Annette Willson

Equestrian Pilates.. What Does This Mean?

Horse riding requires a very static low range of movement  from most of the trunk and limb muscles. It is unlike running or athletics or a ball sport, all of which require the limbs to move through large ranges of motion. All sports require good core stability but horse riding in particular demands a strong core for the stability required to apply effective balanced aids to the horse.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is the term used to exercise the posture and the mostly the deep core abdominal muscles. It has been marketed as the new wave exercise program for a flat stomach and toned body. This is exactly what it can do if taught properly. Unfortunately many people are attending pilates classes and basically just doing aerobics with a tighter tummy instruction.

Pilates is the specific training of the transverse abdominal muscle (TVA). It must be taught by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. Not all pilates classes are of use.

Equestrian Pilates is even more complex. Horse riders must first learn how to contract, then test and train the TVA muscle. But anyone can learn this and not use it in the saddle.

Equestrian Pilates  or pilates specific for horse riders is the most valuable program any rider can follow to improve their riding and improve their posture. Horse riders with a strong core rider with so much more skill.

What is Equestrian Pilates?

Equestrian pilates is how the horse rider uses deep core stability to be a great rider. Those riders that have a good functioning core are great riders those that do not need to learn to improve their riding and their posture.

Just doing pilates exercises is not enough. A horse rider must learn how to use the core muscles for stability of the lower back and the trunk. This muscles is involved in all paces of the horse. The sit trot especially requires a functioning core muscle. The canter requires a flexible pelvis and lower back. This movement control is improved with core stability.

Who Teaches Equestrian Pilates?

Applied Posture Riding is equestrian pilates. This program has become one of the most popular, effective quality programs on the net. Applied Posture Riding is Pilates For Horse Riders. It is important in so many sports to learn about the use of the muscles and how how they function within your sport. This program is specific for horse riders. Applied Posture Riding looks at the anatomy and function of all the horse riding muscles. The pilates specific exercises go into detail about the deep core muscles and the main postural muscles used by the rider.
The rider has the information to test, train and learn movement patterns specific to the horse riding muscles.

The training of the deep core TVA muscles is focused on the horse rider. The exercises train the core for riding specifically. The upper body is strengthened as well and the mobility of the hips, shoulders and spine are all addressed in this equestrian pilates program

Who is Best Qualified to Teach Equestrian Pilates

I have seen and treated many people who do pilates. I have instructed many horse riders who do pilates. Very few actually knew how to function using pilates.
I am a Physiotherapist and and horse rider. I am a Pilates educator. I teach equestrian pilates or Pilates specific for horse Riders.

Applying pilates in the saddle requires a rider to teach you. Applied Posture riding is the most effective program to do this.
For more information have a look at the website Applied Posture Riding
Good luck with your riding

The Horse Riding Posture

A good riding posture needs to be trained. Deep core stability and strong postural muscles takes specific work. The postural muscles are required to be strong and have stamina to ride well. many riders take this for granted.

The  Applied Posture Riding program trains you to have the best horse riding posture.  It will teach you  HOW TO achieve a great riding posture and become a better rider. The combined education of a rider, Physiotherapist has been compiled   together into a specific horse riding posture program where you will learn about yourself, not your horse. This program is unique and not provided by riding instructors or any other exercise program. Riding instructors are only just starting to see the benefits of core stability. A riding instructor cannot teach you how to achieve this though.

You will learn the value of core stability and HOW TO apply it in the saddle.

Horse Riding Posture

This  horse riding posture exercise program will complete your knowledge and give you skills to improve your posture. The program provides specific instructions, firstly on the floor and big physio ball, then you learn to apply this in the saddle. By following the detailed physio riding lessons in part 2 you will learn HOW TO apply posture to your riding. You will learn how to test, train and strengthen your deep core muscles. The program also provides specific lessons in stretching and joint mobility techniques. Riders need a flexible pelvis and lower back in order to move in rhythm with their horse. Without joint flexibility and posture control a rider tends to always move behind the horse and bounce in the saddle. The horse riding posture is a learned posture

This program offers specific Pilates and posture training in one, designed for horse riders only.

Horse Riding Posture

Look at Applied Posture Riding to improve your riding.

Returning to Horse riding after child birth

I see the three most difficult obstacles are time, muscle strength and your partner.

As a mother, time changes or we think it does. Day becomes night and night becomes day, it seems to move at a different rate.  We certainly need more we become time poor.

Giving birth is such an experience. The body transforms from a strong efficient running machine  into a tired, weak, jelly belly  disorganized  being, post children.

Partners can’t understand why you want to ride again with all you have to do. Some are frightened you will be hurt.

WELL YOU CAN RIDE AFTER GIVING BIRTH

Time management is your domain but follow your passion get organized and don’t make excuses.
If you love to ride then get back into it.

Strength  is the main problem for women post birth.

Posture recovery  and strength is a matter of effort.

Horse riding after child birth

It won’t be the easiest time in your life but it is for YOU.

Incorporating exercises into your daily life is the key to success. Core stability is the most important exercise you can do to regain your abdominal strength and a flat stomach again. This can be regained as you do your daily
chores. You don’t have to go to the gym or exercise class.

You can do it at home, if you know how.

Horse riding after child birth

It won’t be the easiest time in your life but it is

I have three children  and I started riding 6-8 weeks after each birth. Granted I stayed fit during each pregnancy and I have ridden all my life. I still suffered a separation in my abdominal  muscles and I had many pelvic floor issues.

I started on pure pilates exercises and the Applied Posture Riding exercises and I have competed up to international level after childbirth.

I sit on my ball and I do all my range of movement exercises and I practice pilates ALL DAY.

When I ride I practice it even more. It works if you know HOW.

Look at Applied Posture Riding program. It will work for you

Horse riding Posture is a learned posture.

Every movement we perform is a posture. Posture requires micro muscle movements continuously.
The Horse riding posture is much more work than riders actually acknowledge. In our daily lives we sit, we stand ,we move around, but this is on a stationary surface. When horse riding, the rider is aboard a moving animal, not always predictable either. The posture adjustments are happening all the time. This is so much harder than we think.
A good rider must have good posture out of the saddle before even thinking of a good horse riding posture.
A strong straight back, square shoulders, upright head position and flexibility through the lower back and
pelvis is a must. The endurance to maintain a good upright posture in the saddle takes strength and endurance.
The key to a good posture is strong core stability.

The ability to use strong core stability can be learnt following the  Applied Posture Riding program. This is an exercise program specific for horse riders. A horse rider must have the stability to be able to apply independent hand seat and leg aids. Without core strength the horse riding posture won’t be stable. Riders develop habits such as poking chin, bent wrists, head bobbing, moving lower leg, bouncing in the saddle. Very few riders can sit trot with a good stable upright posture and be effective at the same time.
The key to good posture is strong core stability.

The ball is an excellent tool to train the horse riding posture.

The horse riding posture is a learned posture, not many riders are “natural’ riders.

Many of the worlds top riders are now training core stability.
They can already ride but every rider needs to strengthen their deep core muscles.
The use of the big gym balls is an ideal way to train the horse riding posture.
The dressage postition can be simulated and by following the Applied Posture Riding program
the horse riding posture can be learned, trained and perfected. Try it now and improve your riding skills.

The Horse Riding Posture  is one of the few sports that uses  both the  left and the right side of the body equally. Riding requires the horse rider to be ambidextrous.  Horse Riding also requires great posture strength and strong core stability.

A majority of sports are one sided. That is, they are left or right handed. For example, tennis and all racket sports require a dominate hand. All throwing and field sports are dominate one sided.

To play these sports we use our dominate hand or leg. some are lucky to be ambidextrous.

Riding, running and swimming are sports that require symmetrical use from both sides of the body.

Horse Riding is also a static sport in that there is little movement in the body compared to running or swimming. The Horse riding posture  is very upright with minimal movement of the body and the limbs.The dressage riding posture is very static.

The horse rider as an athlete therefore requires much stronger core stability than a runner or a swimmer. A horse rider must have good endurance in all their postural muscles in order to maintain an upright strong position.

Many horse riders are now turning to the gym to strengthen their core stability.  In order to improve the horse riding posture  the rider must have strong deep core stability. The use of Pilates in riding has become very popular

.

The application of pilates to riding isn’t as easy. This is very specific program. Applied Posture Riding is a program that teaches horse riders to train their riding muscles specific for riding.

Have look at the program here Applied Posture Riding.

Riders all over the  world are now following this program.

Back pain is a problem for over 95% of the population.

This is a favorite topic of mine.

I get many e-mails from people all over the world asking for help.

So many riders are told to give up riding by their DR. or Chiro or physio or even family……..because it is bad for their back.

HORSE RIDING IS NOT BAD FOR YOUR BACK. The job of looking after a horse IS bad for your back.

The key to controlling  back pain is core stability.

• As a Physiotherapist I treat back pain for a living.
• As a horse rider I suffer back pain.
• I understand the mechanics of the spine and how it works.
• I understand the heavy labor required to look after horses.
• I know the muscle energy required to ride with skill and good posture

Now to clarify what is bad and what is good for your back.

Sitting on a horse with good core stability and posture requires strength and good spinal alignment. This is good for your back. (Same posture as sitting on a ball at the correct height).

Asking the horse to perform movements on command requires much more strength and posture control. This will strengthen the whole body. This is good for your back.

A rider with good strong core stability will in fact strengthen and improve their back while riding. (of course don’t fall off ) . I’m talking about dressage, flat riding not jumping racing or rodeo)

A rider with poor core stability and posture will most likely not improve their back UNLESS they are taught core stability first, and then HOW TO apply this in the saddle. Riding can in this case be bad for your back.

Any person taking up or participating in ANY sport should train core stability  before expecting too much success.

I Practice it, I teach it, and I totally recommend training core stability for controlling back pain in any person but especially in horse riders.

THE JOB OF LOOKING AFTER HORSES  is bad for your back

This is hard on any person. There is much repetitive heavy lifting with throwing and twisting as well. Mucking out yards and carting feed all is bad for the back. Simply lifting a heavy saddle onto a big horse strains the back.

Again I strongly recommend training core stability for any person lifting on a regular basis.

The use of a back brace and a sack trolley can reduce the impact on the lower back joints while working in the yard. Getting smarter with the way you do things is the key to minimizing the strain on your back while on the ground.

The next time you hear Riding is bad for your back …….tell them IT”S NOT  you’ve got good core stability and love it.

For further information on strengthening the core muscles as a horse rider look at Applied Posture Riding.

For access to a back brace look at my Horse riding equipment.

Leave me a comment please, Id love to hear from any one in the horse world on this topic.

cheers Annette Willson

Riding a horse looks easy, but so does riding a bike and most people appreciate and remember how hard it was to learn to ride a bike.

Horse riding is such a unique sport in that it requires perfect symmetry and balance. It requires good posture and good body awareness. On top of this  a horse rider needs strong core stability. A horse rider also needs to understand the personality of the horse they are riding. A heavy lazy horse needs more “go forward”. A quick responsive horse needs a very gentle light aided rider. Each of these horses need a rider with a good, strong well balanced posture.

If a rider has poor posture on the ground then why do they expect to have a good riding posture.

The riding posture requires strength, endurance and co-ordination in so many parts of our body. .

As a riding instructor I try to teach horse riders to address their own body problems before we even attempt to ask a horse to move forward with freedom and rhythm.   So many riders and instructors do not understand a horse cannot move freely with a stiff, one sided rider on board.  Why don’t these riders look at themselves. Have you ever wondered why riders seem to get “another horse that is a mongrel”. Have you ever wondered why the top riders can train horse after horse to go well.

Training a rider on the ground about posture and core stability is so important. I practice this, I teach this and I recommend this to all horse riders. Riding is not like tennis or basketball or football. These athletes train in the gym specific to their sport. It is only becoming more fashionable for horse rider to think the same.

A horse rider needs strong deep core stability. This can be gained using a gym fit ball and practicing “the blind man” posture. This is a program I teach with great enthusiasm and success. I also use a program to change my mindset access it here  Reprogram your mind for success.

For more information have a look at the Applied Posture Riding program and subscribe for a free download.

My name is Annette Willson (Physiotherapist) . I am a horse rider and a Pilates trainer. I have a passion to teach Horse riders HOW TO ride better. This program will teach riders HOW TO apply Pilates to their riding. Every rider can sit trot with ease, with core strength.

Applying Pilates to Horse Riders

Horse riding is a unique sport, in that it requires an athlete to have both strength and stability in so many of their muscles. It requires  mostly what we call a static posture.   A rider does not move their body through large joint ranges as apposed to a runner or swimmer. A rider basically stays upright in the saddle as in dressage or assumes a more flexed posture for jumping.

If you, as a rider were asked to sit up in a chair for  an hour without moving a great deal, how do you think you would feel at the end of the time? I assume you would fatigue quickly, because your postural muscles have not been trained. This is the posture required for a dressage rider. A jump rider has more bend in their joints and is required to control this forward posture. Both of these postures require very strong core strength and extreme endurance from the posture muscles.

A rider is a unique athlete and needs to understand the function of their muscles and their sport, in order to ride better. Their training needs to be sports specific.

A rider can learn and train core stability and abdominal strengthening from any Pilates trainer, but the specific application of that training needs to be taught by a rider who can ride well.

This program will teach you how to apply  Pilates to your riding.

I have been  a successful rider, I am a Physiotherapist, Horse Riding Instructor, Pilates Teacher and now an author of  the book “Applied Posture Riding”.  I guarantee it will work for you.