08/31/2026
Advanced riders still belong on the lunge line.
My years of experience have shown me that we should never graduate from working on our own position.
I will often put even very advanced riders on a lunge line—not because they cannot ride, but because removing some of the responsibilities of steering and managing the horse allows us to study the rider more precisely: balance, alignment, symmetry, breathing, coordination, independence of the hands and legs, and the ability to follow the horse without interfering with him.
And I am never ashamed to have a colleague put me on a lunge line. Developing the seat is a lifelong practice.
Dr. Maria Katsamanis