It all sounds so easy: follow the movement of the horse. And when you see Olympic riders it looks easy too, even though their horses move off the ground so much. But how do you do it?
A couple of things are needed. Stamina, a supple back and loose hips. You need to be able to let go of tension in your body, without losing posture. But all this is very well, if the horse keeps his back rigid, no one can sit on it without squeezing.
Tension
Tension blocks all movement. A horse tenses his back if he has a physical problem or feels uncomfortable. If you restrict or hurt him by holding the reins too tight or pulling them constantly or if you are bouncing on his back or squeezing with your legs too much, he will tighten his back. But if he is, you will bounce.
So what comes first?
You know what? It doesn’t matter. It’s up to you to change the situation. So don’t blame the horse, work on yourself. Punishing the horse won’t make him soften his back. This needs training. And it might take a while before it pays off. You need patience and consistent training. Work on your position. Go to the gym. Have special lunge lessons to develop an independent position. We’ll get back on how to train a horse so he softens his back. Start with yourself.