Rider Straightness
Rider Straightness Assessments for horse owners in North Yorkshire and across the North East.
Did you know that an unbalanced rider can have a significant impact on a horse’s soundness and ability to do its job properly? Here at Katie Dorman Equine Physio, I work with horse riders across North Yorkshire, Cleveland and County Durham, offering rider straightness assessments and helping them get stronger and more balanced in the saddle.
Rider straightness and equine health:
Many horse riders may not be aware of how their own posture and alignment can directly influence their horse’s well-being. An asymmetrical rider can create an uneven load on the horses back, leading to a range of issues that affect your equine partner’s overall health and performance.
Compensatory movements: When a rider is not straight in the saddle, the horse will often naturally try to compensate for the imbalance. This can lead to overloading one side of the horse’s body, causing muscle imbalances and tension, which over time can result in injuries and lameness.
Back pain and discomfort: An unbalanced rider can cause pressure points and soreness in the horse’s back. Over prolonged periods, this discomfort can lead to chronic pain and hinder your horse’s ability to perform at its best.
Slipping saddles and fitting issues: A rider with poor alignment can also contribute to saddle slipping or fitting problems. An ill-fitting saddle can exacerbate existing issues and create new ones, affecting your horse’s comfort and movement.
What is a rider straightness assessment?
I offer comprehensive rider straightness assessments to address these issues proactively, and hopefully before they become an issue for your horse. I will watch you in the saddle and assess your posture when you’re unmounted too. By understanding your unique posture and how it changes when you’re riding, I can give you exercises to strengthen weaknesses and stretch tight areas. I also offer rider-specific Pilates sessions aimed at improving your balance and core strength in the saddle, which will help your horse do their job more easily too.
