Change. The very word can make you shift in your saddle uncomfortably. It’s scary, isn’t it? We’re creatures of habit—so are our horses, for that matter—and the idea of altering something we’ve done the same way for years (even if it's wrong) feels daunting at best and impossible at worst. But here’s the thing about riding, and truthfully, about life in general—real improvement lies in change.
Now, before you gallop off thinking this is another one of those “transform yourself entirely overnight” pep talks, hear me out. Riding isn’t about making dramatic, sweeping gestures. It’s the small, almost imperceptible adjustments we make over time that lead to the biggest breakthroughs.
Growth Starts with Discomfort
Let's set the scene. You're in the saddle, your hips trying to remember what "neutral" feels like as your instructor repeatedly asks you to "lengthen your leg" (which, by the way, feels anatomically impossible). You manage it for a few strides, your balance feels solid, your seat connected to the horse in a way that makes angels sing. Then? Poof. Gone. Your old habits creep back in like an overeager pony who’s found an open bag of treats.
This is the cycle we all go through. Master it for a moment? Forget it the next. Try again. Lose it again. But each time you come back to that corrected seat, that adjusted posture, you stay there a little longer. And that’s what progress looks like—messy, repetitive, and often wildly uncomfortable.
And yes, it’s frustrating. We all want to be better right now—especially when Carol in your lesson group executes a perfect shoulder-in while you’re still figuring out where your inside leg is supposed to go. (Don’t worry, we’ve all had a “Carol” in our riding lives.)
Small Changes, Big Impact
Here’s the good news. Those "small" adjustments you’re making—whether it’s balancing differently in your stirrups, finding a deeper seat, or unlocking tension in your shoulders—are what lead to monumental improvements in your riding over time.
It’s easy to look at these tweaks as insignificant when they’re so incremental, but think of them as building blocks. The tiny habit you create today (“balance equally on your seat bones”) compounds into better posture. That better posture leads to a more balanced horse. And before you know it, you’re doing a flawless sitting trot without looking like a human jackhammer.
The changes that feel massive in the moment—“move your pelvis back a fraction of a millimeter”—are often the same ones that reap the greatest rewards. It’s like a ripple effect. One tiny pebble thrown into the lake of your riding creates waves you don’t even see right away.
It’s About the Journey
Now, here’s where I get a little philosophical (bare with me). Riding isn’t about "arriving" at perfection. It’s about the pursuit—striving to improve, learning to connect better with your horse, and growing as an equestrian. Those little failures (losing your seat, forgetting your diagonals, nearly falling off during a particularly overzealous canter departure) are part of the process.
Each time you falter, it’s a chance to come back stronger. And maybe next time, you’ll lose your balance one less stride than before. That’s growth. That’s change.
Tips for Incremental Improvements
To help you on this wild and wonderful horsey ride of progress, here are a few tips for making those incremental changes stick:
Focus on One Thing at a Time
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is good riding. Pick one thing to work on—whether it’s softening your hands or sinking deeper into your heels—and devote your rides to refining just that.
Be Patient (Really, Really Patient)
Change doesn’t happen overnight. Give yourself (and your horse) grace as you adjust. Progress often looks like two steps forward, one step back.
Celebrate Small Wins
Did you manage to keep your corrected seat for two strides longer today? Celebrate it! Those little victories are the foundation of big success.
Ask for Feedback
Sometimes it’s hard to see our own progress. Get feedback from your trainer or riding buddy, who may notice improvements you might not.
Keep Your Sense of Humor
You will mess up. You will look silly. You will, at one point, wonder if you’re the world’s worst rider. Laugh. Riding is meant to be fun, even in the midst of change.
Wrapping It Up
Change might feel scary. It might stretch you, frustrate you, and make you question why the heck you thought riding was a good idea in the first place. But it’s also where the magic happens.
Lean into the process. Make those small modifications, lose your balance, find it again, and celebrate the incremental improvements. Because one day, without even realizing it, you’ll look back and notice just how far you’ve come—all thanks to those little changes you were brave enough to make.