I was watching old Maclay finals on youtube and saw someone in the comments reference a ‘well known three stride process’ that these top riders follow to regain their seat/posture in a way that looks smooth and effortless. Does anyone know what process they could be referring to?
I’ve never heard of such a thing.
If the rider stays in the middle of the horse where s/he belongs in the first place, there’s nothing to regain/recover from.
See any recent equitation video of Skylar Wireman.
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Three strides? No one is getting around a Maclay finals course if it takes them 3 strides to recover. Land in your heel and you’ll be good to go from stride one.
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Yikes three strides? You should be solid, balanced, and able to influence your horse even in the air. Or the moment they touch down (like in a bounce).
Sounds like hooey to me.
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Plus what about 1 or 2 stride combinations on course? They don’t have three strides to recover. The big eq riders especially are landing and already influencing their horses for the next turn/line/jump.
Maybe they were referring to 3 strides of the jump, not just landing? You know, stride before, stride over and stride after??? That I have heard. Not often or recently but have heard that used. Also heard over release and hold 3 strides after as a training exercise for riders who tend to sit up and stiff them on landing…not that I would have any personal experience with that 
3 strides after landing is senseless unless you want salt and pepper with the out fence in a bounce or one stride.
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