Rider Biomechanics and Horse movement.

• Have you ever noticed that when you start in on a new direction or a new learning experience, then all of a sudden you are seeing information on it everywhere, I have been looking at riders position in relation to what it does to the horse. In doing so I have found that there are multiple videos on YouTube and discussions with riding friends, as well as on Facebook streams.

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• The more I watch shows, videos or lessons with other people unfortunately the more critical I get with my own riding.

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• I am just starting to understand how my being out of balance, affects so much in both bodies. I am fortunate that my mentors and trainers are able to see and help with what needs to be done. Unfortunately not everyone controls their body well enough to be able to make the corrections easily. Our horses may protest but all in all they do as they always do. Learn to live with it. It is up to us to make it easier for both. Every body type has its challenges, as well as age and training. Not every ride will be perfect and not everyone is able to “feel” the horse and their bodies movements easily. It is hard and something that needs to be worked on constantly.

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• Many years ago when I was jumping, everything taught was heals down and to go up into two point, nothing was ever taught in regards to keeping the heels flexible but somehow we learned to keep the seat balanced and be light in the saddle. Hands did a crest release and you keep your hands light [probably showing my age here]

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• I guess part of this is me watching others and the never ending debate in my head, about light seat forward seat and basic seat, I see a lot of people doing today.

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• I am trying to figure out when the forward seat and the light seat meant that you were out of the saddle and standing in your stirrups.

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• To me that just throws your weight forward, it has you bouncing and unbalanced, and all of your weight on the horses forehand. Your hands are pulling back on the horses mouth to balance yourself. Your legs go forward or backwards depending on the movement of the horse. The flexibility in the riders pelvic joints and the ability to balance both horse and rider properly is not there in many of the rides i see. What happened to being able to stabilize yourself in the saddle. Why do we tend to ride on top of the horse and not with the horse?

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• The ability to use your pelvis and keep balanced in the saddle well in the two point or the light seat does not that mean that you are standing on your stirrups and your seat is totally out the saddle. Being balanced means your shoulders, hips, and ankle joints are still in line and therefore you riding with stability on your horse and they can move freely underneath you.

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• The other thing that getting to me is the concept of contact on your rein, if you have contact with the horses mouth that is steady and moves with them that is contact. It is not keeping your hands so still that it not contacting the horses mouth consistently, it is not having loopy reins, it is not having piano hands, or hands that are too low or too wide for what you’re doing. All of these put pressure and inconsistent bumping on your horses jaw and not on the area of the mouth that works best, the corners. Even bitless riders are putting pressure on the horses facial nerves rather than where it needs to be on the bridge of the nose with inconsistent contact. Keeping steady contact means that they are not being jerked in the mouth at any time.

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• There are many good videos and trainers out there, that are able to help you and your horse with the biomechanics of balanced riders. Just search Rider biomechanics.

• Exercises and understanding the concepts help.

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• Ride safe, have fun with your horses, be kind.