The Importance Of Being Straight!

[brigadier]

We are talking about sitting in the saddle here!

It is really essential for the sake of your horses back to ensure that the saddle you use is evenly packed and sits straight on the horses back. Ride at the side of a fence and ask a friend to climb up and watch you from behind! Not only should the gullet of the saddle be dead central over the horses spine but your bum cheeks should be evenly placed either side. You cannot check this alone so need another person to check for you- they dont need to be horsey either (just make sure they can climb fences lol). The crack of your a*se needs to be on the centre line of the saddle. Also check to see that the seat of the saddle is horizontal when your weight is on it- a good saddle fitter always checks the fit of the saddle with the rider on but time and wear can have a dramatic effect.

If you are not sitting straight this can have an effect on your horses way of going. Today I realised I had not got the correct pressure on my right seatbone. I do have a dodgy hip and over the past few weeks have been compensating with my posture in the saddle. The second I rectified my position the horse went straighter, he flicked an ear at me and relaxed- as though to say 'and about time too'!

Check your stirrups are the same length and swop them about regulalrly in case of stretch and also check you put the same weight on each stirrup.

A good exercise to check your seat is in contact correctly is done at halt, ask your horse to stand (ask someone to hold it if you dont trust it to remain stood), sit as tall and straight as you can and try to feel both seatbones in contact with the seat of the saddle, they should feel like two golf balls. Then raise both hands slowly above your head , straight up, concentrating on the golf balls. You should feel them in close contact with the seat of the saddle. then walk a few strides and repeat the exercise- the golf balls should not have moved and not move as you raise your hands- if they do your seat is not balanced and correct and you will need to work on keeping this close contact as you ride.

To further improve your posture once you feel the golf balls imagine you have a string coming out of the top of your head and someone is pulling you up tall, let the stretch lift your chest and elongate your neck so you feel a pleasant tension on the back of your neck, your chin will dip and your shoulders will drop automatically- breathe deeply a few times to encourage you to relax in this super slim tall posture- then pull in your tummy and ride away! Work at this everyday for the rest of your life!

Happy Riding
Brig
x

[andik]

I find working without stirrups helps my posture. I have to sit straight or I end up slidiing off!!!
I make sure I am not 'balancing' with my hands by occasionally being lunged by someone and dropping my riens. I ride with my arms out to the sides and try right hand on the front of the saddle with your left on the back, sort of crossing your arms around yourself.

I believe that work with out stirrups is seriously under rated. It is good for your balance and eventually you will develop a nice soft seat. It also helps you to prepare for any 'losing' of stirrups. I do do some jumping without stirrups too, for practice, as this helps if I lose stirrups.

[baymare]

i look down between my horses ears then i find myself leaning forward a little.i know i need to lift my chin and put shoulders back.any other tips on not leaning forward would be great.thanks brig.

[brigadier]

Spot on Andik
the Spanish riding schools riders dont get stirrups for two years. They have the most immaculate posture and seats, I still teach that if you were to take the horse away the rider would still be stood and not fall over- its a good rule of thumb.

[andik]

Tips for not looking down - have a friend tel you everytime you are doing it when schooling. I used to look down the inside sholder all of the time, my instructor used to ask 'what is so interesting down there!?' I still don't know to this day why I used to do it but I still catch myself doing it now!!!

[r0450111]

Ohh brig, you've created a monster in me now!! I always lean forwards when i ride, its such a habit then when i force myself to sit straight i feel like i'm leaning backwards!!! Any tips?? I usually take my stirrups away for 5/10 minutres each time i ride to 'open my hips'. I really do it to work on my sitting trot!!

[baymare]

i am the same when i force myself to sit straight i feel like i am leaning back.my daughter is always telling me to look far ahead.but i seem to look through mables ears.my chin drops and i tilt forward.i bought a body protector which i always wear now and feel that it does restict me.so perhaps its that but i like to wear it just in case i fall.

[spotti]

Having read this a bit ago, I rummaged around and dug out the old pilates ball and am sat on it whilst typing away on here, but MY GOD I have no stomach muscles! I never noticed they'd gone until now! And my back is killing because I'm balancing with my back instead of my stomach...really need to work on those muscles!!! And since when did I become so uneven and wonky?? No wonder Faith drifts!!!

[maximum]

if anyone has a wii fit (still trying to find one) apparently the yopga will show how straight you are.

however as spotti says a pilates ball is a great tool to improve your core stability and balance which in turn will help your straighness.

[florence]

I think only a horsey friend will understand if you ask them to have a look at the crack of your a*se and check its on the centre line of the saddle! ;D

I always had a habit ot leaning forwards. It felt straight because I was compensating for the way the arthritis affects me. Constantly being told to lean back (that's what straight feels like) makes you do it until it feels more comfy. Of course, as soon as I'd feel off balance or insecure I'd go into forward mode again and you have to keep correcting yourself. Another tip for a straight back is to imagine your shoulder blades sliding together rather that pushing your chest out.

[spotti]

That's a good tip actually florence. I find if I push my chest out then my back over-arches (inwards) and then my balance goes to pot, as does my seat!

Anyone ever find the perfect seat (can feel seatbones and they are even and your arms are free and perfectly positioned, legs in balance and weight in heels) and then you push your chest out or trot or something and then it all goes wrong?? I do that aaaaaaaallllllllll the time because I seem to tense my bum cheeks when my back arches (dues to chest being pushed out) and then I can no longer feel my seatbones and then I end up leaning forward and getting all unbalanced and then things go wrong!

I've found that I ride best in a morning, when no one is watching and I have all the time in the world. Oh, and even better if its after a 5-10min longreining session.

I think I'll ask my sister to watch me when we start riding again to see if I'm wonky (she shouldn't mind/should understand the need to watch my bum!)

[brigadier]

Im glad this had opened up into a discussion as it can only benefit our horses if we are straight.
I think that any developed posture fault such as leaning forward comes from the mind and the leaning forward is a 'self preservation' desire- for some reason we feel slightly safer if we are leaning forwards slightly when in reality we are far safer if we are sat up.
Most instructors harp on about chin up- shoulders back etc and it becomes a mantra we subconcioulsy ignore. Its about finding the tip that works for you!
I did have this habit for years, i knew it was a big fault- making me look a 'workmanlike rider' as opposed to an elegant one.

For sometime I ignored it- thinking I could straighten up when it mattered but found my centre of balance had shifted so I rode badly when I rode 'correct'

Work without stirrups undoubteldy works but for me my position without stirrups was perfect but as soon as I took them back I leant forward again.

So these tips may help.

Think about looking towards a marker where you are going- if hacking look towards the next tree, the next fence post- anything to stop you focusing on your hands and on the horse. (this is because your head is heavy and will pull you forwards if you look down)

Think of your sternum (breastbone) curling upwards and outwards to open your chest.

Slide your shoulder blades so they feel as though they touch, then when you get this feeling breath deeply a few times to relax into that position. Do this off the horse also, I was that bad at slouching that I used to feel I was thrusting my chest out like a wanton, but you really do need to thrust it out, after a while it feels normal and natural but it does take some time if youve ridden like this for a while.

Dont thrust your chin up and out- this will simply put strain on your neck and give you headaches, you have to pull the head up from the crown stretching the back of the neck- your chin will acttually go in slightly. When you do this the next natural response from your body is the upward curling of the sternum to lift and open your chest- try it now as you read this!

Close your eyes and imagine your elbows are the only contact with the rein, when the horse nods your elbow follows etc. This is because most tippers ride with a straight arm and too much wrist, if you concentrate on your elbows you forget the wrist and dont need to look at your hands.

All the above needs to be worked on- constantly and for ever but putting the work in now will help prevent long term stress to your back and strain and wear and tear to your wrists. And obviously there will be an improvement in your seat and your horses way of going. Dont forget the original post and the raised hands to check your position- if you feel your seatbones move- youve lost your seat- they should always be there!

good luck
brig
x

[brigadier]

Sorry Florence- just realised youve mentioned the shoulder blades bit- that really works well I find- glad youve discovered it!
Brig

[florence]

Brig, my physio taught me that one. I had the good fortune to find one that rode and she was able to give me exercises that improved my posture caused by arthritis and that would help with riding.

You're absolutely right about the chest and head/chin position too. My condition wants me to curl up and hunch and I've had to fight it (rewarding myself at times with a good slouch) so it doesn't get worse. I naturally had head down, back/chest curved down (always noticed what shoes people were wearing!) and my shoulders hunched and culed inwards. If you try this position and take a deep breath, you'll find it quite difficult because your chest is too shallow. But if you level your gaze as you said so that your head is level, you can gently straighten your back, let your shoulders come down and the shoulder blades slide together and your breathing is vastly improved. You'll also sit squarer and it helps you relax on your horse.

[brigadier]

Any more exercises you have Florence would be welcome Ive got dodgy wrists and a crappy back and a knackered hip so need to keep checking everything I do!

I put my back out by straightening my hips so had to get the OH to click it back into place-just shows how it was affecting me.

a physio who rides- what a dream to have someone who understands. the physios Ive used all say ride ride its good for you- but none of them do it!

[baymare]

thanks brig these tips are excellent i am going to read them all again .hey just thought why dont we have a lesson on here and try and improve something every week.you can instruct,we can try and hear how every one is doing.baymare.

[brigadier]

Now funny you should say that baymare- maxie and I are working on something as you type!
Coming soon to a forum near you..................!

[r0450111]

This is fab Brig, thanks so much!! Will be printing out all these tips and get my mates to shout them at me and get me to do them while i ride!! *wanders off trying to remember where i put my gym ball*

[gingernut]

My problem with sitting straight is that my spine is curved and this makes my left side of my pelvis tip to the left making my right hip about an inch higher than my left (making my gap between my hip bone and rib cage smaller than the right - even standing normally) - a problem which I now have to ride with my right leather a hole longer than my left - this makes my seat as level as I can! I am aware however that my right stirrup is longer but it stops my moving around and figgeting!! lol

[brigadier]

Could you have a saddle made for you that is packed up on the seat to help keep you straight? Contact the RDA they may have contacts who analyse your position. Or contact the para-dressage site and ask- its such a big thing paradressage they must have seat analysis etc. Expensive but worth it-especially if it had an interchangeable gullet so fits anything!

[gingernut]

I didn't know that you could do that! The really weird thing though is that in a western saddle I seem to sit correctly so the YO and me are trying a WH saddle and see how we go on that.

[brigadier]

western saddles do seem to help- know a couple of people with back problems that have improved when theyve gone cowgirl!

[gingernut]

That's why we're trying the WH saddle, as it's deeper, it was either that or a dressage one and seeing I would like to do Jumpcross the WH one won!

[brigadier]

yes- not sure dressage would help if youve got a curved spine as it would make you sit too deep and uneven- if you get what I mean?

[ceej]

an excercise you can do at home to help, is to use a pilates ball...sit on it and balance. Get your heels off the floor (yes they will grip the ball unlike they should on a horse) but its great for finding your centre of gravity (something very few people are aware of).. It strengthens your inner thigh and your stomach. When I first did it, I rocked about all over the place, but after a short time you improce alot and I can now sit for ages on it without putting my feet down.

When sitting on the ball, go through the same excercise Brigs gave and sit up straight as poss. It will also help with those who fall forward...