Ok, we’ve spent a couple of weeks discussing general areas of fitness but this week I want to delve really deep into what is actually one of the often forgotten basics of riding………………..seat bones!

Now I know you won’t have really forgotten about them, you just kind of forget how important they are in your seat, aids, communicating with your horse………….

The thing is, your seat bones are the foundation of your seat, forming a triangle with your pubic bone, if you are in neutral spine (which of course you are) they are literally what you are sitting on! If you have more weight on one than the other your horse knows and responds, if one is further forward or back your horse knows. We of course give aids with them and you can also use them to increase or decrease speed, they should move in time with every step your horse takes.

Unfortunately, due to erm, well life stuff the muscles surrounding the seat bones such as the Glutes, Hip abductors, adductors, flexors, hamstrings, quads, low back (you get the idea) can all impact on how well your seat bones move. If there are restrictions in these areas you may find your seat bones are not able to move freely and independently.

The good news is with a little practice you can get them back swinging like a skipping imp in no time.

I’m going to take you through some simple “gaits” with your seat bones. You can do this standing or on a gym ball. * I find it easier to grasp the movement standing but better for my riding connection to do it straddling a gym ball i.e as if on  a horse.

Firstly why?

 

Then we will start with walk.

And then speed it up for trot.

Next week we will look at Canter!