How to recognize tight hamstrings? In the saddle: Your pelvis tilts backward (rounding your lower back), which prevents you from sitting directly on your seat bones. In movement: You tend to "paddle" with your legs or get bounced out of the saddle with every stride because your body cannot absorb the movement. On the ground: When bending forward with straight legs, you struggle to touch even your shins, let alone the floor. What you gain by releasing them: ✅ A deep and stable seat: Your pelvis aligns naturally, allowing you to "sit into" the horse and flow with its movement. ✅ Relaxation of the horse's back: You will stop landing heavily in the saddle, allowing your horse to finally breathe freely and round its back. ✅ Flexibility in the knees: Relaxed hamstrings allow your knees to drop down, creating a stable, long leg line.