“Keep your leg back.”

It’s one of the most common instructions riders hear.

So you move your leg backwards… Only to find that a few strides later it’s back where it started.

No matter how hard you try, your feet seem to creep in front of your hips again. Sitting trot feels uncomfortable, transitions become unsteady and you may even find yourself relying on the reins to stay balanced.

If this sounds familiar, you’re certainly not alone. A chair seat is one of the most common position faults in riders of all levels. While it looks like a simple leg position issue, it’s often the result of something much more complex.

You might recognise some of these signs:

• your feet sit noticeably in front of your hips;
• bringing your leg back feels forced rather than natural;
• your horse becomes heavy in the contact;
• your lower back feels stiff after riding;
• sitting trot feels bouncy or uncomfortable;
• your instructor keeps correcting your leg, but the problem always returns.

The usual advice is straightforward:

“Push your heel down.”

“Bring your leg back.”

“Sit up straight.”

Sometimes these corrections help for a moment. But if your position immediately falls apart again, the real problem probably hasn’t been solved. Because here’s the question very few riders ask:

What if your leg isn’t actually the problem?

What if your chair seat starts somewhere else entirely?

Perhaps in the way your pelvis balances.

Perhaps in the way your body organises itself to stay upright.

Or perhaps… in the saddle you’re riding in.

The position of the stirrup bars, the shape of the thigh blocks and even the balance of the saddle can all influence where your leg naturally wants to hang. In some cases, riders spend years trying to correct a position that their saddle is quietly encouraging.

Understanding the difference between a rider problem and an equipment problem is essential if you want to make lasting changes.