independent seat

Question
hello ma'am, you told me that riders develop an independent seat when they are lunged. may i know what do you mean by "independent seat"?

Answer
An independent seat means just that......that your balance on the horse has nothing to do with (for example), gripping with your knees, tightening with your hands, etc.

Watch people ride and start to get an idea of the level of each rider. An independent seat
is defined further as the ability to have your seat in the saddle (from your waist to your upper thigh), and then be able to use each hand independently of the other, each leg aid independently of the other, etc.

This independent seat is best obtained through longeing as then the rider may ride without stirrups, without reins, and perform exercises that could not be done if not longed. Many equestrian schools, ( The Spanish Riding School, for example), include longeing of the rider in their curriculum.

In my opinion, a riding school which is seriously trying to develop an educated rider should include longeing in their program.