However, if she's going to achieve a truly independent seat, she's going to have to give up the security of her grip in order to learn how to ride with relaxation and true balance. Until she does, she's not going to be able to follow her horse's motion. She's going to get stuck on a plateau. The irony is that when she gives up her grip, her riding is actually going to regress for awhile. That frustrates many people and makes it hard for them to give up the bad riding habits they've developed that at least give them some sense of control. The reality is that unless you are able to give that control up and re-educate your body, you are not going to be able to progress to the next level.

If you don't have an independent seat, you will still influence the horse but your influences are going to create the wrong results and frustration for both you and the horse. Before you and your horse can play at the upper levels of whatever game you have chosen, being able to stay relaxed, to stay balanced over the horse's center of gravity, and to follow the horse's motion at all gaits is essential.