Daft seat question

[DirectorFury]

I should probably just have a master thread where I ask dumb questions that I should know the answer to. Maybe this thread will become that!

I’ve been having a weird problem with my seat/seatbones for about 2 years. Basically it feels like one (the left) points down into the saddle as it should, and the other (right) points backwards behind me. This is anatomically impossible so what is actually happening and how can I make it stop? It might be related to the fact that I roll some muscle or ligament over the right seatbone if I’m not careful when I sit down and have to snap it out of the way.

If I manage to get the right one feeling like it’s pointing straight down then the left hand side just lifts completely off the saddle and my left leg does some strange things.

I’ve just bought the Activate Your Seat stuff in the hope that’ll help. Unfortunately there are no Ride With Your Mind / instructors that will work on position round here unless you travel to them and that’s not an option right now. Most of the ones who’d come to the yard are of the draw reins and saw its head down persuasion so I’m on my own with this! My YO is fab but she’s never had these problems so is at a bit of a loss of how to fix it.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Do you stretch?

When I don't I can feel it in my riding. Stretching also made me more aware of weak and inflexible points in my body. Sort of helped me figure out some unevenness.

 

[Roxylola]

Look for an Andy Thomas clinic you can get to. Hes a wizard with his work, have a look on his Facebook page for his webinars - worth a watch for £10.
Or look for a good equipilates class, there's a few on line at the moment - 3 I could recommend personally
Or an instructor/clinic who runs Franklin ball sessions

 

[milliepops]

[broken record klaxon] Andy Thomas/Testt!

I'm not sure how far west he goes tho. I think ex HHOer Tabledancer might be your closest and she's nearly on the border. it would be worth asking him if he has clinics over your way though.

The Activate Your Seat stuff does sound very good though. I have followed on FB and there's a lot of familiar stuff to the Andy/Equipilates things I've been doing.

For me stretching doesn't help that much but I'm too bendy naturally, Learning how to switch on the sleepy bits has really helped.

 

[DirectorFury]

Do you stretch?

When I don't I can feel it in my riding. Stretching also made me more aware of weak and inflexible points in my body. Sort of helped me figure out some unevenness.

I do stretch but definitely not as much as I should or necessarily the right bits! I have piriformis problems that are secondary to some weird hip stuff so focus mainly on stopping that getting tight and squashing my sciatic nerve, maybe I’ll try and extend my repertoire.

Look for an Andy Thomas clinic you can get to. Hes a wizard with his work, have a look on his Facebook page for his webinars - worth a watch for £10.
Or look for a good equipilates class, there's a few on line at the moment - 3 I could recommend personally
Or an instructor/clinic who runs Franklin ball sessions

[broken record klaxon] Andy Thomas/Testt!

I'm not sure how far west he goes tho. I think ex HHOer Tabledancer might be your closest and she's nearly on the border. it would be worth asking him if he has clinics over your way though.

The Activate Your Seat stuff does sound very good though. I have followed on FB and there's a lot of familiar stuff to the Andy/Equipilates things I've been doing.

For me stretching doesn't help that much but I'm too bendy naturally, Learning how to switch on the sleepy bits has really helped.

I was concerned someone would say TTest, I’d love to go to one of his sessions but they’re all too far away at the moment ?. Maybe I’ll try and nag the local RC into having him over this way for a clinic! Any equipilates reccs would be amazing though, it’s so hard to know what’s worth spending money on.

 

[ester]

So ermm, not riding wise but sticking ligament wise between flexion/extension. If my core is right mine doesn't do it. But it's taken a long time for me to get my core good enough to make a difference.

 

[milliepops]

I've been doing Jo titterton equipilates via FB since Xmas and def feel the benefit. My right piriformis gets in spasm at the drop of a hat, I sympathise... the activation stuff she does has really helped with that, getting glute med working instead.

 

[PapaverFollis]

MrPF has always had major wonky seat problems. He's picked up a stretch/strength exercise routine recently that seems really simple but has completely transformed his ability to sit straight on the horse. I will ask him for details in the morning.

 

[Roxylola]

Jo titterton, my physiotherapist liz Yeates runs zoom sessions or hayley Smith who brands as the rider refiner are all decent.
Emma Mcgurk is a testt qualified coach i think - might be worth a look as well

 

[tallyho!]

I think firstly, make sure you haven't got a cramped ligament or tendon anywhere in your body - a good chiropractor can help release any imbalance. I swear by going to mine - my whole posture has changed back to what it was after it all went wrong post-partum. The main issues I get told is in your legs and core muscles - this can twist your spine and pelvis and after a while it make feel normal but in fact your pelvis is rotated obliquely which it can do.

Then, check your saddle - has any flocking gone awry? Is it truly balanced? Any oddities with it - look carefully. A friend of mine suddenly started feeling uncomfortable in the saddle and despite all her pilates and stretching, it turned out one of the springs was wonky! God only knows how it happened. Not saying your saddle is the problem - just sometimes, you never know!

Don't forget the horse can "put" you in positions too - some have this ability and they are naturally crooked even if sound.

RWYM instructors will watch you on video, mine does. Why don't you call up and ask? Don't really know about Andy Thomas so can't comment. Pilates/Yoga is awesome though pre-ride, really changes my ride.

 

[TPO]

Second everything on the thread but especially getting some hands on treatment yourself.

I have lost track of what's going on covid restriction wise but I know hairdressers in Scotland open tomorrow so not sure if physio type stuff will too.

I ended up going to a KCR (kinetic chain release?) person who used their elbow on my sizeable backside. I have never felt pain like it but apparently that was because I had just about everything out of alignment. I could sit on chairs a lot straighter and evenly after that (want riding at that point).

But yeah some hands on stuff should work towards making you correct and then you can do the stretching and exercises to strengthen your straightness.

The worry about doing stuff without "being seen" is that you dont know and then reinforce the wrong position.

Standing on a flat surface in underwear in front of a mirror sometimes helps you spot things, just like you were viewing a horse. Is each side symmetrical, level of boney points, rotation through knees etc

I had a physio tell me that I was breathing wrong and coulsnt get enough air but since I hadnt died I didnt believe her. She mad me watch my ribcage as I took big breaths and it pulled to the right. She did agonising work on my ribs and hey presto my big breaths were huge and ny ribcage went up and down like a normal person. I hadnt know that was a thing but it did make a big difference when I went running and could actually breathe in air!

So yeah if possible having someone good do hands on stuff is probably the best place to start and then do the pilates/core stuff to strengthen your corrected position iykwim

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I don't know where you are but can you get to Kelsall in Cheshire? There's a new clinic there with a Racewood simulator, she teaches this approach, as well as massage etc so it might be worth a day out for you (with or without your horse) once lockdown allows. PM me if you want the details.

 

[DirectorFury]

Thanks guys, lots to think about and a few options to consider!

MrPF has always had major wonky seat problems. He's picked up a stretch/strength exercise routine recently that seems really simple but has completely transformed his ability to sit straight on the horse. I will ask him for details in the morning.

Yes please, this would be great .

Then, check your saddle - has any flocking gone awry? Is it truly balanced? Any oddities with it - look carefully. A friend of mine suddenly started feeling uncomfortable in the saddle and despite all her pilates and stretching, it turned out one of the springs was wonky! God only knows how it happened. Not saying your saddle is the problem - just sometimes, you never know!

Don't forget the horse can "put" you in positions too - some have this ability and they are naturally crooked even if sound.

RWYM instructors will watch you on video, mine does. Why don't you call up and ask? Don't really know about Andy Thomas so can't comment. Pilates/Yoga is awesome though pre-ride, really changes my ride.

Funnily enough, I did blame the saddle at first so sent it off for a full strip-down to check the tree and reflock. The saddler said it was fine and this also happens in my other saddle but it was well worth ruling out!

It's mainly shame and embarrassment putting me off asking someone for a video assessment - ridiculous I know - because they're going to see a video and go "oh wow there is way too much to unpick here, how are you so bad at just sitting on a horse?". I need to get over myself as I won't get better by not doing anything.

I had a physio tell me that I was breathing wrong and coulsnt get enough air but since I hadnt died I didnt believe her. She mad me watch my ribcage as I took big breaths and it pulled to the right. She did agonising work on my ribs and hey presto my big breaths were huge and ny ribcage went up and down like a normal person. I hadnt know that was a thing but it did make a big difference when I went running and could actually breathe in air!

I don't know why but this has really tickled me!
The last chiro and 2 physios I saw said I had the tightest back muscles they'd ever seen and that they'd not seen them so 'protective' (not in a good way) before. Despite 3x weekly sports massage/physio we couldn't get them to loosen off, I wonder if humans have an equivalent of PSSM...

I don't know where you are but can you get to Kelsall in Cheshire? There's a new clinic there with a Racewood simulator, she teaches this approach, as well as massage etc so it might be worth a day out for you (with or without your horse) once lockdown allows. PM me if you want the details.

Kelsall is about 3hr30 away from me (South/West Wales) but it's definitely doable without the horse if I could book 2 sessions on consecutive days. I don't think we're allowed out of Wales yet but I'd be really interested in that when everything eases!

 

[TPO]

Thanks guys, lots to think about and a few options to consider!

Yes please, this would be great .


Funnily enough, I did blame the saddle at first so sent it off for a full strip-down to check the tree and reflock. The saddler said it was fine and this also happens in my other saddle but it was well worth ruling out!

It's mainly shame and embarrassment putting me off asking someone for a video assessment - ridiculous I know - because they're going to see a video and go "oh wow there is way too much to unpick here, how are you so bad at just sitting on a horse?". I need to get over myself as I won't get better by not doing anything.


I don't know why but this has really tickled me!
The last chiro and 2 physios I saw said I had the tightest back muscles they'd ever seen and that they'd not seen them so 'protective' (not in a good way) before. Despite 3x weekly sports massage/physio we couldn't get them to loosen off, I wonder if humans have an equivalent of PSSM...


Kelsall is about 3hr30 away from me (South/West Wales) but it's definitely doable without the horse if I could book 2 sessions on consecutive days. I don't think we're allowed out of Wales yet but I'd be really interested in that when everything eases!

Well done for deciphering the worst text spelling and grammar ever!

I get that too when I actually bother to see someone (i.e. the pain becomes unbearable). I think horse people must have the most crumpled bodies because despite any crashing falls we are always "fine" then continue to muck out and lug heavy water buckets with our decrepit bodies.

A bit like horses, or jenga, if you alter one part the wheels fall off and most of us have learnt how to compensate on a daily basis. Its sorta ok until it isnt...

I dont know if this year when things are quieter competition wise if it's the best time to let everything fall apart with no pressure to fix everything before an event thr next weekend kinda thing. Not aimed at OP but just in general about all aspects of horses, us, fitness and just life.

Sort of the old "build and they will come" but maybe more "build a seat and jumping will become easy" type of thing. Admittedly not as catchy and unlikely to be the premise of a film but hey ho

 

[Cam Eq]

I should probably just have a master thread where I ask dumb questions that I should know the answer to. Maybe this thread will become that!

I’ve been having a weird problem with my seat/seatbones for about 2 years. Basically it feels like one (the left) points down into the saddle as it should, and the other (right) points backwards behind me. This is anatomically impossible so what is actually happening and how can I make it stop? It might be related to the fact that I roll some muscle or ligament over the right seatbone if I’m not careful when I sit down and have to snap it out of the way.

If I manage to get the right one feeling like it’s pointing straight down then the left hand side just lifts completely off the saddle and my left leg does some strange things.

I’ve just bought the Activate Your Seat stuff in the hope that’ll help. Unfortunately there are no Ride With Your Mind / instructors that will work on position round here unless you travel to them and that’s not an option right now. Most of the ones who’d come to the yard are of the draw reins and saw its head down persuasion so I’m on my own with this! My YO is fab but she’s never had these problems so is at a bit of a loss of how to fix it.

Franklin balls?

 

[PapaverFollis]

DF - this is the chap whose exercises MrPF has been doing. He actually paid for the video and instructions he uses but I think there are free videos too. From the improvement I've seen in a short time I'd say it's worth a look.

https://tommorrison.uk/

 

[milliepops]

oooh i watched the vid on the homepage and that was scaaaaaary to me, lol. I could see dislocations a go-go haha. his blog on hypermobility was sensible though, and he's so right, stretching is sort of compulsive when you are bendy. but I'm reading contradictory stuff about whether it's good to do or not when you can't rely on your ligaments to keep joints in a sensible range of motion. it looks like an interesting program though.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I've not looked at it at all myself so don't know what he says theory wise. Just know that the dodgy hip MrPF has been complaining makes him sit wonky on a horse since I met him (however many millions of years ago that was) is finally starting to be less of an issue! However MrPF is definitely not hyper-mobile. ?

 

[milliepops]

yeah can def see how it would be helpful if you had a persistent stiff wonkiness

does it translate to riding well or just de wonk and mobilise so you can do your own thing in the saddle?
the thing I've been enjoying about equipilates is that the teacher keeps linking it back to riding so you can feel how an exercise is going to help with something if you remember the activation etc. but I guess it's possibly easier if you are starting out with a normal level of asymmetry rather than something really baked in.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I guess the thing is that MrPF has been into the EE stuff for almost as long as he's been complaining about the hip. He's had regular lessons with Omar while we were down in Cumbria. He's been down to Heather's and done EETT level 1, though never properly passed because he didn't feel confident to teach anyone apart from me (fun for all the family ?). So he's pretty well ingrained with what his body *should* be doing and has developed a pretty good seat anyway. There's just been this persistent block. So as it's freed up he's been able to translate it to the riding himself. I'm not sure if it translates directly to riding as such but for a big wonky-ness it might be a good starting point before tackling something like equipilates or specific seat lessons on a simulator.

I actually need to do it myself but I'm very lazy and have run out of any ambitions other than 'stay on and have fun'. MrPF still wants to improve himself as a rider.

 

[tallyho!]

DF - this is the chap whose exercises MrPF has been doing. He actually paid for the video and instructions he uses but I think there are free videos too. From the improvement I've seen in a short time I'd say it's worth a look.

https://tommorrison.uk/

Incredible... can’t wait for gyms to open again... exercising at home is utterly boring. Not that I’m saying I can do ANY of that, but just to exercise in a group like Pilates or capoeira or something...

 

[DirectorFury]

DF - this is the chap whose exercises MrPF has been doing. He actually paid for the video and instructions he uses but I think there are free videos too. From the improvement I've seen in a short time I'd say it's worth a look.

https://tommorrison.uk/

Brilliant, thanks PF (and Mr PF!). I'll give it a try on the basis that nothing can make me any worse than I am .