So, yesterday I posted the awesome video with Andrew Nicholson commenting on his own ride as we watched video of it.  If you missed that, the aforementioned awesomeness is here:  http://www.burghley.tv/2014analysis.html

This video changed my riding life.  When I watched it, I was astonished at the amount of daylight that can be seen between his knee and the saddle in many instances, and between his thigh and the saddle nearly continuously.  The man is not holding on with his thighs one whit.  His calf is active ALL THE TIME, and usually in a rhythmic manner.  The exception is the last two strides before the jump when his calf appears to be just seriously ON.

I’ve been doing a lot of riding since I saw this video for the first time a few weeks ago and have consciously been riding with MUCH less thigh and MUCH more calf.  Eddie likes it.  The result has been a rounder horse and a thigh that is available for a half halt, rather than a thigh that is like a parking brake engaged when the car is in drive.

That is all I have time for today.  Maybe that little bit will resonate with you.  Maybe it will click when you are riding some day, maybe another instructor will mention it in another way and the click happens then.  I just wanted to get it out there for consideration.  Post a comment if you want to discuss with me or amongst yourselves.  Gotta go ride.  🙂