Collapsing to the left

[gingernut]

I'm not sure if this is in the right bit but here goes.... I have come to realise that i have a problem when riding - When I ride i can feel that my top half collapses to the left slightly (i can feel that the left side of my waist is 'shorter' than my right and my right leg lengthens to compensate and it seems to be getting worse, although my left hip is slightly lower than my right when I stand up straight - I was wondering if anyone had any tips to help me overcome this? thanks L

[FirenLady]

I had a bit of a problem with this. Tina Selderholm who writes in Horse & Rider has done some really good articles on it. Ride with a crop between your hands and be aware of where your hands are. She said if there in the right place everything else tends to follow. My left one stuck out further from the center line than the other.

Also a drastic one was to shorten the opposite stirup by about 5 holes. This forces the body to let go of any other muscle tension and stretch your left hand side. but she said to do it for few days in a row. If you on H&R site you may find the old article. I found riding bareback has been good, cos if your too much one way you slide round ;-) Hope this helps.

[brigadier]

Hi
most of us a crooked in one way or another and compensate with another part of our body. Its hard work but you must really concentrate on stretching up through the top of your head- as though a string is coming out of the centre of your skull and someone is pulling it, then making sure the rest of your body follows suit so that you feel taller in the saddle, put a plait in your horses mane and everytime you see it you will remember to stretch up (daft but really really works!)then eventually your muscles will remember to support the bits that count.
Also get your saddle checked- I became crooked due to an ill fitting saddle- get someone to watch you ride and make sure the saddle sits in the centre of the horses back and that you sit in the centre of the saddle (seen from behind)

Off the horse- you need to exercise that right hip as it is possibly the one that is tight- could be the other but just trying to picture it!!!!. Anyhow stand straight next to a work surface and lift your leg straight out to the side as high as you can- this will help stretch the hip joint, you need to do this as many times as possible everyday for the rest of your life!!! You will see how even you are when you do the other one!

Hope this all helps
brig

[abi]

bareback will really help balance, as will riding without stirrups?
if you've got a fairly quiet horse i would try having "jockey" stirrups- as short as you can get them, as this can make you more aware of your leg positions

again, if you've got a steadier schoolmaster, try riding with no reins (knotted so he won't trip or on the lunge) so you can really concentrate on your position without having to control the horse too, hope this helps x

[gingernut]

Thanks for all your advice!! I would try the jockey stirrups but I have to ride long as the arthritis in my knees and ankles makes it too painful. Will have a go with what I can manage though and see how it goes!

[maximum]

try doing soe pilates or yoga which helps to balance and centre you.

[ceej]

I have this problem (but to the right) but I have realised its because my saddle is slipped slightly to the left and stays there...my upper body is straight, resulting in my hips being collapsed

Are you sure your saddle is straight?

[duckles]

All great advice given above. BUt, are you sure you are ok? I felt very uneven at one stage and had to go to an osteopath as it turned out my pelvis out of line. (wasn't greatly impressed but it did help a lot). My horse had his pelvis out and i think that may have pushed mine out a bit. That or falls over the years. I still have some problems so I can confirm that the excises and tips given above are really good. good luck

[gingernut]

I have made an appointment with a pilates place near Exeter to help with my core balance so thank you for that Maximum!! Ceej - I am the one causing the saddle the saddle to slip to the right as it doesn't do it with anyone else so it's me by default. It's hard to explain it without drawing what i mean... my upper body leans to the left forcing my right leg to lengthen and pull the saddle over - I can feel that I don't sit right and i don't want to cause anything I ride to get a bad back!

[fimacg]

I know exactly what you mean Chompy is crooked to the left which makes me collapse through the left hip, lots of exercises straightening him have helped straighten me, but I think I may be out of line too as I find it really hard to turn my hips to the left and can easily overdo it the right. One excercise I do ( which I picked up at a Becky Moody demonstration was to take the right stirrup away and then do rising trot (with just one stirrup) on a circle because you only have the left stirrup left it encourages you to lengthen that side of you as you are pushing off the stirrup on that side. I think I got that the right way around.

[gingernut]

Oh that's a good one!!