Re: RC: RE: Centered Riding problem (a bit long)

[dave & abby bloxsom <cyclone@snet.net>]

<snip>
I have a chronic back problem; my lower spine "twists",
causing my pelvic girdle to rotate up and forward to the left.
This makes it virtually impossible for me to ride "square".
I would appreciate any words of wisdom/advice
from riders dealing with similiar balance problems. I 
worry endlessly that my uncentered riding will have
serious consequences for my horse's soundness. My goal
is to move from CTR's to 50's this year, but maybe I'm
being too optimistic? Kristi
<snip>
<snip>
>  to fight it..if you feel yourself fighting, drop to a trot until you relax in the back and try again.  This seems to help me.  You might also try to see a chiropractor.  If something IS twisted, they can work it back into place for you.  I go atleast once a month.
<snip>

This is an interesting question.  As a riding instructor, I find that
most students (all so far, but I haven't met everyone yet) eventually
develop some significant asymmetry in the saddle, even if the spine
isn't twisted.  It's related to handedness.

My inclination, and I'd need to see you in the saddle to confirm it, of
course, is that your best position is to get your PELVIS straight in the
saddle, and forget about your shoulders, etc.

Your hips are connected to your pelvis, and your legs hang from them. 
The thigh/knee placement is GREATLY dependent on placement of the
seatbones and thereby the rotation of the thigh bones.  Once the thighs
and knees are symmetrical, the lower leg falls in place from there.  If
the seatbones are not symmetrical, (and thigh/knee/etc) then the
stirrups WILL NOT feel the same, no matter what.

Solving this:  You will feel under your seat that one seatbone floats
and one sits.  The sitting one needs to be lifted up to match the other
(don't try to push the floating one down, it will take care of itself),
which will probably feel as though you are twisting your pelvis in the
saddle.  When you get the "feel" of the two seatbones to match, get used
to the feeling.  If this feels crooked, so be it.  It's actually
straight, and it will even out the weight in your stirrups and the
pressure on your horse's back.

Of course this is a whole lesson series boiled down into one paragraph,
but have fun:  happy feeling!

-Abby Bloxsom


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