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But I Don't Ride Like That!
Have you ever been told to move your body a certain way in the saddle, only to think, “But I don’t ride like that!”? You're not alone. Even highly experienced riders can struggle with certain movement patterns—without realising how much they’re affecting their horse.
This week, I had a professional rider come in for a simulator session. They compete at eventing 1-2* level and dressage up to PSG, as well as backing, breaking, and schooling other horses. With such a strong background, they are a highly experienced and capable rider. However, our session revealed something surprising.
The Challenge: When Experience Doesn’t Equal Ease
We were working on left-right pelvic movement for walk and trot—something I frequently use in rider physio sessions to help riders develop better body awareness, mobility, and control. However, they struggled to synchronize their pelvis with the movement. They explained that they always ride defensively, anticipating what the horse might do rather than allowing their body to follow the movement naturally.
They felt that this kind of isolated movement wasn’t realistic in the saddle.
But here’s the thing: the exercise we were doing wasn’t about mimicking exactly what happens in the saddle. Instead, it was about developing awareness of how their body moves—or, in this case, doesn’t move as freely as it should.
What This Means for Their Riding
Throughout the session, we noticed that they consistently had more weight in the right side of the saddle. They reported that they regularly find one rein harder than the other with their own horses, which given the one sidedness makes sense.
For a rider at this level, the ability to relax the pelvis and allow movement should be second nature. Yet, their difficulty in doing so suggested a deeper issue that likely contributed to their asymmetry and difficulty on one rein. It also wasn’t surprising to hear that they often experienced pain and discomfort in their left hip and lower back after a full day of riding.
A large part of the asymmetry I see in rider physio sessions is due to stiffness in the hips or pelvic movement, leading to reduced equal left-to-right pelvic mobility. Many riders get so focused on moving their seat bones forward that they forget it’s actually the horse’s hind legs that take the rider’s seat bone forward. When the rider lacks freedom of lateral movement in their pelvis, they unintentionally block this natural side to side motion, making it harder for the horse to move evenly and freely.
This is a prime example of how a rider’s body habits and limitations don’t just affect their own comfort but also influence their horse’s way of going. If the pelvis isn’t moving as freely as it should, the rider is unconsciously blocking the horse’s movement, reinforcing one-sidedness, and making certain exercises or movements more difficult than they need to be.
How to Tell If You Have Pelvic Asymmetry
Many riders don’t realise they have an imbalance until they actively test their movement.
Here are a few ways to check your own pelvic mobility:
Seated Shift Test – Sit on a hard chair and try shifting your pelvis left and right. Does one side feel stiffer or harder to move?
Standing One-Leg Balance – Stand on one leg at a time and notice if you feel more stable on one side than the other.
Mounted Awareness – When riding, do you always feel heavier on one seat bone? Is one rein consistently harder than the other?
If you notice these imbalances, it’s a sign that working on pelvic mobility off the horse could make a big difference in your riding.
Riding 8-10 Horses a Day—Who Has Time to Exercise?
One of the biggest challenges for professional riders like this one is time. When you’re riding 8-10 horses a day, the idea of fitting in additional rider exercises can seem impossible. And it's no different to amateur riders who juggle a full time job around their yard time. But this is where targeted, effective exercises can make all the difference.
Instead of spending hours in the gym, having just a few key rider exercises to work on can help maintain better balance and mobility—benefitting not only themselves but also the horses they ride. Small, strategic adjustments can reduce asymmetries and improve rider effectiveness, ultimately allowing the horse to move more freely and perform at its best.
A Simple Exercise to Improve Pelvic Mobility
One effective rider exercise to increase awareness and control is sitting on a gym ball and moving the pelvis left to right. This helps riders feel the difference in control and movement between each side, making any imbalances or stiffness more obvious. It’s a great way to build the ability to isolate pelvic movement without the added complexity of balancing in the saddle. By practicing this off the horse, riders can develop better control, which translates into improved symmetry and connection while riding.
Common Compensations When Pelvic Mobility is Limited
Riders who lack pelvic mobility often compensate in ways that create further imbalance:
Gripping with the thighs – Instead of allowing the pelvis to move, some riders grip with their legs, reducing their horse’s ability to move freely.
Collapsing to one side – A lack of mobility on one side can lead to a rider dropping a hip or shoulder, making one rein feel significantly harder.
Overusing the reins – When riders can’t move their pelvis effectively, they may try to steer the horse more with their hands rather than their seat.
Recognizing these compensations is the first step to correcting them and riding more effectively.
The Research: How Pelvic Isolation Affects the Horse
Scientific studies have shown that a rider’s ability to isolate and control pelvic movement directly influences the horse’s movement.
A study by De Cocq et al. (2010) found that rider asymmetry affects the motion symmetry of the horse, leading to potential performance limitations and imbalances. Another study by Peham et al. (2004) demonstrated that pelvic stability and symmetry in the rider influence force distribution on the horse’s back, which can impact straightness and efficiency in movement.
Furthermore, research by Münz et al. (2014) concluded that riders with better pelvic mobility exhibit improved harmony with the horse’s movement, leading to clearer aids and reduced tension in the horse.
By improving a rider’s ability to isolate and control pelvic movement off the horse, we can help reduce tension, improve symmetry, and create a clearer connection between horse and rider.
Take Your Riding to the Next Level
If you’re struggling with asymmetry, stiffness, or balance in the saddle, don’t let these issues hold you back. My rider physio video subscription offers targeted exercises designed to improve your mobility, strength, and control—helping you become a more effective rider. Or, if you want personalized feedback, book a simulator session to get hands-on guidance tailored to your needs.
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