Equipoise: Foundation Training for Equestrians

A rider's body needs to be balanced, toned, well-aligned and stable to be effective and safe in the saddle. It takes a lot of practice and strength to handle the forces coming through the horse's movement, while also influencing and shaping them. Most riders struggle at some level throughout their riding careers--a seat bone disappears, the back arches, an elbow flops, a shoulder rises, a waistline collapses...ad infinitum. As our bodies and our horses change over time, so do our challenges! It's like taking that old car to the mechanic who fixes one thing just to uncover another problem!

With repetition, we have a mechanism to bring healthy movement patterns into our daily lives including our time in the saddle, for it is through repetition that automaticity becomes possible. Can a person slouch at his desk all day and then hop on his horse and expect perfect posture from both…