An Anatomy of Riding

This is the platinum standard for the spiral seat that is the biomechanical basis for dressage. The independent seat (spiral seat) is the origin of harmonious interaction between horse and rider.

These two doctors offer clear explanations of why a rider's seat "goes with" the horse if the spiral seat is employed. They make careful distinctions between learning natural motions of gaits from the horse by relaxing in the positions they describe and then being able to "go with" or enhance the performance of the horse with that "knowledge of the body." Drawings are clear but unfortunuately, the photos are not of high quality: that is the only drawback of this wonderful book. The Schuszdziarra father and son pair are also authors of "Reitergesprache: Der Weg zum unabhängigen Sitz" (Conversations with Riders: The Way to An Independent Seat) currently only in German, which is a follow-up volume. If enough people in the English-speaking world request it, perhaps it can be translated into English. It would make a perfect addition to the original volume.

As a dressage judge, actively competing rider and biologist, I wholeheartedly recommend this volume. Get it. Memorize it and never lock your hips with your gluteus maximus by turning out your toes. Practice its exercises to free your shoulders and hands from the actions of your lower body (independent seat). Your horse and you will be the more content for your efforts.

This book put me in the ribbons in equitation classes on a backyard pinto, but it's not an easy book to read. This is a book about the ANATOMY of the human being as it affects riding. It took me about an hour a page. The authors are dressage riders and physicians, they do not dumb the subject down. There are pictures, but you must concentrate to learn. I can remember the moment I applied my understanding to the posting trot. My instructor exclaimed "Two years of lessons and you've finally got it!" I never told him it wasn't his lessons. For difficulty of language, this is an adult's book.

I had ridden for years and did not understand what I was doing wrong until I read this book. I am a surgeon so the anatomy was not difficult, but might be daunting for the uninitiated. It is invaluable. Now my trainer says "you are riding like we do". Many try to describe the correct way to ride but none succeed like this father/son physician team. Get a copy if you can...