Lungeing the Rider for a Perfect Seat – Linda Benedik

For centuries, the riders from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, have been revered around the world for their exemplary seats and impeccable equitation. Lungeing the rider is the School's tried and true method of teaching students to attain an independent seat, and they are lunged for at least six months before being allowed to take up the reins.Why is this method so consistently successful? Being lunged temporarily relieves the rider of complex and often confusing tasks, such as managing the horse's speed, direction, balance, and alignment. It reduces the very long list of riding responsibilities, enabling the rider to become organized, learn to juggle an increasing number of mounted tasks, and concentrate on his or her own balance and self-control.