Riding at the Walk: The Forgotten Foundation of Dressage
- Isaac Ares
- Classical Dressage & Biomechanics
Hola everyone I just saw a video where a rider was talking while her horse was walking…
It hurt my brain to watch. So I’m writing this to help people in general...
Riding at the Walk: The Art of Sitting Well Riding at the walk shouldn't be a break or just a way to get from point A to B. It’s not a moment for chatting or zoning out. The walk is the foundational gait upon which all of classical dressage is built. And yet, it’s one of the most misunderstood and poorly ridden gaits even by experienced riders.
This article isn’t a personal critique. It’s an attempt to shed light on a reality that’s often normalized: riders who sit on the horse without actually being with the horse.
Why is riding the walk so important?
The walk isn't just a slow gait: it's a test of balance, awareness, and embodied communication. If you can’t ride the walk correctly, you can’t truly ride any other gait in harmony.
At the walk, the horse’s spine moves in a gentle, three dimensional oscillation. That movement flows directly through the rider’s body. If the rider doesn’t absorb and follow it with their pelvis, the horse begins to brace or disconnect.
The common mistake: locked pelvis, floppy waist
The typical image: a rider with her pelvis collapsed backwards, sacrum sunken into the saddle, and her upper body absorbing the motion like a rag doll.
In that position:
The pelvis is inactive.The rider can’t feel the horse’s back.The lower back takes the impact.The horse loses rhythm and freedom.And the worst part: neither horse nor rider are truly present with one another.
The correct seat: active presence through the pelvisRiding the walk correctly means:Weight resting on the seat bones, not on the sacrum.The pelvis tracing a subtle (infinity symbol).No tension in the legs or glutes.Spine upright but elastic, not collapsing through the waist.Influencing through breath and intention not force.
This kind of seat creates natural synchronicity with the horse’s movement, effortlessly.
What the horse feels
From the horse’s sensory and ethological point of view, a rider who sits poorly is:
An unstable weight.
A source of discomfort.
A subtle stressor that erodes trust.
A rider who moves with the horse, on the other hand, brings:
Confidence.
Clarity.
Freedom of motion.
Riding the walk correctly is not just more effective it’s more ethical.
Riding the walk well is one of the most underestimated and most revealing skills in classical dressage. It’s not “basic” as in easy. It’s fundamental.
The rider who learns to sit with presence, sensitivity, and precision at the walk has already taken the first real step toward true dressage.
It’s not about showing off. It’s not about chatting while the horse walks. It’s about being there…with your whole body, with your full respect, with your deepest attention.
Isaac Ares
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