So, I think it's safe to assume that a horse breeding sim game would have at least some real life riders on it. Like me, for example. However, I am not at all experienced enough to do anything except receive advice, which is what I came here to do.

Specifically, if anyone has any tips to improve on the following:

- general seating position (staying relaxed, sitting 'deep', etc)

- how to keep my heels down

- general confidence (specifically on forward/faster horses)

- confidence over jumps

- any off-horse exercises to improve

Thanks!
~ Alagos Acres

Confidence is a big part in riding and when riding very forward horses is a shook to some people but u just don't tense(The amount of times I have said that word) and make sure ur body is relaxed, Just go with the horse. that's where sitting deep comes in cause the more u sit deep In a fast canter can reduce the speed xD But most of all just enjoy it, yes it can take a while but just enjoy riding that horse and just think about what you can do with that horse, I usual just take deep breathes, Relax and just enjoy really.

jumping takes a lot of confidence but it's so much fun, I do Eventing so I have 2 elements of jumping but both of them are so much fun, Just think About getting over the jump first, think about how much fun it is and not to worry cause that can make confidence worse, All ways ask your trainer to do some low poles and then build up to cross rails as they both help the horse and rider when getting ready for jumping xx. And finally exercising for yourself is needed.

I recommend Squats, Lunges, press ups & Sits ups as I find they help with ur Core, Calf Muscles and thighs. And I occasionally work on my arms but not a lot.

This maybe a lot as I tried to explain my best, I hope this helpless, If you have any other questions feel free to shot me a PM

From Lea Manor xx

Confidence wise, speaking from experience, (I'm terrified of horses, just so you know) the more you do it, the more comfortable you will become. As your seat gets more secure, your confidence will too. Don't ride around people that leave you feeling as if you don't know what you're doing. Hopefully you don't know anyone like that, but it happens.

As far as jumping goes, I haven't done it much, so I can't offer much on that, except don't second guess your horse at the last minute.

And as gob exercises, all the ones above are good. Also, if you are having trouble keeping your heels down, stand on a step with the balls of your feet, letting all your weight sink in to your heels. This will help you keep the same position while riding.

For general riding position, do a lot of no stirrup posting trot. It hurts after a while, but will really build your balance and stability.

For finding a relaxed seat, I recommend doing some yoga stretches. You can't relax into the seat if your muscles prevent it (specifically your hip flexors, iliopsoas, quads, glutes, and lower back). My favorite positions are pigeon or half-pigeon (https://www.ekhartyoga.com/more-yoga/yoga-poses/pigeon-pose), lizard (https://www.doyouyoga.com/how-to-do-lizard-pose/), Thread the Needle (lying on your back, cross your ankle over one knee, put one arm through between your ankle and knee, and the let your other arm reach around, grasp the top of your calf just below your knee with both hands and gently push your knee towards you shoulder until you feel a good stretch in your outer hips and glutes), and Low Lunge or Illiopsoas stretch (Start in a runner’s lunge, right leg forward with knee over ankle and left knee on ground with top of your foot flat on the mat. Slowly lift torso and rest hands lightly on right thigh. Lean hips forward slightly, keeping right knee behind toes, and feel the stretch in the left hip flexor. Hold here, or for a deeper stretch, raise arms overhead, biceps by ears.) I usually hold these poses for a minute and do them two or three times in my stretching routine. But if you're starting out, I recommend 20 to 30 seconds and working your way up.

One of the things that I find when people start out is that in an effort to achieve a deep seat, they throw their shoulders backwards, lock their lower back, and use their seat bones to drive the horse forward (also causes the lower leg to loosen around the horse's barrel and potentially swing). The seat will come with time and practice, but make sure that you maintain good posture: Shoulders over hips, hips over heels. Create the straight line from head to foot and strive to maintain it at the walk, trot, canter.

Another really good way to create a good seat is to do LOTS of no stirrup work. I find that people who have a hard time getting a natural seat are usually locking either their hips or lower back and bracing on their stirrups. Without your stirrups, you're forcing your body to relax into your horses and mirror their movement. This will not only give you that relaxed seat that you're looking for, it will also help you with your leg in general and can help you find that muscle memory for keeping your heels down. When you drop your stirrups, though, don't just let your leg hang against your horse's barrel. Keep the bend in your knee and ride as if you have stirrups, making sure to keep your toes toward the horse's shoulder and close to the girth.

As far as keeping your heels down, there are several things you can do. 1) Make sure that your toes are turned in toward the horses shoulder. 2) Ride from your big toe to outer branch of your foot, not the other way around. This will mean that your foot will be on a slight angle. 3) Instead of thinking "Leg on" think "Ankle on." And what I mean by that is you want to glue your ankle bone to your horse's barrel and keep it there, which may cause your knee to bend a little more to achieve this. This will keep your whole leg (thigh to ankle) on your horse instead of just thigh to calf (creating a gap at the ankle usually because of bracing on the stirrup). A lot of people create an unnatural heel position by pushing all their weight onto the ball of their foot so they crank their heel down. This is not actually riding with you're heel down; you're still technically on your toe. These riders are easy to spot because they leave a lot of daylight between their horse's side and their leg and because they have a more forward foot (usually past the girth).

No stirrup work will help with this as well. You'll learn to balance yourself better in the saddle, reducing your need to be on your toe. In addition to no stirrup work, incorporate a lot of two-point and half-seat in your hacks. Two-pointing will force your heel down and you'll start to learn that muscle memory from that. Two-point at the walk and trot, staying in the position during up and downward transitions as well.

Confidence is a trickier thing because it can't be trained like a muscle. Well, not exactly. Confidence takes time and dedication. I would suggest giving yourself small, attainable goals for each ride that push you just a little bit outside of your comfort zone. For example, when I started taking formal lessons again several years ago, my gelding had shattered my confidence to the point where I was scared to go any faster than a slow trot (he was a wild broncing fool when we went faster). I eventually worked my way from a slow trot to a fast, extended trot. Then to a couple of seconds at the canter. Then a a whole lap of the arena at the canter. Then several laps. And then... suddenly I was comfortable with all his gaits again and we started doing poles and cross-rails. Make small changes to your ride that push you, for several seconds, outside of your comfort zone. Give yourself something that's attainable. And don't be too hard on yourself if it doesn't work out the way you want to right away. Often times, we riders beat ourselves up. We're always very easy to forgive our horses for their mistakes, but never ourselves. So be kind to yourself as well; you're learning and it's okay to be scared or make mistakes. Keep trying and you will get there.

Another thing I do when I'm feel anxious or less-than-confident is I sing to myself. It sounds so silly, but it helps. When I'm on a faster horse (I prefer more of a push ride than a forward ride) or when I'm jumping bigger jumps that I'm used to, I'll sing Row Row Row Your Boat, my ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or whatever song I have stuck in my head at the moment. Singing help me to breathe and relax and distracts me a little bit from over thinking all the things (because I'm such a Type A personality). I've found over the course of the years that if I'm still breathing (instead of holding my breath) then nine times out of ten, I'm not locking parts of my body.

When you're jumping, remember that your head weights approximately eight pounds and that your horse can feel the slightest change in pressure and balance. If you look at the jump, not only are you tilting your body forward (your shoulders will ALWAYS follow where head is looking), but your horse can see (literally, with it's eyes) you looking at it and will suddenly question whether this is a good idea or not. Be quiet with your body and release only as far as you need to with your hands. Your job is to navigate beyond the jump, NOT the jump itself. Your horse's responsibility is jump the jump. And if you can be quiet in the saddle, giving with your hands, and not jumping up the neck or getting left behind, the horse can do its job much better. A lot of people will tell you to find the distance and guide your horse their. I was always taught that the horse will find the distance on it's own, as long as you sit up nice and tall and keep your leg on.

I'll echo what previous posters have said about squats and lunges. They're great exercises. And add in some cardio high intensity interval training (HIIT) to build up your endurance.

Above all, have fun and enjoy yourself!!!