Position - help/suggestions for tilting please! (pics)

[Governor]

I've been looking through some photos of me riding from yesterday (rest are in PG) and I appear to have made very little progress in terms of sitting up.

I have regular lessons with two instructors but the general command is just to 'sit-up'. I've been trying really hard to imagine a stringe pulling me up from the top of my head when i'm riding and I had thought it had improved.

I don't think things are too bad from the hip down, and it is definately worst in trot but I don't seem to be making much headway. We have a competition on the 19th and I can guarentee that atleast one point will be lost for tilting, it's so frustrating.

Does anyone have any ideas? Will be eternally greatful!

 

[DellaMoon]

I'm sure you've been told this before but if you try looking where you are going and not down at the horse you should find you'll sit more upright without even trying. I'm guilty of the same thing and it's really hard not to look down once you've got in the habit. You can also think about putting your shoulders back and sticking your chest out. I've got vivid memories of being shouted 'boobs!!' at pony club!! Imagine you're a super model walking down a runway.

Hope this helps

 

[kerilli]

your leg position is really good. in the first pic you are collapsed at the waist but basically upright, and in the other pics you are a bit on your fork but better at the waist.
as someone who has had this problem since childhood...!
there's a few things that help me visualise things to put them right. there's an image in Centred Riding, of the body as kid's building blocks, 1 on top of the other, head, neck, shouders, torso, waist, hips. try to imagine that and needing to keep them all exactly on top of each other, otherwise they'll topple. another one is not to allow shoulders in front of hips, and not to allow belly button in front of pubic bone (!)
letting shoulders fall gently back really helps.
an Alexander Technique exercise is to think of opening the joint in the clavicle (between shoulder at front, and where a necklace would hang!), i find this one really useful.
another thing you can practise now, sitting upright - put a flat hand on your tummy and the other in the small of your back. those are the bits that need to stay upright the most.
i've found that having my waist upright is the key, if i keep that bit right, the rest follows. the moment i collapse that, the rest follows too.
wearing a Prolite back support (the blue and black one) really helps give the right feel to aim for, as it stops you from collapsing that bit.
btw, no instructor, in spite of tons of shouting over the years, ever got this through to me, i eventually worked it out for myself after watching myself on vid and being really shocked at how crap i looked!
going on a rowing machine helps hugely too, after just 1 session i can feel my obliques supporting me more, like a girdle, keeping me upright.
hope something of all that helps!

 

[ajn1610]

I do a similar thing to you, and like Kerilli I have had to figure it out for myself, I think it comes from being a little weak in my core. I compensate for this by rounding my shoulders slightly to make a 'stronger' base, which gives the impression of being forward. For the sake of an inch or two it really makes a massive difference because I become locked in my arms and it makes the horse a bit on the forehand.
I try and think of squeezing my shoulder blades together and sliding them down towards my waist band. Gym work and Pilates classes have helped me a lot. Can you get somewhere with mirrors and just mess about a bit until you find something that works for you?

 

[Mike007]

One of the most fundamental reasons why people have difficulty with their position is that the saddle does not fit them.Oh it may fit the horse like a glove,but if the stirrup bar is a little too far forward (usually a short person with small feet on a larger saddle)the rider will have to tip forward as soon as they put any weight in the stirrup.Try riding in a saddle with adjustable stirrup bars,then you will know exactly what I mean.

 

[sye777]

Really simple way to make you sit more upright is to push the peak of your hat down or tuck a tissue in the front of your hat to make a visor effect. You will automaticaly have to lift your chin and pull your shoulders back to see where you are going!

 

[Chloe_GHE]

my ozzie instructor cures this issue in me by shouting 'stick your tits out Chloe!'

very embarrasing but sure makes you do as you are told, being shamed into a better position!

 

[digitalangel]

i have this issue too !!!

everyones tips are brill - keep em coming, im going to try them tomorrow

 

[Izzwizz]

My instructor told me "imagine you have a smiley face on your chest, if you hunch forwards then it wont be smiling, shoulders back and you will have the biggest smile ever"

Sticks in my mind and works, people have commented on my improved position. As also said, keep your chin up Hope that helps

 

[Equus Leather]

It looks a bit like it's coming from your hips tbh. You're in more the 'chair' position. Do some hip exercises to get your bum underneath you and the upper half should come right.

 

[brighthair]

my tip is to carry your hands. I have tipped forward for years but have it 80% sorted now by carrying my hands. If I get nervous, or forget, my hands drop and I slowly start tipping!

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Kerilli has some good tips as do other. Pilates helped me loads, I too used to get shoulded at at PC to stick my tits out! Friend and I used ride around chanting TTF (tits to front) at each other!!

Best thing I was taught (and only quite recently) which has really helped was when trotting think of pushing your hip bones between your pair of hands, makes the movement come from you pelvis and your shoulders come back. Try it whilst standing in front of a mirror, it is impossible to push your hip bones forward while your shoulders are hunched.