How To Have Good Balance On A Horse

Developing Balance: Using Your Horse's Feedback
By Faith Meredith
Manager of Riding, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre

WAVERLY, WV--In gild to work together harmoniously, both horse and passenger need good residue. Riders who exercise non have a good sense of balance cannot follow a horse's motion. Unbalanced riders tend to stay on a equus caballus by gripping with their calves, gripping with their thighs, or hanging on the reins. Without skilful balance of their own, they interfere with the horse's rest and, equally a result, with its motion. Their ability to plough in a good, much less height, functioning is severely compromised.

A rider mounted on a goldie oldie school equus caballus or evidence band packer can get abroad with riding off balance. That is why these horses are so prized by instructors. They are tolerant and patient by temperament and athletic plenty to compensate for the passenger's faults. Their forgiving nature makes them wonderful every bit beginner's mounts or for riders with conviction problems that brand it hard for them to relax.

The light-green baby horse is another story. Even if he has incredibly proficient natural residual to brainstorm with, whatever young horse just starting under saddle is going to have a lot of balance issues. He has to learn how to move all over once again while carrying weight on his back. Depending on his training groundwork upwards to that indicate and his temperament, the young horse may be humble or confused. If his rider is confident, relaxed and has good remainder, the horse's first experiences will exist positive. If the passenger is unbalanced in any style, however, the young equus caballus may become nervous or frightened. That'south just ane of the many reasons why green horses and green riders are not a adept match.

The trained older equus caballus that is out of shape or the horse whose muscles are unevenly developed for whatever reason can besides have rest issues until their fitness and muscling improves. Under an unbalanced rider, these horses may trip or stumble or develop more sore muscles than necessary every bit their conditioning program begins.

Agreement how the passenger'south remainder can touch the horse'south movement can give riders and their instructors of import feedback. An off-residual rider typically:

* Falls behind the motion of the equus caballus,
* Leans besides far forward,
* Leans off to ane side, or
* Shifts weight onto the wrong seat bone.

When a rider gets badly out of balance, the horse gets uncomfortable. Depending on its age, experience, and temperament, the equus caballus will typically try to escape this feeling of discomfort in 1 of several means:

* Speeding upwardly, shooting forrad or even running abroad;
* Slowing down or even stopping;
* Turning or drifting when the rider intended to go straight;
* Turning more or less than the rider intended; or
* Turning in a dissimilar direction than the rider intended.

For instance, if a horse is excitable and nervous, its "flight" instincts are probably a lot stronger than its "fight" instincts. If its rider'south weight gets too far back, non only is the horse uncomfortable but the rider has figuratively opened the forepart door and invited him to take off through information technology. These horses seem to be saying, "Being out of residuum is scary. I'm out of here."

Similarly, the passenger who loses remainder and falls forwards closes that front end door. The equus caballus'southward inclination to go forrad is frustrated. If the horse feels blocked birthday he is likely to cease. These horses almost seem to be proverb, "Get your human action together if y'all expect me to carry you effectually."

When a passenger gets out of balance and shifts his or her weight on to the wrong seat bone, there are usually other things going on that affect balance, besides. The rider may also exist collapsing her ribs toward her hip. Or he may accept let his shoulder motility forward, effectively blocking whatever turn in that direction.

In all of these cases, the equus caballus's reaction is a clue to the rider's residual issue. If your horse presents yous with any of these reactions, pay closer attention to your own residuum and body position before blaming the equus caballus.

When riders first mount, they demand to take a moment to position themselves correctly in the center of saddle before moving off. The upper torso should be tall simply not stiff. Exist careful not to hollow the lower back. The rider should feel an equal amount of weight on both seat bones. The joints should all be loose and elastic. This allows the leg to drib and the hip joint to open up up. From the side, at that place should be a plumb line from the rider'southward ear through the elbow and hip to the talocrural joint.

Anybody starts off with balance issues and they come again and again as a rider advances. Employ balance exercises both on and off the horse to assistance y'all progress and only keep riding.

© 2004 Riding Masters Ltd.
Faith Meredith coaches riders in dressage, reining, and eventing and has successfully trained and competed horses through FEI levels of dressage. She is the Director of Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre (Route one, Box 66, Waverly, WV 26184; one-304-679-3128; http://www.meredithmanor.com), an ACCET accredited equestrian educational institution.