6 minute read
Bodyzone
FIRM foundations
A GRAND DESIGN IS ALWAYS BUILT ON FIRM FOUNDATIONS. IT’S A SIMILAR STORY IN THE SADDLE; WHILE A STRONG, INDEPENDENT SEAT IS THE KEY TO A GREAT DRESSAGE POSITION, AN UNSTABLE BASE CAN CAUSE THE UPPER BODY TO TILT, WOBBLE OR SLUMP, SAYS ANDREA OAKES.
Last issue we saw how a correctly centred pelvis forms the platform. This time we’re stepping up to the trunk, which serves as the second building block and sits neatly on top.
According to biomechanics expert Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire (centaurbiomechanics. co.uk), a level pelvis will allow these structural units to stack comfortably and in alignment. The trunk, or torso, can then sit tall, without eff ort, throughout all paces. If any area is weak or out of kilter, however, a cascade of asymmetries can occur.
WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
“A common upper body problem is the sideways bend, where the rider collapses and shortens the rib cage on one side,” says Russell, who explains that a giveaway ‘C’ shape is often evident from the front or behind. “This could be because the pelvis shifts, but it is possible to have correct pelvic positioning and still collapse.”
Unravelling the cause of upper body collapse can be challenging, says Russell, who explains that poor posture and daily habits such as carrying a bag over one shoulder can often be to blame. “It’s not always down to rider asymmetry,” he adds. “Horse movement and saddle slip can also contribute. Whatever the reason, shortening through one side creates increased forces under the saddle: on the same side as the lean if the collapse is solely through the torso, or on the opposite side if the pelvis shifts.
“This increase in pressure translates to the horse’s back, not only aff ecting horse-rider communication and the eff ectiveness of the aids, but also performance and e uine health,” says Russell. “These forces will occur every stride; consider how many strides a horse takes in a 45minute training session.”
To straighten the torso, Russell suggests visualising two balloons that sit between your rib cage and the top of your pelvis, one on each side. The pressure in each balloon should be e ual. r imagine your rib cage as two springs, with the same distance between each part of the springs.
As well as maintaining left-right upper body symmetry, it’s important to consider forward-back positioning.
“Novice riders, in particular, tend to take the centre of mass forwards,” says Russell, who explains that causes can range from lack of confi dence to the laptop lifestyle’ that promotes a forwards curve. “The horse carries 58% of his weight on his fore limbs and 42% on his hind, so increasing weight on the front end is not helpful in achieving a dressage frame. It will also restrict his forelimb movement and increase loading, contributing to wear and tear.
“A rider may lean back due to core or trunk stability problems, in an attempt to anchor themselves to the saddle to absorb movement,” adds Russell. “There’s sometimes a mistaken belief that driving the horse forwards with pressure at the back of the saddle will help him to transfer weight onto his uarters. In reality, bringing your spine behind the vertical will result in over-arching, or ‘lordosis’, and could potentially give you lower back issues.”
An additional issue is rotation, where the trunk is upright but twisted.
“Take a rider who twists to the left,” says Russell. “Since the horse moves in a counter-clockwise direction while cantering left, this could work. But ask the horse to canter right, with clockwise movement, and a rider twisting the other way will cause confl ict.
“The horse can end up falling away from the rider’s trunk rotation, in this case to the inside on a right circle,” he adds. “The rider typically grips with the knees and develops uneven rein tension in an attempt to follow the movement.”
A common theme connects all of these upper body issues, explains Russell.
“ rider needs to eff ectively absorb the locomotor forces coming up from the horse, while maintaining dynamic stability,” he says, referring to the postural control required to stay balanced during movement. “Horse, rider and saddle should form a combined unit, but any asymmetry in the rider’s upper body will be compounded by these forces. “It’s something for riders at all levels to work on,” he adds. “I’m a big fan of regular physio and out-of-saddle exercise, such as Pilates, yoga and strength and conditioning classes, to identify any asymmetries and to improve dynamic stability.” Horses can be forgiving and will often develop a coping locomotor strategy to compensate for uneven riding. There’s no escaping the fact, however, that even the most subtle asymmetry will take its toll. “We noticed during studies that when we destabilised riders, by shortening one stirrup, a horse’s spine became unstable in trot and the loading increased on two of his limbs,” says Russell. “The horse may adjust, but it will aff ect his way of going and in the long term will leave him prone to overload injuries.
“Horses like predictability, and during locomotion they want to move predicting what’s going to happen,” he adds. “Rider asymmetry will not go unnoticed. If a horse can feel a fl y on his back, he will certainly be aware when your position is off centre.”
TRUNK CALL
Address upper body issues with Russell’s six-point plan: 1. ADJUST
Start with a secure base – a saddle suitable for both horse and rider, and stirrup leathers of an equal length.
2. IMAGINE
Visualise a torch on your belly button and sternum. Are these ‘headlights’ pointing straight ahead, or is rotation in your trunk sending them off beam to the horse’s left or right ear?
3. REFLECT
Use the school mirrors to see how you are sitting. Is one of your rib cage ‘springs’ shortening? Training jackets and symmetry marking tape will make unevenness easier to spot.
4. ASSESS
Ride up the centre line, from the left and right rein, so a friend or coach can assess your upper body position. Check regularly, as this can change throughout the year and may even alter towards the end of a horse’s shoeing cycle.
5. EVALUATE
Your test sheets may reveal a trend for better marks on one rein or the other. The half pass is a classic movement for highlighting upper body issues.
6. STRETCH
If you collapse to the left, take your reins in the right hand and stretch your left arm up to the sky. Hold that position for 20 seconds, lengthening the distance between each rib, then re-take the reins and see how it feels.
RIGHT: USE SCHOOL MIRRORS TO SEE HOW YOU ARE SITTING.
