Posted by on 14. May 2018

Review: Many thanks to all (also international) participants and to Frauke Behrens and her horse Ymte.

Last weekend, our first joint course “Riding Seat and Biomechanics of the Horse” took place at the Zentrum für Reiter- und Pferdewohl (Centre for Rider’s and Horse Welfare) in Müden/Aller.

I am really happy to offer this topic with Frauke – as a physiotherapist and seating expert – for interested instructors and riding instructors. We plan to continue this course as modules 1 and 2 in the future, but with module 1 as a prerequisite for our second module.

The rider’s posture and breathing inevitably influence his seat and thus his signals. Fine aids result only from a relaxed, balanced seat and thus have a lasting influence on the horse’s suppleness and biomechanics. The same applies in the opposite case. A horse with osteopathic problems, that is tense and in pain neither finds its own balance and rhythm nor is the rider able to sit comfortably and deeply on a swinging back.

Many people are not even aware of how much stress and their state of mind influence their own body and thus that of their horse.

Breathing techniques and an awareness for the movements and perhaps also problems of the own body can fundamentally improve communication with the horse via the seat.
However not without knowledge of the anatomy and the biomechanical basics of the horse and a trained empathy for the changed behavioral and movement patterns of a horse with osteopathic problems.

I think we were able to pass on the basic knowledge to our participants in this course.
Knowledge of the anatomical structures of horse and rider and their relevance in equestrian sports.
About how a horse moves and how the rider influences it in a positive as well as negative sense and which problems arise with the horse as a result. Above all, however, the knowledge of solutions and exercises that facilitate our communication with the horse via the seat.
Knowledge of the problem does not help if I cannot perceive the problem myself. Because “I’m under stress,” or “have my head somewhere else.” Sometimes the own training condition or physical condition is also cause for the riding problems.

The Time-Factor

What is important to both of us is to slow down our riders, to show them that you should take the time to analyse and observe yourself and your horse. An obvious symptome is not always the trigger of a problem.
You also need time to build up your own muscles and those of the horse and to train movement patterns. Musculature and fascia need several weeks to develop, align in impact and pull direction and form an information network over the whole body.

Faszien Pferd
Bildunterschrift

Certainly there is an enormous amount of knowledge on the Internet and in textbooks, but experience is only gained over time. And experience is only gained by those who go their equestrian path with open eyes and the will to approach other living beings open minded.

As long as it takes, it takes.

Of course I would be pleased if I made you curious with my article.