The Balanced Rider

Yesterday I set off with three others to

http://www.thebalancedrider.co.uk/index.html

it was a revelation and probably the best £30 I have spent on a clinic

We started off with a brief look at Harry the skeleton and a talk about common rider issues and a chat about use of the core and how ubiquitous using your core has become.

We then did exercises on gym balls that highlight sidedness and help you to use your abdominal muscles and how to even yourself up.

Also explored sitting in neutral on gym ball

So exercises were

1/ Sit on ball legs facing forward, lift one leg, then lift other leg. The leg that is easiest to lift (my left) is your weaker leg, it is easier because your strongest leg is on the ground

2/ Hula hooping your hips on the gym ball (good as a warm up)

3/ Shoulders on gym ball, knees bent lift a leg

4/ Lie sideways on gym ball, add in lift upper leg

5/ Lie face down tummy on gym ball all limbs off floor

Revelation here for me was HOW to move my shoulders back and down One at a time in a circling motion Second HUGE lightbulb moment was Kim's advice to correct crookedness off the horse and when on the horse just ride

Lots of laughing and falling off!

Then moved onto Legless their Racewood dressage simulator or stimulator as some gave called in when phoning to book

You may remember the awful lesson I had at Cullinghood with the awful lacking in empathy no real understanding of biomechanics hectoring person

Well chalk and cheese

So good stuff I sit in neutral spine, no collapse right in a good posture I don't have hands that caused Chorrie's injury but my left leg is locked and there is no softness in knee or ankle

I compensate by tipping pelvis slightly

Muscle is very tight from knicker line down for about a hand's breath so Kim had me moving my leg away a couple of centimetres alternately she did a bit of hands on and it freed off Totally amazeballs

I have got here before with SFO but of course it then tightens up again over time I have a specific exercise to do to loosen it off.

Can't wait to go back