Balance Seat Riding Lessons with Julie Blackburn and Providence Riding Academy LLC. Balance seat is an all-purpose seat that encourages riding by balance rather than strength or force. Based on a modified dressage seat, balance seat encompasses riding on the flat as well as jumping and cross-country riding. Balance seat riding lessons can help you become a more effective rider by teaching you to control your breathing, vision, posture and mental imaging. This allows you to ride in a relaxed and balanced manner in any style saddle, using any rein handling technique. Balance seat riders learn how to establish a harmonious physical interaction with their horses, rather than just achieving a prescribed show ring seat. Julie's students learn the true meaning of "horsemanship". Safety, etiquette, proper grooming techniques, and management of the horse are taught to create a well rounded horse person. Julie Blackburn has been a Massachusetts licensed instructor for over 25 years teaching both in New England and the Midwest. She has an A.S. in Equine Studies and a B.S. in Equine Business Management from Johnson & Wales University. Julie also has managed boarding farms and riding schools, and has coached several students to regional and local championships in dressage and eventing. As a board member of the Midwest Dressage Association and the Michigan Welsh Pony Association she was involved in organizing and hosting several large horse shows.