saddle to help them learn to post. Why? Because they will use the strap to pull themselves up out of the saddle. Then when you take the strap away, THEY WILL USE THE REINS TO PULL THEMSELVES UP OUT OF THE SADDLE, CAUSING THE HORSE'S MOUTH GREAT DISCOMFORT. Sorry to capitalize that, but I really feel it needs to be emphasized.
1. They are sitting in a chair seat
Sally Swift gave a demonstration of this at a conference I attended once. She pointed out that in order to rise without falling back, you have to have your heels under your hips. She had us all sit with our hips back in our chairs and our feet in front (the way you normally sit in a chair) and then try to rise. We all fell back into our chairs. Then she told us to bring our feet back or push our bottoms forward until our heels were under our hips and then try to rise. We all did so easily. She pointed out that we automatically do this when rising from chairs, but riders with chair seats usually keep their feet in front of their hips, which is why they have a terrible time trying to post.
So to correct this problem, we have to correct the student's seat by having them pull their legs back until their heels are under their hips. Usually, they will lean forward because they are used to keeping their hip-thigh angles closed (like a right angle), and it needs to open. So you have to remind them to open their hip joints and keep their shoulders and upper body back. I usually tell them to stretch up tall through their torsos.
2. They have a wrong idea in their minds about what posting is
They imagine that it is rising up on your tippy toes, going up and down. It isn't. It is keeping your feet flat in the stirrups (stirrup bar under the ball of the foot) and thrusting your hips forward as you rise.
To correct this, have them practice on the ground. Have them stand with heels under them, feet flat on the ground, well balanced. Then have them squat and rise, thrusting their hips forward and opening their hip-thigh angles as they rise. It will look and feel like a hip-thrusting hip-hop move when performed on the ground. It also helps to have them bend their elbows when they squat and push their hands down so their elbow joints open when they rise. This is crucial because if you keep your elbow joints closed when you rise, you will pull the reins up along with you, tugging on the horse's mouth. By opening and closing the elbow joint, you ensure that your hands remain steady in the same place above the saddle.
Once they get the feel of this on the ground, have them do it under saddle while you longe them. Keep reminding them to keep their heels under their hips and to thrust their hips forward as they rise while pushing their hands down so that the hip and elbow joints open and close with each post.
In my experience, these techniques ALWAYS solve the problem.
By the way, I STRONGLY recommend against using polo wraps, straps, etc tied onto the saddle to help them learn to post. Why? Because they will use the strap to pull themselves up out of the saddle. Then when you take the strap away, THEY WILL USE THE REINS TO PULL THEMSELVES UP OUT OF THE SADDLE, CAUSING THE HORSE'S MOUTH GREAT DISCOMFORT. Sorry to capitalize that, but I really feel it needs to be emphasized.
Here is a wonderful brief video of Erica Poseley describing the biomechanics of rising trot and why riders tend to fall back in the saddle, which dovetails nicely with the information mentioned here.
You can find more great articles about improving your riding skills here.
Happy riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins February 4, 2016; Updated Jan 23, 2020
The Thinking Equestrian
Opening Photo Credit: DeviantArt.com, rise.by chickadee-studio