Скачать или смотреть The Open Seat page 34 STEINBRECHT The Gymnasium of the Horse

p. 34 & 35 from GYMNASIUM by Steinbrecht: “…we will now discuss the supporting aid of the open seat. According to the principle that any body gains in circumference the more it is shortened by compression, the horse, as mentioned before, must broaden its rib cage and flanks when moving in collection. So as not to interfere with such expansion, but to enhance it as much as possible, the rider must intentionally open his thighs and knees when collecting the horse in movements that require considerable lowering and weighing of the hindquarters. That is, he must move his legs away from horse, so that no pressure from these limbs, except their natural weight, would interfere with the desired lowering and broadening. The main requirement for this supporting aid is that the legs remain in a flat position, so that the hips always retain their proper position on the plumbline. Unfortunately weak riders often demonstrate the wrong seat… The correct open seat however is a fine aid, which only requires balance. For this reason the open seat has an extraordinary effect: the horse, no longer hampered by any hard contact with a rider’s tight leg will feel almost as if in a state of freedom and will therefore work with such lightness and enjoyment as if left to play in the paddock at will. The more the horse develops his skill in lowering his hindquarters to carry the weight, the less the rider will be forced to artificially maintain his open seat. The horse’s strides become steadily softer. The collected horse with his broadened flanks will fill the rider’s open legs in such a way that they are held in the open position and take up a soft contact with the horse’s body.”