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QUOTES BY ADOLF KASTNER:
On the Rider's Seat and Aids
"It is through the steady position of the outside leg that the torso receives posture, quietness, and steadiness, and hereby alone, that the hand receives support."
(1876)
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"The correct and steady position of the outside leg brings the rider into the closest contact with the horse, because he has to absorb the direction and bend of the latter with it, and receives a steady contact with the horse. By the same token, the horse makes contact with the rider, and this contact must be mutual if both shall harmonize and become one.
The outside leg and the outside rein prevent a faulty contact.
It thus also maintains the croup of the horse and contributes significantly to correct gaits on both hands, so that by its position alone, and quite independently of all other aids, an error on the horse’s part becomes utterly impossible, whether it be on the right or the left hand."
(1876)
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"It is an essential requirement that they (the hands, TR) are close together, even to the point of touching each other with their little fingers. For this is the only way the rider feels the combined effect of both reins in his hand, not only their effect on the head and neck, but also on the hindquarters. On the other hand, elbows that are sticking out and forearms that are stretched forward, as well as those that are pressed against the hips or torso make a good and correct rein conduct impossible."
(1876)
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"Aids through the rider’s seat:
The rider’s seat aids can be applied:
- by adjusting the torso and lifting the chest, bringing the torso slightly behind or in front of the vertical, without disturbing the balance. The former movements shift the rider’s weight backward toward the horse’s hindquarters. They load them, help to collect, and relieve the forehand. The latter movement relieves the haunches and contributes significantly to the support and the acceleration of the gait;
- by advancing the hips and consequently sitting down more on the fork and the seat bones, while keeping the torso more back. This aid drives forward, collects, shifts the rider’s weight considerably toward the haunches, and relieves the forehand. This advancing of the hips produces the free application of the calves;
- by hollowing or bending the rider’s inner side. This forces the horse to step in between the rider’s legs and into the hand. This is applied on the volte and temporarily in turns in order to free up the outer side of the horse and to shift the weight of the torso to the inside. This alone ensures the appropriate influence of the outside leg and keeps it correctly in the stirrup;
- by bending the rider’s inner side and sitting down more noticeably onto the outside seat bone. This movement shifts the rider’s weight toward the outer side of the horse, through the outside stirrup. It is applied momentarily in order to prevent a false gait and to make the horse accept the inside rein;
- by increasing and decreasing the knee pressure. It has a driving, collecting, or calming effect;
- by stretching both knees. This also has a driving effect. It prevents any displacement of the thighs and knees, and it not only lends stability to the torso in all down transitions, before and after the jumps, but it also gives stability to the horse;
- by stretching down the outside knee. The rider brings his body weight into the outside stirrup, which keeps the haunches in respect and prevents them from falling in or out, thus maintaining the correct gait and the correct bend. He furthermore keeps himself in the middle of the horse this way, if the horse invites him through an incorrect gait to sit incorrectly to the inside;
- by the lighter and heavier contact of one calf or the other, or both. This has a driving and collecting effect in addition to the other three mentioned driving aids, and it makes the horse step correctly into the bit, to take contact, and it produces all the gaits the rider demands;
- The aid of the outside calf behind the girth affects mainly the hindquarters.
- The aid of the outside calf at the girth affects the entire horse, because it is applied in the middle of the horse.
- The gentle aid of the inside calf at the girth influences the bend of the entire horse (through the rib cage), and contributes to keeping the haunches on the track.
- The rider’s supple following of the horse’s tempo animates, supples, supports, and confirms the gait.
- The relaxed posture of the torso and elastic calves enable the rider to mark the horse’s tempo as little as possible with his weight in the saddle, in other words to interfere as little as possible with the horse through his own movements. This way, the back and kidneys are spared. The rider’s weight is less of a burden, and the horse becomes willing and ready to yield. The quality of the hand improves.
All these and other aids that cannot be sufficiently described, because they are a matter of tact, must not only be free of all stiffness at all times so that the rider feels their effect instantaneously and so that he feels the movement of all the horse’s limbs continuously, but they must also be applied in the greatest coordination with the reins, whether they are accompanied by their aids or not."
(1876)
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"The hand is dependent on the position of the inside leg, the outside leg, and the torso with the natural and correct position of the upper arms and forearms. It will be just as good, mediocre, or bad as these. For the seat and the posture torso provide the support for the hand. A good hand is unthinkable when the seat is wrong, unsteady, stiff, and dead.
The shoulder, elbow, fist, and even the finger joints must remain relaxed and free of tension. If the rider has to apply strength, he must produce it only by sitting deeper in the saddle, by increasing the stability of his torso, and by hugging his rib cage more with one or both arms, in other words by securing and maintaining the support base of the hand more. The hand may close more only to the extent that the reins cannot be pulled away from it.
It is only through long practice that the rider can acquire this skill which originates in the seat and posture alone, i.e. the support base of the hand, and which gives him the greatest possible control over the horse, whereas, conversely, a bad hand gives the horse all the power over him."
(1876)
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Last Update: January 13, 2007