Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine February 2018 Vol 3 Issue 1

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

You should feel weight sinking down into your seat as you relax. You’re lowering your center of gravity from above your waist to below it. A rider can actually lower their center of gravity by thinking their weight down. Mentally picture of how the weight should flow down through the seat, into

Balanced Rider Means Balanced Horse by Shannon Rowl

L earning good balance while riding horses is essential for riders - developing an independent seat and finesse, leads to better communication with the horse. Developing good

a rider can do to improve their balance. And while good riding balance can be a natural gift for some, it’s something that can be improved and developed in all riders. The lower the balance point/ center of gravity is while in the saddle, the better a rider’s balance. When a rider learns to carry the body mass or weight point just below their belly button, the rider will in turn be more secure on the horse. Awareness of how the rider carries themselves is a first step in lowering the balance point. Try this. Sitting at a computer desk (or kitchen table), place both forearms on the surface of the table or next to the computer. Lean your weight naturally into your forearms as you type or surf the web. As more weight transfers to your arms you’ll feel the weight in your seat lighten. The center of gravity or balance point is rising above your waist. Next take the arms off the desk, lift your chest while you take a deep breath. Let the arms hang loosely at your sides while you exhale.

the thigh and dropping into the heel with a relaxed ankle. Tightness and lack of flexibility are co-conspirators in the balance battle. Tight shoulders in riders will cause their center of gravity to rise, sometimes as high as just below the shoulder blades. Tension causes the riders balance point to rise and reduces their ability to flow with the horse. More often than not tension is the direct result of mental stress. Tension can be in body parts, such as shoulders or it can manifest as the lack of ability to focus. Imagine running a marathon or jumping hurdles with a 50-pound sack of potatoes strapped to your back. The shifting weight would likely

balance has a direct relationship to staying on the horse. Rider balance is affected by rider conformation, the physical condition of their body and their mental condition. Some people have the good fortune to have more natural balance than others and learning to ride a horse may come easier to them. Obviously there isn’t anything a person can do to change their build, but there are things

Everything Horses and Livestock® | February 2018 | EHALmagazine.com 52