Intellectually, most riders "know" their balance and position affect their horses' balance and ability to move in self-carriage. But knowing this in your head is very different from experiencing these changes kinesethetically, with your entire body.

How do you determine how profound is the effect of your postural habits on your horse? As a rider, do you have any notion how holding your breath affects your horse's balance and ability to move easily and freely? What about riding with an arched back or dropping a shoulder? How do you refine your alignment, both side to side and front to back? With the help of your instructor, for sure. But your horse is an even better teacher, if only you can develop the subtlety to listen.

Wouldn't you like to refine your ability to feel these hints your horse gives and practice a variety of responses with a "horse" who can give verbal feedback? That's what the Horseless Riding Lesson is all about -- giving riders of all ability levels the chance to experience postural and balance changes from the point of view of the horse. And to receive verbal feedback, because the "horse" in this exercise is a person.

What can you gain from participating in a horseless riding lesson?

		An understanding of the level of contact, clarity and balance you can maintain with intention and practice, and how important those are to horses.
		More subtle cues for bending turns, lateral work, collection.
		An understanding that holding a horse in a frame differs profoundly from working with a horse in balance and self-carriage
		An appreciation for the challenge our horses have to interpret and respond to the mixed signals our bodies are likely to be giving.

See some more photos of riders partnering to increase their understanding
of their bodies' effects on their horses' movement and comfort.