Flawless equitation?

After a while, it will just become natural for you to get the correct posting diagonal... I have been riding for 15 years now, and I don't ever look for it, I can just feel if I am on the right one! It's kind of weird how it just comes to you lol

I have to say some horses totally confuse me; its due to their conformation. I always posted the correct diagonal on a TB lesson mare but my trainer's warmblood had a different feel to it. I kept rising on the wrong diagonal. Turns out the "shoulder" I thought I was rising on (by feel) was the hind!

I always feel the hind end of a horse now, its something that is just in my awareness. It can be distracting.

Livelovelaughride,

You are blessed! One (one!!) of my greatest challenges is "turning off and tuning in" to the feel of the horse beneath me...I would give anything to be able to truly just feel what she is doing at all times (which part off her is where, and at what time, etc...) as we are working, but it seems the harder I concentrate, the harder it is!

I can usually tell which diagonal I'm on by being obviously off balance right away if I'm posting at the wrong time....that DOES have to do with feel so maybe I am starting to "get" some feel.

OP, I would bet improving your immediate "feel" of what your horse is doing beneath you would help a ton with picking up the correct diagonal!

You are very likely a more advanced rider than I, but, I figured my two cents couldn't hurt! ; 0)
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"the harder I concentrate, the harder it is"
This is so true!
Close your eyes and count the beats you feel, then open your eyes to see what their shoulder is doing at each beat really helps. (When I first tried this, I could only feel the front feet! )
We humans try to see everything with our eyes. A lot of riding is letting our bodies relax and feel the horse's balance and rhythm through our fingers, seat, and inner-ear balance. It takes time and practice!
Good for you for striving to get better!

I don't know how sensitive your horse is but my instructor told me to squeeze and rise at the same time and the horse should follow your motion and you'll automaticly be on the correct diagonal. Nice trick that works for me most of the time (as long as he decides to listen right away.