Rider crookedness help with pic........

olop

olop

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I have found that I am riding crooked.
My boy really falls out on the left rein & after having his back & saddle checked we found it was actually me causing the crookedness. Here is a pic (this is at halt but I ride like this on both reins in all paces)

IMG00057-20110505-1355.jpg


I ride both bareback & without sirrups & I still ride crooked does anyone have any tips to stop me riding like this??
I try to ride bareback/without stirrups at least once a week but the crookedness is not improving, its like I have a mental block or something & its starting to get me down as I cannot acheive what I want from my riding riding like this & I am also worried I am causing damage to my boy's back.

ETA my OH rides him as well as myself & he rides him completely straight.

TIA.
 
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After an knee injury I did something similar and was helped by my instructor telling me to extend the weight through the leg on the opposite side but also by using my seat to move my weight over to the opposite side.

This feels really wierd at first and for me I felt like I was totally lop-sided the other way, although I was only straight. Using the seat, i.e. shifting the weight on to the side I needed to work on, helped and after a few sessions it started to become more "normal" through the leg. After that, I could revert to just being normal in the seat.

I still have to think about it from time-to-time, reminding myself to push more weight through my injured leg but the frequency is getting less and less.

Hope you find something that works for you.
 
Thats a difficult one... maybe think about some lunge lessons on your horse or a schoolmaster. Taking the reins and steering out of your hands may help you to concentrate on your balance and position? Just a thought, I'm not great so can't comment! I have a tendency to lean forwards into a canter transition :)
 
I'd suggest going to see an osteo and having your posture assessed.

After my car crash I rode like you. I was twisted through my pelvis and as a result had one hip higher than the other. A bit of gentle adjustment from the osteo and working with a masssage therapist helped straighten me out.
 
Thanks for the suggestions......I did some work on trying to sit straight today & it just felt that I was totally lopsided & I didnt feel safe at all :o
Will have to really work on it by the sounds of it.........going to be a really difficult habit to break as I have been doing it for a while now.
 
olop said:
Thanks for the suggestions......I did some work on trying to sit straight today & it just felt that I was totally lopsided & I didnt feel safe at all :o
Will have to really work on it by the sounds of it.........going to be a really difficult habit to break as I have been doing it for a while now.
Click to expand...

Honestly I belived I was straight! the osteo took a picture of me from behind and I couldn't belive how bad I looked.
 
Muchadoaboutnothing said:
I'd suggest going to see an osteo and having your posture assessed.

After my car crash I rode like you. I was twisted through my pelvis and as a result had one hip higher than the other. A bit of gentle adjustment from the osteo and working with a masssage therapist helped straighten me out.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of doing that as I had an accident a few years back (I got kicked by another horse) & Im not sure if I am getting effects from it now.

Thanks for the suggestion :)
 
Try to have someone watch you when you ride, doesn't have to be an instructor, just to remind you to sit straight when you start to slip. Keep at it and it will become to feel normal:)
 
My saddle falls to the left making me crooked. But it only happens on one horse. Got his saddle checked and it was fine. It happened with another two saddles (also correctly fitted) on the horse. So I was sitting crooked in order to balance. Turned out it was due to my horse's hock operation making him weaker in the left hind and therefore compensating with his right fore. It will take a while to even him up.
 
Thanks for taking a look wagtail - I have had the saddle checked by 2 saddlers & they have said its definately not the saddle, my OH has also been riding him & he has found no issue so am thinking its definately a me issue :o
 
Agree with off-horse work for you. Any kind of gentle exercise to stretch and loosen all areas but strengthen your core will help (pilates, ballet, whatever). Might get a once-over first though. Then back on horse with someone to 'nag' you. Double-checking stirrup lengths, actually measure with string or similar as holes can get very uneven, and sit of saddle.
 
sorry i can't offer any useful advice... but my friend rides very much to one side -- so much so I thought her saddle was slipping when I first rode behind her on a trek! It is normal to have one side of your body stronger than the other... with regards to correcting it, i'm not sure.... would it help to try riding with the weaker leg out of the stirrup to encourage you to lean forward and more towards the righthand side (going by your picture)
 
Where do you live? You could go to www.felicitymann.co.uk she does the Alexander Technique and gives lessons on a mechanical horse. This may help to straighten you and get the correct feel without having to think about what the horse is doing.
 
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