Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa. To a much lesser extent, it is ridden with American action horse breeds in Europe and Australia.

The goal of the Saddle Seat riding style is to show off the horse's extravagant gaits, particularly the trot. All saddle seat riding is done on the flat (this means jumping is not involved). In the United States, there sometimes is confusion between saddle seat and hunt seat disciplines among individuals who are neither familiar with different styles of English saddle nor the substantial differences in rider position and attire between the disciplines.

Saddle Seat riding as a distinct style within the broader group of English riding disciplines developed in the United States from two sources. The first was the Plantation tradition of the American South, where smooth-moving, high-stepping horses were used by plantation owners and overseers to travel across the fields. The horses had to be smooth riding and comfortable enough for hours of riding while overseeing the plantation, but the owners also wanted showy animals for riding in town. A second influence was European: a flatter English show saddle was developed from the tradition of riders who would often show off their flashiest, highest-stepping horses by riding them in city parks on Sundays. Hence, the term "park horse" is still used today to describe competitions where the action of the horse is of paramount importance.