Position problem

[Graymalkin]

Help! There is something weird going on with my seat. I noticed today that my left leg has scuffed the hair on my mare's left side - and only on the left. I'm sitting in such a way that the saddle is being slightly pushed over to the right and my right foot won't stay put in the stirrup. I haven't seen my instructor in a month (courtesy of the weather) but she's always on at me to put my left shoulder and hip back. Could I have over-compensated? Does it sound like anything recognisable?! It's definitely me rather than the saddle/horse. Any suggestions gratefully received...

[Heather]

HI Graymalkin,

Have you checked for certain that it is not your saddle? Problems can vary from a twisted tree, to girth straps or stirrup bars being further back on one side. You wouldn't believe some of the saddles that are sold, even some that i have seen that are well known makes.

It is very difficult to tell you what you are doing without seeing you and the design of your saddle and horse's shape. It could be that you have overcompensated, but overcompensated for what? If your instructor was telling you to put your left shoulder and hip back, what were you doing with your right side?


Heather

[Graymalkin]

Hi Heather,
I wish I could blame the saddle, but it's definitely me!I've just been going over it again to check and it's okay in terms of tree, stirrup bars, leathers and so on, but I know what you mean about duff saddles - I struggled for years with my leg position to find it was the saddle (of well-known make). It's not the horse either
My instructor says that I hunch round to the right and put more weight on my left stirrup than my right. My left hip/seatbone have a tendency to be way forward, compared to my right ones, and I have too much tension in my seat and legs (at least during lessons - she says I'm trying too hard). She never picks on my right side, which apparently is doing what it's supposed to! Can you suggest any way of me checking that I'm riding straight? I'm so used to being crooked that I can't feel what's correct.

[Heather]

Hi Graymalkin,

Your best bet woud be a course of lessons in the Alexander technique- which is the best thing to correfct postural problems, and also heighten body awareness. You don't need to go to one who also teaches riding- to my mind, a horse is not the place to learn Alexander. It is best to learn the technique without the complications of trying to control a horse too- get your posture right on the ground, and then you wil be able to correct it on the horse.

Heather

[Graymalkin]

Thanks Heather, I'll see if there's anyone around here who does that. I'm also off to see my chiropractor on Monday, in case it's a physical problem.