Most important body part for riding? How to use your pelvis for better riding

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[@hiromimoroney3151]

As an adult learner (59) I am a very literal learner. Your video explains the proper seat position so well. I never thought about breathing and filling my lower back. I have always thought of it as filling my lungs and sitting tall (pretty) which actually makes me me arch my back. Practicing sitting on edge of my chair ( make shift pony) by placing my own hand on my back, sitting on my seat bones and filling my lower back, I really can feel the difference and how much more secure I feel. Can't wait to try it in the saddle. 😉 Thanks for the helpful advice!

[@meghanvalli]

You totally give me hope! I just started at 56 and had my first really bad fall. I don't want to quit but will try to get better!

[@propertyofranger]

Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been working really hard to try and improve my seat and when I consciously sit in a neutral position after a little while I realise that I’ve reverted to sitting in an anterior seat with a closed hip angle. It’s a work in progress, but I’m eager to practice “breathing into my back”. Thanks much for these amazing and helpful instructional videos 😊

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

I wish I'd had this video when I was re-learning to ride a few years ago. All that time I thought I was opening my hip angle, but I was actually just bending at the waist! It took me way too long to find other resources to explain what I was doing wrong. I didn't realize I was misunderstanding what my instructor meant the whole time! So happy new riders have this video to learn from.

[@ThereIsARatInYourTea]

Wow just the idea of breathing into my pelvis/lower back helped SO MUCH

[@alisongriffin1041]

I’m learning to ride again and i totally get what you mean now. I was opening the pelvis by taking my leg off the horse which made me feel insecure. Your explanation was excellent.

[@happydancer4270]

I have my first class tomorrow after 20 years!! In my 20's I took classes for one year. Love the explanation!

[@christredeemer8440]

Good breakdown

[@IX555XI]

Just want to give a massive thank you, I love how you also cover in depth with the basics! Really helped me so much with my riding

[@LEONFENG134]

it looks so beautiful

[@ankymrn]

Your videos are such a great masterclass for every rider. Thank you!

[@MrsTonySoprano]

Wonderful information. And what a gorgeous mare.

[@Friesian-Starla-Kai]

Great video i am really working on my form.

[@helensavaiano4573]

Very helpful detailed explanation

[@the_nicest_guy]

I'm in love with this channel i'm learning so much

[@fatimazaki2968]

Thank you Callie for this video, I used to lean forward while I am riding which effects my balance. I did some exercises to improve my posture. The tip about breathing into mind back was useful. I am going to try this next ride. Thank you!

[@Melanie-cy6pw]

When you said the pelvis is the largest bone in the body, your horse nodded in agreement lol ❤

[@joannareid3289]

Light bulb moment Callie! Ive got a natural hyperlordosis and try so hard toget that neutral position. Breathing into the back at belt level makes the difference!

[@amandafrench8047]

THANK YE GURRRL for this video. The red line highlighting the closed & opened hip angles is really good. Would you do this video once more in the summer when one can see your {the rider} body position. flatter back and Hip angles ; open and closed. Cheers :)

[@robineervin8633]

Thank you. your videos are very helpful. Im learning how to ride at age 50

[@sarahhicks8506]

I tend to hollow my back. My illiopsoas always needs to be stretched! Also, I have been taught to swish in the saddle in canter. Too much movement from me doesn't help my horse. I have to remember to follow her movement, not push on her back thinking that is going to help her to go forward. I like the exercise to breathe into my lower back....I'm going to try this next ride. Thank you!

[@hedysladovich1737]

The tip about breathing into the mid back was useful. Just one simple adjustment!

[@ronedelgaleone6706]

I am re-learning to ride at 61. I need all this info as I tend to hollow my back and I am off balance. Also just trying to build core strength is an ongoing goal. Thanks for your help.

[@pariahmouse7794]

I think anterior pelvic tilt/hollow back is a big issue for adult women learning to ride later in life, I started at 36, and had a horrible anterior tilt, one of her older videos about neutral spine actually helped me realize and work out of it, I am just starting to get everything lined up 3 years later, haha!

[@ronedelgaleone6706]

Oh no! 3 yrs!!

[@pariahmouse7794]

@@ronedelgaleone6706 It's definitely a process, haha! Taught me some much needed patience- with my perfectionist nature, I wanted to get everything mastered right away, and it doesn't work like that, haha! Progress is anything but linear, and as soon as you master one thing, another thing you thought you had down will become an issue, it's such a PROCESS, I think that's why you've gotta love it like we all do, there's a little bit of crazy in every die-hard horseperson, I feel like, lol! Good luck with yours! Yoga is really good for your core, and leg lifts, like swimmers do, those helped me a lot!

[@ronedelgaleone6706]

@@pariahmouse7794 true words

[@deevine7940]

I’m just learning at 54! The hardest thing for me is how to sit properly in the saddle. My pelvis tips all over the place trying to discover the right position. I’m just going to keep watching videos like this and practicing.

[@Buba8773]

Grazie! 😍

[@myh7569]

Just took Wendy's clinic and learned so much more about this. It's so hard to open hip angle without jamming into stirrups and pushing feet forward!!! Working on keeping my feet/stirrups soft :)

[@redhorse7893]

Would love some instruction on teaching/developing collected canter

[@amandafrench8047]

You mention right off the bat your located in PA...Where? my husband went to Church Farm School for Boys in EXTON.PA. Thanks.

[@jenn8636]

I would love an exercise on how to keep my elbows next to my sides. They always want to creep too forward!

[@ellieelizabeth5627]

Me too! So frustrating! It happens all the time and I don't even realize it. Like my elbows have a mind of their own, lol.

[@pariahmouse7794]

Ugh, me too! And when my arms creep forward, my knees want to pinch- so glad I found an instructor who could see what was happening, my old ones kept telling not to grip with my knees, and I was like, I AM NOT, but I WAS, it was just a physical effect of my arms creeping forward, so I didn't feel it or notice like I would have had I been consciously pinching out of nerves- I am NEVER nervous or scared on the horses, it's the ONLY place I am NOT scared or nervous, haha, so when they said I was pinching at the knee, I equated that with nerves and was like, no- I didn't realize your body could do something that you were completely unaware of- I would much rather have an issue that I was aware of and did consciously than one that happens automatically as a result of an unconscious misalignment somewhere, it is SO HARD to fix what you don't even realize you are doing!

[@jenn8636]

@@pariahmouse7794 Good observation! I'm going to take note of that when I ride and see if it helps because I am definitely a knee pincher. Thank you!

[@ellieelizabeth5627]

Some good comments on here. It's so nice to talk and read with other horsey gals who are not judgmental and talk freely about their experiences without taking down to someone, if that makes sense. And I would also like to say that aren't our horses absolutely incredible? What I mean is we make mistakes, let's be honest........it's us, lol. And our horses are so forgiving and put up with so much and they try and try to please us. I was convinced years ago that my good boy knows more than I do. When my body position and "ask" is correct he glides right into what I'm asking. I swear, I can hear him telling me "it's about time you have your seat and hands correct." 🤣😅

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

An old dressage instructor I had used to make me ride with a crop tucked behind my elbows and against my back. It's pretty harsh and unforgiving, v old school, but it's effective for short periods!

[@kimnenninger7226]

I am old and fat. I am going to use three of you videos to get my aging horse and I back on the path. I have your " how to condition your horse" as my horses part of the program. Though we both, the horse and I, have taken the summer off it looks like a "do" for both of us. I am also going to use your movement video where you shake yourself for ten minutes as a warmup. I am going to try to fix my bad riding with this video. Wish us luck we both are starting tomorrow. I am also quitting wine, coffee, and sugar. It should prove to be a challenging day.

[@junederksen9205]

When you say “old” how old are you? I’ve got super bad knees and lower back. I desperately want to ride but I’m afraid I’ll break if I fall 😂😢 I don’t feel secure in my seat. I’m 58

[@debracarriere9051]

@@junederksen9205 you're wise and ready in the event of a fall; but get stronger and enjoy the ride.

[@emiliar2]

Can you do an at home exercise for keeping your heels straight and pressure in your stirrups?

[@418SurferGirl]

Thank you Callie for this video, it is so useful to me since I have severe arthritis of the hip and your skeletal pelvis really helps to show the hip joints and how they move during riding. Fortunately, I am never in pain when riding, mostly because of the opening of the hip, so the demonstration really helped about closing and opening (I think I close more then open too far). The arthritis has come from decades of ballet, and balance was the good take-away, so important when in the saddle!

[@deanaann6744]

I'm 25 and have the same issue with my hips , spine, shoulders , knees , si joints, etc. Thanks to lupis and mixed connective tissue disease. I don't hurt while riding but afterwards I suffer, what do you do to ease the pain???

[@418SurferGirl]

@@deanaann6744 Sorry to hear that. I do a lot of stretching and massage, heat, ice, sometimes homeopathic medicine. Like you I feel great on the horse and with the adrenalin I think that helps, it's a few days later though. I just don't ever want to stop riding. That would hurt more!

[@chantalkrause4183]

@@418SurferGirl Totally get it. My osteopath said to me: continue living your dream of riding! It will come with a lot of work on yourself but it will drive you forward in improving yourself. No champion gets his status without work and sometimes pain.

[@user-yw4rs5zh5t]

I constantly struggle with my pelvis. I have had spinal fusion not as a result of any accident but due to arthritis as I am 64. I tend to hollow out my back and therefore need to focus on tucking under but I feel that I often become mechanical. I am working on more muscle memory

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

It is only since seeing a physiotherapist to help me get back riding after a spinal injury that I have realised my whole riding life I have arched my back ! It's crazy that no instructors have ever pointed this out, in fact I've always been told I've had a good lower body position!

[@chantalkrause4183]

Hello! My osteopath totally showed me all of the 3 posture problems i have (head and torso+ arching my back). Since last week i now am becoming aware more and more of every bad move i am doing in terms of posture. It still hurts but as i continue, it will help.

[@Editsforyou470]

i dont want to be mean and this video really helped but please could you look at the camera it just helps me listen more. xx

[@isilboaler]

use the pelvis to go forward and back and not frog hop in trot. tighten your core.

[@nancywoods8052]

It is really hard for me to relax my pelvic/glute area. That makes it harder to move with the horse. I get it intellectually,. but it's so hard for me to do.

[@Arae97]

Leg position!

[@aafkedekkers6279]

Again a super helpful video as always :) Personally, I would love to change the position of my shoulders. They tend to go forward when I ride and even when I just stand on the ground. I know that is a bad posture but I find it really hard to change. I also tend to swing to much with my legs when my horse is in the trot. The cause for this is probably that I push my heels to far to the ground. I'd love to get exercises for how to fix these problems.

[@Ra-rg1vk]

If ur legs are swinging during trot, ur stirrups are too long

[@pariahmouse7794]

Try yoga!!! I am a very anxious person off of the horse, so when I first started my shoulders were so bad and forward, I had built up all the wrong muscles over the years of being tied up in front like a bow, I started with basic yoga and that helped a lot, and as time went on I realized the muscles I needed to work on- I recommend strengthening the lower back muscles, and EVERY part of your core, those are the muscles that help you hold your shoulders down and back, anything around your middle- my lower back was so weak and those muscles around the diaphragm and your oblique abs play into it, it's hard to explain, but just do lots of yoga chest openers, and really develop your core "girdle" muscles, you'll slowly find your posture changing- it's only taken me 3 years to get everything in line haha! But it's truly integral to proper riding, you can feel how you improve, it's definitely worth the work! Anyway, good luck! You CAN get those shoulders down and back, if I can, anyone can! P.s, there is an isometric move, I think it's called the Superman? You lay flat on the floor (or on a mat, obviously) on your belly, and focus on lifting both your arms (out in front or out to the sides like you're trying to fly) and legs while pressing your pubic bone and sternum into the floor, and holding them like that for a count of 5 to 10 seconds, do as many as you can with proper form, those help a lot! Also what seemed to really help me with my lower back was doing leg raises, with your hands and elbows behind your head, like when you do sit ups? The important thing is to focus on keeping your lower back flush with the floor, and your elbows and upper back flat on the floor at all times, too- also keep your knees out over your hips, you can actually just lay like that with your legs up and it's good for the lower back muscles and lower abs, then you can alternate with legs straight out or lift both legs up and down at the same time, (always make sure you are pressing your elbows into the floor, so that elbows, upper and lower back are always flush with floor) that's the best but also the hardest! I hope some of that made at least some sense, I hope something helps, good luck!! You CAN get it done, and it has nothing to do with how much confidence your parents instilled in you as a child... 🤦( Legit had an instructor tell me that was why I couldn't get my shoulders down. I sure showed her, haha... It's just posture, and a matter of isolating and training the right muscles. Don't let anyone tell you anything else... I mean, unless they know what they are talking about. The confidence thing is BS and could hurt a child who maybe didn't have the best family life... That would have been me as a kid, and that would probably have made me quit riding.) Sorry, this is a sensitive topic for me, apparently, haha!

[@Arae97]

I experience those same things!

[@fuzakali9083]

Hey! Great video, but if you could have lifted your coats up above your waist to see the position of the pelvis better it would have helped. Thanks!

[@joaniecampbell5590]

Thank you. I have been unable to find a comfortable seat relative to the public bone. I rode a few years ago with no problem, but now I have to avoid a trot because of the pain. Can you describe more the three-point sit?

[@chantalkrause4183]

Hey Joanie, i totally get what you mean about the pain. Started at 42 now. I've done about 20 private classes for now. Back pains. As for myself, i went to an ostepath that make me aware i had an AWFUL posture (and now that she showed me all of my postures problem, i become aware of my body in everything i do-- it will help out to prevent future bigger back problems), and i am also doing every day about 20 min of stretching and reinforcement exercices of the back, abs. I think that helps too. Gotta work on my posture (overall, not just on the horse!). The pain in horseback riding is pushing me do these things on the side, in order to become better in riding :)

[@lindacowan8567]

Thank you. That helps alot. I think I have been clenching my butt.

[@daveanderson8776]

Posting the trot seems to be really hard for me and I understand this normal for beginners but do you have any tips ? Thanks for your vids. 😊🐴

[@pedestrianandroid]

Practice on your knees at home and literally speak one! Two! - it shouldn’t be to hard to pick up

[@user-kz4kv7yt7r]

How do I stay still in the saddle when my horse is 'rock and rolling' in walk. I find myself dropping my hips like a seesaw. Hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.

[@anonymous915]

It's not extra movement, it's following the horse's movement.

[@marjoriehartzenberg8964]

I anatomically have a hollow back...this makes tilting of the pelvic a constant battle. Any suggestions?

[@joannareid3289]

Me too! I find the sitting trot so hard

[@pedestrianandroid]

Stand against on the wall and do physical therapy .

[@hollandtaitai]

My instructor kept telling me to turn my feet in and one time even grabbed and turned my foot which caused some pain. How do I do it correctly so that it doesn’t cause any pain?

[@jacquelinehammond8073]

Grab the flesh on your thigh and roll it backwards, this will naturally make your toes point forwards. There's also videos on KZbin of stretching the legs backwards which also helps: Amelia Newcomb does one in the US and Life on the Left Rein in the UK has just put a vlog up of a dressage lesson where this is demonstrated x

[@jacquelinehammond8073]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXTUpHeOgcyGgMk

[@jacquelinehammond8073]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5jZpmWDlrJ_fKM have a look at this, this position will turn your toes in naturally

[@hollandtaitai]

@@jacquelinehammond8073 Hi. I always try to do that when I get on the horse. I practice yoga too (7 years). That’s why I couldn’t figure out what went wrong. I have watched that episode by Amelia Newcomb. Shall check out Life on the left rein. Thank you:)

[@BasicHorseTraining]

@@hollandtaitai we usually need to turn our leg from the hip joint (the ball and socket joint) within our pelvis to get the feet to point forward in the direction we are going. It is not always that easy, particularly if you are sitting on a broad horse and like anything, when trying to change our posture, it takes practice and repetition to stretch everything.

[@phylliscoulsting2965]

How can I improve my lazy horse’s impulsiveness?

[@BasicHorseTraining]

Are you wanting to get your horse more "forward", are you wanting him to be quicker to answer your aids or did you want a bigger trot/canter Phyllis?