Q. I recently went to a CHSA show here in Virginia. I saw the “Big 5” trainers showing Hunter, and I was very disappointed. They almost all had rounded shoulders and were hunched over so all the weight was in their hands. True, they could make their horses do almost anything, but … what are judges looking for nowadays in equitation? I mean, I watched these trainers who have years and years of show experience on the Florida A Circuit, and I just don’t see what’s so special about their equitation. And they rode with their necks stretched out. I didn’t like it. The thing that really makes me mad is that they sit there and tell me to straighten my back (I over-arch it) and straighten my wrists (my elbows stick out like I’m about to take flight!), and they have the same equitation as I do! They tell us what NOT to do, but they do that. Does that make sense? So, what do judges look for in equitation?
A. Equitation is based not only on proper riding technique but also on effective riding technique. I, too, have seen top-notch riders and trainers in various disciplines who exhibited less-than-ideal riding form but who were able to perform mounted magic on their horses. I had a fine riding instructor in college who used to say, “If it works, do it!” I would guess that’s the basic philosophy of most top riders and trainers. Of course, the philosophy stops short of any sort of inhumane treatment.
In competition, the very well-known riders and trainers have a bit of an edge as a result of their reputations. Judges are less likely to be tolerant of sloppy posture in the lower levels where riders are less skilled overall. The generally accepted standard of proper riding position and technique has been established for a reason – it works. However, once a rider has become consistently successful at a high level of competition, that rider has proven him or herself to be a highly effective rider, regardless of the sometimes sloppy posture in the saddle. Judges tend to focus more on rider effectiveness than on rider appearance at the higher levels of competition.
There is another issue here you have probably not considered. I firmly believe humans were not designed to ride horses. We do it because we love it, but our bodies pay the price after a while. That is why it is so important to learn proper position early in your riding; proper spinal alignment will allow for the longest possible period of pain-free mounted activity. The relaxed, straight position of the spinal column from seat bones to the top of the head is essential for proper distribution of the concussion of the horse’s movement through the rider’s back. If you arch your back too much, you will likely blow out your lower back far too early in your riding career and experience some degree of pain for the rest of your life.
Those riders who have spent many, many hours in the saddle over a course of many years often have chronic back pain for which they learn to compensate by adjusting their postures in the saddle. That may be what you’re witnessing in the top trainers, and it is something you’ll likely come to understand yourself in another couple of decades if you continue to ride consistently. Adults often attempt to guide youth away from the mistakes they know they’ve made themselves – like poor riding posture. Try not to be too hard on them for doing so.