Struggling to keep balance even - tips?

muckypony

muckypony

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Hi all, after some tips!

I'm finding that I tend to lean too much to the right when riding (especially on circles) and have more weight in the right stirrup than the left, so much so that someone watching me the other day and said it almost looks like my stirrups are uneven. Does anyone have any tips or helpful exercises I can do to keep myself more balanced?


I've only had the new boy since August and I brought him back into work, so he's very green and I don't want my bad habits rubbing off in him.


Yesterday I did a bit of work standing in my stirrups which I think helped it.

Thanks!
 
Hi, I have the same problem! My pony had an imbalance in her pelvis, which we are slowly putting right with Mctimoney (? spelling), but she still throws the saddle to the right and as a result it's pushed my balance out too. I need to get my balance even to help her straighten out, but I just get told to straighten up, which is fine while you are actively thinking about it, but harder when you are concentrating on something else! I found a session with Centaur helps a lot. They put bits of white tape on you so it's obvious when you aren't straight, and then video you in ultra-slowmo. Their trainers are really good at correcting your position too. It won't solve all your problems, but it's a good start.
 
I'm terrible for this too! Swap your stirrup leathers over every week to help them stretch evenly (from experience riding in unevenly stretched leathers is not comfortable!) and try stirrupless riding, it helped me a lot even though rising trot made for giggle making stuff had anyone been watching :)
 
My riding without stirrups has totally gone to pot!! I used to think nothing of jumping 1m+ bareback and all sorts but not just trotting I need a handful of mane!!

The idea of swapping stirrup leathers is such a good one, it never crossed my mind that they would stretch unevenly but its so obvious!
 
muckypony said:
My riding without stirrups has totally gone to pot!! I used to think nothing of jumping 1m+ bareback and all sorts but not just trotting I need a handful of mane!!

The idea of swapping stirrup leathers is such a good one, it never crossed my mind that they would stretch unevenly but its so obvious!
Click to expand...

Ha ha! Another one today I can't take credit for :) HHO is a font of information and I was advised the exact same thing a while back :)

Yes I was the same when I was younger I rode bareback almost every day but up until recently it was saddles all the way and I had to retrain myself to ride bareback. Still haven't worked up to the jumping bareback again but at least riding stirrupless has improved my balance somewhat :)
 
I was going to say bareback ridin too. I wasn't confident enough to ride bareback as I don't have a school so we are straight away out on lanes and open moor, so I invested in a total contact saddle. It has been brilliant for having that bareback riding experience but with the added bonus of stirrups if I need them. I started off riding with the stirrups all the time then only now and again and now I just go out bareback most of the time unless I want to go for a really fast ride. Its brilliant for balance because you have that added support but you also have to balance properly or you would I imagine end up on the floor. I thought my balance was rubbish but Ive never fallen off in this saddle so it cant be too bad. Definitely recommend it!
 
Take up yoga or find a Body Balance class near you. I'm dyspraxic, so have always found balancing hard, even off a horse, but you wouldn't really know that, after a year of doing BB. My core is so much better for it as are my various dodgy body bits (foot, wrist, back...).
 
Are you sure it's you that's leaning and not him throwing you to the right? He could be unbalanced or have a back/saddle problem. If you are sure everything with him is fine then I would have some lunge lessons without your stirrups. Agree about swapping stirrup leathers over also.

Another thing to help your balance is to buy a gym ball and practice sitting on it with you feet slightly lifted off the floor.
 
I have had dreadful problems with my balance so went to a physio who specialises in rider balance on Tuesday. OMG I hadn't realised how crooked I had become. I think it is the result of several crash landings and a horse who was himself twisted.
 
Flibble said:
I have had dreadful problems with my balance so went to a physio who specialises in rider balance on Tuesday
Click to expand...

Where do you find one of these?!

I agree with bareback riding. I recently started it again and hadn't ridden bareback since I was a kid. After a few near misses where I nearly came off I've now gone from clinging on to my poor horses' neck for dear life and wailing that I can't do it to finding my balance and sitting right up and jumping bareback too - and only mane grabbing every so often ;)

I've done so much bareback riding in the past few months that I'm now struggling to ride WITH stirrups, whenever I'm having trouble with something I take them away, even though I'm riding with them as long as I can!
 
Yeah I went down the physio/chiro/osteo route... but you know what? You're posture is a learnt thing and you pay for an hours session or so, jump back on a horse... et voila, same problem!! Muscle memory is a dastardly thing and you have to reset it!

All very well going to get your back seen to but follow it up with no stirrups, no reins and stretch and twist on the horse. All very well me saying that... you need a bloody good horse to put up with you doing yoga up top - lol!!!!

Then... just as the ultimate test... go sitting trot. If you fall off, well, keep trying. Here's a tip... gripping will only make you fall faster!
 
Here are a few of my tips :)
I would set yourself about 3 months goal to correct this habit.
First see a physio or chiropractor to understand own crookedness and get exercise routine to work on it off-horse (as someone mentioned, it's impossible to correct habitual posture only in the saddle).
Get your horse seen too to understand what are his weaknesses and strengths as far as postural habits go and which relate to schooling.
Ask for exercise routine you can do with him everyday to help him become more flexible on both sides.

When riding, pay attention to your turns and observe that you are always in the middle of the horse (your spine directly above your horse's spine; your belly button pointing at the wither). If your horse is not flexing correctly at the poll (in the direction of travel) avoid looking at his head and neck as your eyes will draw your posture to match his crookedness.

On circles right ride slowly and spend first month focusing entirely on straightness in your body in the "working part" of your sessions. Try to practice turning from your hips and "wait" for your horse to make each step of the turn - leaning often comes from going "in front of the movement" /following the neck and not waiting for the horse to execute the turn with its ribcage. Think about always staying in "your place".

It takes on average about 3 months of very conscious practice to correct a habit and for off-horse exercises to start feeling more natural so be patient and stick to your goal :)

Good luck!

P.S. Standing in your stirrups is a very good exercise for this - I would make them very short at the start if safe to do so as you will become much more aware of your balance in "jockey's" stirrups :)
 
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