The Seat Lesson
By Kris Garrett
He’s trying to kill me. I’m just sure of it. I thought I was going to die today. It’s a conspiracy It’s murder. Or at least attempted manslaughter.
Okay… maybe it was just a seat lesson, but the TROLL we know as Zieg just about did me in today. He’s a TROLL I tell you! He’s not human! He’s a beast!
Alright, alright… I know…. I just LOVE it. Well, I love it and hate it. And of course I adore Eric, the Zieg, Ziegler. He is a fabulous trainer and is really helping my riding, A LOT! But I’m so tired from my lesson today that I am skipping dinner and going to bed. You KNOW it’s got to be bad when I’m too tired to eat dinner.
My body is really balking at this. These extra pound I’ve put on are my enemy. MY ENEMY! I hate being this way. I so miss that strong young girl who could ride anything with four legs and a tail. I know she is still in there, somewhere. And I am determined to find her and pull her out of this blubbery mess of a middle-aged body! I AM NOT GIVING UP! DAMN IT!
I hope everyone who reads this who rides horses will pause your riding lesson plan long enough to take just ONE seat lesson from Eric Ziegler. It doesn’t matter what discipline you ride or what kind of saddle you use or how proficient a rider you are. This is something you should try, at least once. Eric and Elizabeth are experts at this, and they still give each other seat lessons on a regular basis to keep their seats correct. This work is for EVERYONE who gets on the back of a horse.
Our arena and round pen swing from swamp to skating rink depending on the density relationship of cloud to sun. I’m a total wuss on bad footing so I stay on the ground. It has been weeks since I’ve ridden and I’ve been getting frustrated. Rather than wait for the arena to melt, John and I drove down to Double E Farm south of Franktown so I could have my lesson on Zieg’s steady Andalusian gelding, Sonoro, in his indoor arena. What a pleasure to be in Eric’s gorgeous, bright, DRY indoor! I WANT ONE! (Hence, the stack of lotto tickets sitting on my table right now. Hey.. you never know! People DO win, now and then!)
Anyway, I tried to fight him off with a whip but Eric once again stole my stirrups and reins and made me do strange gymnastics on poor Sonoro’s back for an hour, until I was begging for mercy and a Tylenol.
But you know what? I felt DIFFERENT in the saddle in just that one hour! I wasn’t gripping and tipping forward with the unexpected starts and stops near so much, I wasn’t choking poor Sonoro’s ribs with my clenched thighs, and I finally stopped screaming for someone to call 911 when I was ordered to kick up to touch my hand with my toe for the forty-seventh time! It WORKS. I’M GETTING BETTER!
SO.. if you want to give this a try, e-mail Eric at classicalequitation@gmail.com and set it up. I just KNOW you will be glad you did.
And no, he did not ask for or pay me for this endorsement. In fact, he’s going to be very embarrassed and give me a hard time when he reads this. But I know there are other people out there like me who have lost their riding confidence or their balance control of an aging and/or changing body, and I’m CONVINCED a seat lesson with Eric can help you. It has already made a difference for me, and it can for you too.
Just DO IT.
For more information on Kris click here…..
