Human osteo input into my riding position 🙃

[Tiddlypom]

I went for my routine 8 weekly treatment with my excellent human osteo today. I also do weekly on line Pilates classes with her.

She's a rider herself, and she fully understands my keenness to get my many physical niggles into as good a shape as possible for me to be the least bad rider I can be.

I shared with her today a 45 second slo mo video clip taken by a pro of me cantering on open ground recently on a group ride, with me doing my best to be in two point seat over about 20 canter strides. It was not totally awful awful to watch, but there was much to improve. I'm moving too much in the saddle.

I am NOT sharing the video on here , but she immediately homed in on the fact that I must work on my hip flexors. My whole upper body is tipped too far forward as my arse should be further back, and then my weight would be better supported on my heels. As she said, I stand like that off a horse, too, eek.

This is one still that I will dare share from the video. Bless the horse, he is a saint.



So I have much homework to do.

 

[2ndtimearound]

Lovely Jake! And well done for showing it to her. It's good to have something to improve on (and I'm sure I have a similar problem with my hip flexors!). Those slow-mo videos are *ahem* interesting (I have three of them now, and the videographer is back this weekend and next). I wouldn't want to share mine either!

 

[Carrottom]

Dare I ask what exercises she suggested? I'm sure I have a similar weakness.

 

[Time for Tea]

I probably have similar problems and things to work on. Well I do, I know. If your stirrups were a tad shorter, would that change the angles sufficiently to produce the bum back, shoulders over heels balance? Lovely horse.

 

[webble]

What a lovely horse and well done for sharing. Could your stirrups go a hole shorter would that help?

You are very much not alone in needing to correct things though. I have recently found a good sports massage therapist who has made a massive difference to my riding through freeing up most of my upper body.

I've also stated doing some of the warm up exercises from David before I get on and do notice the difference when I forget

 

[Tiddlypom]

Dare I ask what exercises she suggested? I'm sure I have a similar weakness.

Apparently this week’s on line Pilates class, which she’s sent out but I haven’t yet done, is right up my street as it concentrates on hip flexors! I’ll share which exercises she recommends once I’ve worked through it .

I agree that shorter stirrups might well help me balance better, but although the saddle is very comfortable I was up against the knee blocks as it was - I’m tall and it has to fit many riders, as he is a trekking centre horse.

I was finding it difficult even standing on my own two feet in the treatment room to copy her demonstration of how to squat down in balance, so I definitely need to work on that. I kept tipping forward.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Yoga and/or Pilates can be brilliant for improving rider position. There’s loads of free follow along videos available on YouTube (my fav is YogawithAdriene)

 

[lynz88]

Have started PT about 2 months ago and the difference is phenomenal. So not quite the same but having a set of mobilizations, stretching, and strength exercises (which is basically what a good Pilates instructor will have you doing as well) has made an absolute world of difference.

It does take a lot of time though....but the journey is worth it (sadly am stopping my PT temporarily in case finances and job go t*ts up as it isn't cheap)!

 

[sbloom]

Rider straightness, functionality and fitness makes more difference to the horse than most people can ever imagine.

 

[Arzada]

Specifically Pilates for riders https://www.facebook.com/ridewellpilates/ https://www.riderpilatesclub.com/. Periodically there are free 5 day 20 minutes sessions with the link emailed to you.