For Dude Ranch or Horseback riding vacation first timers, Andy Curry sent us this riding instruction tip sheet to help everyone sit tall in the saddle.

A.C Johnson from Larned, Kansas has done what no one else has. He balanced an egg on on an ordinary strand of very thin wire in Decmember of 1929. Not exactly a useful skill, but it does illustrate balance very well.

Balance is a key principle in all things in life and is especially true when riding a horse. Whether you’re riding to compete in the horse world or you just want to have good good riding skills, here are some guidelines:

• First - don’t look down. The rule is: Look where you want to be. If you look at the ground, then that’s where you’ll end up. Good motivation to ‘not’ look at the ground, huh?
• Next - shoulders back. Why? Besides being good posture, it makes you sit upright. If your shoulders are forward, your weight is forward. If your weight is forward, your horse will be heavy on his forehand. That makes it harder for him to turn, spin, jump, etc.
• Next - heels underneath you. Have the stirrup in the balls of your feet.
• Next - elbows in. Don’t do the floppy chicken thing.
• Next - watch yourself when riding one handed. Often, people ride one handed and their opposite shoulder rocks back. You’ll start to lean back and put pressure on your lower back – that’s not good. It’s like walking upright. You ride like you walk – up right and straight.