How to Improve Your Balance in the Saddle with One Simple Exercise

Why Balance Matters in Riding

Have you ever felt wobbly in the saddle, struggled to stay centered in transitions, or found yourself gripping with your knees just to stay on? If so, you’re not alone. Balance is one of the most important aspects of riding, yet it’s something many riders struggle with.

Good balance isn’t just about keeping yourself in the saddle—it affects how your horse moves, responds to your cues, and even how confident they feel under you. A well-balanced rider allows their horse to move freely, while an unbalanced rider creates resistance, tension, and often unintentional miscommunication. The good news? There’s one simple exercise that can significantly improve your balance and help you feel more secure in the saddle.

The Biggest Mistake Riders Make with Balance

Many riders mistakenly believe that balance comes from holding tension or gripping tightly with their legs. In reality, tension and gripping work against you, making you more unstable and restricting your horse’s movement. Common signs of poor balance include:

• Leaning forward or backward instead of maintaining a neutral pelvis

• Collapsing to one side or putting more weight into one stirrup

• Gripping with the knees instead of using the core for stability

• Struggling to sit the trot or maintain position in transitions

  
  

Instead of trying to force stability, the key is to learn how to stack your body correctly and use your core for balance. And that’s where this one simple exercise comes in.

The ‘Standing in the Stirrups’ Drill

A great way to develop better balance and an independent seat is by practicing the standing in the stirrups drill. This exercise forces you to engage your core, relax your legs, and find true stability without gripping or creating tension.

How to Do It:

1. While your horse is standing still, rise up in your stirrups as if you were going into a half-seat or two-point position.

2. Keep a slight bend in your knees and avoid gripping with them—think of softening your thighs.

3. Focus on engaging your core to stabilize yourself rather than using your hands or legs.

4. As you rise, take slow, deep breaths using diaphragmatic breathing (expanding your belly instead of breathing shallowly in your chest). This lowers your center of gravity, helping you to sink your weight into your hips and heels rather than perching forward.

5. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower back down.

6. Once comfortable, practice this at the walk, trot, and even canter, ensuring that your weight remains centered and balanced.

Why This Works

• It forces you to find your natural center of balance instead of relying on tension or gripping.

• Diaphragmatic breathing helps you stay relaxed and lowers your center of gravity, making you feel more grounded and secure.

• Your body learns to absorb motion correctly, preventing stiffness and resistance in your riding.

Bonus Tips for Faster Improvement

• Ride without stirrups to develop an independent seat and better leg stability.

• Strengthen your core and legs off the horse with simple exercises like squats, planks, and yoga. If you’re looking for a structured way to build strength specifically for riding, check out my Equestrian Fitness Program—a simple, rider-focused workout plan designed to help you feel more stable in the saddle.

• Focus on maintaining an upright posture with ears, shoulders, hips, and heels aligned.

• Practice relaxing your hips and allowing movement rather than trying to ‘lock’ into place.

Final Thoughts

Improving your balance in the saddle doesn’t have to be complicated. By incorporating the standing in the stirrups drill and focusing on diaphragmatic breathing, you’ll quickly develop a more secure, relaxed, and effective seat. But balance isn’t just about what you do in the saddle—it starts with the right foundation off the horse, too!

That’s why I created the Equestrian Fitness Program—a rider-specific workout plan designed to help you build core strength, leg stability, and better posture for more confident riding. For just $4, you can start today! Click here to join.

Next time you ride, give this exercise a try and notice how your position—and your horse’s movement—changes.

What’s the biggest challenge you face with balance in the saddle? Share your experiences in the comments!