Instructions
Mount the horse and place your feet in the stirrups. Adjust the length if necessary. The thigh must run parallel with the kneepad while sitting in an Australian saddle. While in the stirrup, the feet must be placed forward and the heels must face down to allow for a longer ride. Get off of the horse and adjust the stirrups by tightening or loosening the straps if necessary.
Ensure an even weight distribution on the horse's back. Do this by placing a quarter of your weight in each stirrup, with the rest of your weight being balance in the seat of the saddle.
Use a much lower post than you would use in a Western saddle while riding an Australian saddle.
Rest only the balls of your feet should rest on the stirrup bar, and not your whole foot. The stirrups are simple bars as with an English saddle, so do not push your foot all the way through to keep it from getting stuck.
Sit much deeper and much more forward in an Australian saddle than you would in a Western saddle, as it is a forward seating saddle.
Keep your legs in perfect balance under you in order to help maintain your seat. There will be help from the stirrups and the leg positioning of the Australian saddle when you speed.
How to Ride With an Aussie Saddle
Australian saddles started to provide for the long hours of riding and primitive conditions encountered on large cattle ranches. While some features, such as the stirrups and the saddle's positioning are reminiscent of an English saddle, other features, like the horn are more similar to a Western saddle. The technique for riding in an Aussie saddle is slightly different than its Western or English counterparts, but once mastered, the saddle provides a greater degree of comfort, especially for long trips over rough terrain.