Seneca Valley Riding Academy

10/30/2025

10/17/2025

I have known, and PREACHED this ALL my life. Finally, someone wrote an article and presented good photos.
ORIGINAL POST BY: Running T Horsemanship, Dana Lovell
We are big at teaching the "why" - this was too good not to share. It's the "little" things you do to help your horse that makes them happy and enjoy their time with you.
⬆️Pulling your saddle pad up into the pommel.
💪 It can can take a bit of practice with saddle shifting and pad pulling, but your horse will appreciate it.
🙁 Without being pulled up, when the saddle is cinched the pad presses down on the withers potentially causing discomfort.
😀 With the pad pulled up into the pommel the withers have room to move and there isn't a pressure point.
If you aren't already in the habit of doing this the next time you ride put your fingers between the pad and your horses withers while walking or trotting.
It's our job to make sure that they can comfortably carry us. This simple shift ⬆️ can help to make that happen.

10/01/2025

👀 Which one is the correct wrist position?

Most riders hear about the elbow-wrist–bit line… but very few really know what it means or how important it is. Once they do, they can start to make real, positive changes to their riding.

🧤 It’s launch week for our new SymmFit Insight Gloves… so we’re talking hands a lot this week!

The problem? This line is often never explained properly. Many riders just think it means “hands pointing at the horse” - without understanding how their wrist position affects it.

And most have never had a good visual to check their own position. That’s exactly why I designed the Insight Gloves.

👉 Look at the pink line on the photos - follow it from the forearm, down the hand, and to the bit. Which one shows a straight line (with no break or twist), and is therefore best directed towards the horse’s mouth with a neutral wrist?
Because it matters 👇

✅ When your wrist lines up with the rein in neutral, the contact feels soft, consistent, and elastic. Your fingers can make tiny adjustments without tension, and the horse feels clarity rather than noise.
❌ When the wrist dips down (ulnar deviation – 2), rotates forward (pronation – 3) or rotates back (supination – 4), the line from elbow to bit is lost and the horse gets mixed messages.
But it goes deeper than just the line:

🔹 A change in wrist position changes how your finger muscles engage
🔹 It changes how much “volume control” you have - whether your contact is subtle and adjustable, or just on/off
🔹 And it changes what the horse feels in the mouth, every stride

Small details like this are often overlooked, but they transform the quality of your contact and how your horse responds.

👇 So, be honest… which wrist position are you most guilty of?

Want to read more about wrist position when riding? Check out this blog post…

🔗www.pegasusphysio.co.uk/single-post/soft-hands-when-riding

09/23/2025

09/18/2025

Close your FINGERS/ NOT your hands!!!!
If you just close your fingers on the reins, it limits the tension to your forearm, but if you close your entire hand, it braces your biceps and triceps- which pretty much locks your whole arm!
It’s hard to have soft supple connection if your arms are locked, but you also do need some grip on the reins.  Closing your fingers while keeping the rest of the hand soft is how you achieve both.

09/16/2025

SVRA is currently looking to add another riding instructor to our growing program. For more information please contact our head instructor Sarah Ludwig or message us directly.

09/12/2025

09/12/2025

09/06/2025

And a fun time was had by all! Thank you all for coming out and supporting us, it was a great success! PLEASE share your photos and tag us!!! 😄🐎📷