Poetry in motion.
Graceful confidence paints the movements of the rodeo queen as she streaks by on her fast horse, their movements choreographed in a sort of dance.
The crown on her head barely bobs to the rhythm of the horses hooves as she holds her head high and her arms extend royally as she guides her skilled mount through the arena.
Her feet are quiet and her seat is firm, but she flows with the motion of the horse easily.
From Miss Rodeo America to county fair queens, obtaining this level of connection and beauty while horseback is and should be the goal of every rodeo queen and rodeo queen hopeful.
An old adage told to me by numerous coaches and friends in the queening world says: Look like a Reiner. Ride like a queen.
I grew up watching the grace and poise of the rodeo queens, admiring the fluidity of their movements with the horses they rode. While I felt confident in my abilities to stay on a horse, I knew there was much I needed to learn before I looked like a true rodeo queen.
Through years of practice and countless learning opportunities, I've accrued a list of tips to help any rodeo queen look and ride more like the rodeo queen they hope to be.
Slower is Faster
When I began rodeo queening I had a need for speed.
I thought that the faster I could ride the better it made me as a horsewoman and so I could patterns and maneuvers as quickly as possible. This rush resulted in a jumble of jerk motions on mine and my horses parts that made my overall horsemanship look rushed and messy.
As I got older I began paying more attention to reining competitions and I began to notice the pauses and ease of the cues that the riders would give the horses that made the overall performance look fluid and skillful.
As I began to work on slowing down my patterns and cues I found my horse more responsive and willing to perform as asked instead of being flustered. This resulted in an overall more attractive and fluid appearance of my horsemanship patterns.
Fix the Seat Fix the Feet
Riding horses is in large part about your ability to stay on them, but there is more to it than simply avoiding falling off.
If you watch a rodeo queen who is considered a "good" rider you will notice that her butt rarely leaves the saddle. She does not accomplish this by sitting heavily and griping with her knees, but rather by using her hips to copy and absorb the motion of the horse.
Horse riding is often compared to dancing in large part due to the rhythm or "gaits" of a horse at different speeds. A horses walk is four beats, the trot two, and the lope is three.
By getting used to your horse and feeling the motion of each foot hitting the ground to these beats is can be easier to keep a good firm seat without sitting heavy or squeezing your legs.
Improving your seat will also have the added benefit of making your feet look less wild. If you use your legs to maintain your seat your legs will stiffen and this will make your feet look like wild chopsticks slashing the air as your horse moves.
If you can learn to use your hips and the horse's motion to get a better seat, you will intern soften your legs and fix the appearance of your feet as well.
Arm Watch
If you've ever seen an old western you've seen an example of poor horsemanship.
Many of the riders portrayed have stiff arms that jerk at the horse mouth and their elbows bounce wildly at their sides.
This is neither poised nor pretty and should be avoided at all costs.
Your arms should be held close to your body and avoid flapping as it affects your posture and the cues you give your horse. The hand that you use on the reins should be held as close to the horse's neck and cues should be performed as lightly as possible (preferably with only the movement of the wrist).
By keeping your arms close to your sides and working to soften your reining hand, you and your horse will look all the better as a team.
Smile
Last but never least, always have a smile on your face.
Sometimes a mistake or trouble with a cue can be discouraging, but a bad attitude never fixed anything.
Whether you are in the practice pen trying to work on a maneuver or in a competition a smile and a good attitude are cue to a comfortable and confident performance like the rodeo queen you envision as a beautiful horse rider.
Keeping a smile on your face boosts your confidence while riding and shows the audience and any judges that you trust yourself and your horse.
Never Stop Learning
There is no exact recipe to achieving rodeo queen level riding.
After years of practice and training, I still find myself learning new things about horsemanship every day. Practice the little things and never turn down the chance to learn from someone new.
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