A rider's crooked seat – where does it come from?

A rider's crooked seat – where does it come from?

Have you ever heard a coach say, "Straighten up!" even though you felt like you were sitting straight? Many riders struggle with a crooked seat. It manifests itself by the rider leaning to one side—the hips and shoulders positioning asymmetrically, as if one side of the body were "sitting" lower. As a result, the body weight places more weight on one side of the saddle.

A crooked seat affects not only the rider's balance and the effectiveness of their aids, but also the horse. An unevenly loaded horse begins to compensate for the rider's imbalance, which often leads to further crookedness in movement. In this article, we explain the causes of crookedness in the saddle, how to recognize it, and what methods can actually improve stability—from working on rider and horse symmetry to proper saddle fit.

What does curving in the saddle mean biomechanically?

Slouching in the saddle means sitting asymmetrically. Instead of placing equal weight on both buttocks and stirrups, the rider shifts more of their weight to one side. This is often accompanied by lowering one shoulder, twisting the torso, or pressing harder on one stirrup.

This isn't a single technical error, but rather a well-established compensatory pattern . The rider's body always strives for stability. If it can't achieve it symmetrically, it will do so asymmetrically—at the expense of balance and seat quality.

Studies using pressure mats (e.g., Gunst et al., 2019; Dyson et al., 2020) show that left-right load differences of 15–40% are common, even in advanced and sporty riders.

What causes a crooked seat? What are the most common causes?

Natural asymmetry of the horse (right- and left-sidedness)

Horses exhibit natural lateralization, known as left- or right-sidedness. This means that one side of the body is functionally dominant. In practice, this manifests itself in, among other things:

• greater range of motion and strength of one shoulder blade,
• greater stiffness of the other side,
• asymmetrical lifting of the ribs and rotation of the trunk in the trot and gallop.

A stronger shoulder blade can actively shift the saddle to the weaker side. The rider then feels as if they are being pushed sideways, even though they are trying to sit centrally and correct their position.

Rider Asymmetry and Daily Compensations

The second key piece of the puzzle is the rider's body. Side dominance, differences in hip mobility, torso rotation, and muscle tone are the norm, not the exception. These can be caused by factors such as:

• past injuries,
• sedentary lifestyle,
• one-sided sports activity,
• deep stabilization disorders.

Even slight asymmetry in the rider affects the way pressure is transferred to the saddle panels. From the horse's perspective, this translates into uneven loading of the back, which often leads to further compensations during movement.

An ill-fitting saddle as a factor that aggravates the problem

In saddle fitting work, we regularly observe situations in which it is not the rider or the horse itself that is the main source of the problem, but the saddle that reinforces the existing asymmetry .

The most common mechanisms are:

• limited space for one of the blades,
• uneven contact of the panels with the spine,
• lack of a well-fitting girth,
• lack of a neutral, stable seating point for the rider.

Pressure distribution research clearly shows that an ill-fitting saddle can affect not only comfort, but also the range of motion of the back and the quality of the horse's movement.

See the Prestige Italia and Renaissance saddle range – structures designed with the horse’s biomechanics and the rider’s stability in mind.

The domino effect: horse – rider – saddle

If they overlap:

• horse asymmetry,
• rider asymmetry,
• a saddle that does not stabilize the system,

A classic domino effect occurs. The horse pushes the saddle down with its stronger side, the rider begins to load one stirrup, the horse responds with another compensation movement, and the pattern gradually becomes established.

This is why working solely on straightening the seat often does not bring lasting results if the entire horse-rider-saddle system is not taken into account.

AS-X Prestige technology – support for horse and rider asymmetry

In traditional saddle designs, the saddle tree is designed to maintain a stable position of the saddle on the horse's back. In many cases, this solution works very well. However, for horses with pronounced asymmetry or irregular shoulder movement, a design with limited adaptability may not fully follow the natural dynamics of movement.

Prestige Italia's AS-X (Adaptive System X-Technology) technology is based on a different approach. The saddle tree works dynamically with the horse's movement, in different planes, allowing for more free movement of the shoulder blades and back while maintaining a stable seating position for the rider.

From a biomechanical perspective, this means a reduced risk of one-sided saddle displacement and better adaptation to the horse's natural movements. Tests of saddles with AS-X technology often demonstrate improved seat stability and a more consistent feel in the stirrups.

When is it worth checking the saddle instead of forcing yourself to straighten up?

Common signs that the saddle may be part of the problem include:

• constant feeling of sitting crooked despite conscious adjustments,
• one leg seems shorter or harder to keep in the stirrup,
• shifting of the saddle during movement (usually to the weaker side of the horse),
• one-sided tension or pain that appears after riding.

In such cases, working on the seat alone rarely produces lasting results – until the saddle stops reinforcing the asymmetry.

Schedule a saddle fitting consultation at Equishop and check the saddle fit in motion, on your horse
or complete the quiz and we will contact you.

A well-fitting saddle doesn't force the rider to straighten. It simply ceases to be an obstacle. Often, this single element is enough to make the seat significantly more stable and even.

Sources

• Gunst S. et al. (2019). Influence of Functional Rider and Horse Asymmetries on Saddle Force Distribution During Stance and in Sitting Trot . Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 78, 20–28.
• Greve L., Dyson S. (2013). The horse–saddle–rider interaction . The Veterinary Journal, 195, 275–281.
• Dyson S. et al. (2020). The effects of rider size and saddle fit for horse and rider on forces and pressure distribution under saddles. Equine Veterinary Education, 32 (Suppl. 11), 4-11.