Chair seat

[Mule]

Saw a video of me riding recently. I noticed that my I don't have an ear, hip, heel alignment. My heels are in front of my hips. The thing is, when I open my hips I end up sitting on my crotch rather than my seatbones.

I do the odd bit of lunge work without reins and stirrups so I do know I'm not balancing on the horses mouth.

I'm also a bit confused as to how to get the correct alignment. Do I move my legs back from the hip while riding and hold them there to get them in the correct position or will that cause tension?

 

[Britestar]

It could be that your saddle is making you sit like that.

Get someone to check it for you. It must fit horse but must fit you too.

 

[paddi22]

I had the same issue and it was the saddle tipping me out of balance. It fitted the horse but the kneerolls were in the wrong place for me

 

[Tiddlypom]

The saddle would be the prime suspect for me, too.

ETA videos are great for checking up on things like this, aren't they. What your body tells you it's doing vs what it is actually doing are not necessarily the same thing!

 

[Fruitcake]

I’d make a guess on it being the saddle too. Some have the stirrup bars set quite far forward. You could get someone to video you riding without stirrups and see if your alignment changes.

 

[cundlegreen]

Try riding bareback to see if that makes a difference. In my case it was tight hip flexors which is the same for a lot of horse riders.

 

[Bernster]

Agree could be saddle, tight hips and/or the angle of your lower back as you correct your lower legs.

 

[Translationsneeded]

My instructor told me my saddle did this to me. No amount of adjustment worked! Put dressage saddle on and all good. Could well be your saddle

 

[eggs]

Another who thinks it is probably the saddle. What type of saddle are you riding in?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

And yet another who thinks the saddle doesn't suit you. And tbh I'd lay bets that the stirrup bars are in the wrong place, many are! Have yu any video of your riding without stirrups?
Although I do see quite a lot of people riding in a chair seat because their stirrups are too short to allow them to do anything else.

 

[Mule]

The saddle is a GP Kieffer Garmisch. I'm sure my stirrups aren't too short. I will get some video of me without stirrups and also bareback (evil sharkfin withers):rolleyes3: thanks everyone

 

[oldie48]

HI i tend to have a chair seat, it's not my saddle it's because my pelvis is rotated forward which naturally tips me forward and off my seat bones. Lots of riders have this problem, particularly women. I've found exercises which open the hip flexors are the only thing that make a difference long term. I had a session with a someone who does biomechanics for riders and it was really helpful. I can actually see a difference in vids that were taken some time ago and the ones which are more recent.

 

[Mule]

HI i tend to have a chair seat, it's not my saddle it's because my pelvis is rotated forward which naturally tips me forward and off my seat bones. Lots of riders have this problem, particularly women. I've found exercises which open the hip flexors are the only thing that make a difference long term. I had a session with a someone who does biomechanics for riders and it was really helpful. I can actually see a difference in vids that were taken some time ago and the ones which are more recent.

Thank you