Once someone has had a few lessons, we may look at saddle work. This involves sitting on a horse’s saddle on a specially made wooden trestle.
The body can balance very easily on the saddle so it is useful to explore natural posture, back problems and tightness in the legs and hip joints.
You don’t need to be a horse rider to benefit from saddle work. In fact, working with a saddle originated in 1955 from a four year old girl with spina bifida. She didn’t have the use of her legs so couldn’t stand and sitting was difficult.
My old teacher, Walter Carrington, started working with her on a toy donkey. It was fun for a little girl and easier for him to work with her to build up her strength and balance. As she grew bigger, he eventually moved on to the horse’s saddle and wooden saddle-horse. Her upper body became quite strong and she was able to walk using callipers and crutches and the way was freer to lead an independent life.