Equine Ridden Assessment

Original Editor - Petra Zikmann Top Contributors - Jess Bell, Kim Jackson, Tarina van der Stockt and Chelsea Mclene

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Introduction

Assessing the rider on a horse is not a routine part of an equine assessment. However, it has been suggested that there is a lack of recognition of lameness in horses due to the impact of riders on movement asymmetry. These assessments can, therefore, provide valuable clues in the assessment of equine patients with chronic issues.

You might perform a ridden assessment when:

• The rider specifically raises a concern about his / her own riding, especially when there is a history of trauma or pathology (e.g. back surgery / pelvic fracture)

• You want to assess saddle fit in more detail
• You are asked to do so

It is, however, important to remember that equine physiotherapists are not (typically) qualified riding instructors, so you should limit your assessment to issues of biomechanics rather than technique and skills.

The components of effective riding are:

• Alignment
• Awareness
• Core control
• Breathing

These areas will be discussed in detail below.

Alignment

Neutral Spine

Neutral spine refers to the position where every joint of an individual’s spine is held in an optimal position. This helps to ensure an even distribution of forces through the overall structure and allows for:

• Optimal absorption of concussive forces
• Optimal activation of the core muscles

Correct Riding Alignment

Maintaining the correct riding alignment means that riders are able to hold themselves in a natural upright position (i.e. they retain their natural spinal curves). If a rider does not maintain this position, she / he is unable to keep her / his pelvis in a vertical position. This affects the rider’s ability to stay “glued” to the saddle during trotting or cantering as there is insufficient mobility in the rider's lower back or hips to absorb the horse’s movement.

It is, therefore, beneficial to be able to find the correct position off the horse. To achieve the self-carriage needed to ride in the Classical seat the rider can try the following exercise:

• Stand sideways by a large mirror with feet slightly apart
• Stand with back straight (i.e. upper back straight, lower back curving in slightly), shoulders back, chest open with a relaxed stomach
• Bend knees (make no other change apart from lifting arms slightly as if holding the reins) to move into a "horse on" position
• An imaginary straight line should connect the ear, point of the shoulder, hip joint and ankle
• These points remain the same whether standing or riding - the only change is the bend in the rider's elbow and knee

To find this position on the horse, riders should:

• Settle into the deepest part of the saddle with their back straight
• Without stirrups, riders should lift up their legs, so that their knees are by the withers
• This shifts the weight from the knees and thighs to the seat bones
• Riders should adjust themselves until they feel that their weight is evenly placed over the two seat bones and their crotch (the crotch should rest on the rising part of the pommel, but not press down)
• They should then check the position of their back - their back should be neither too flat (rounded) nor too hollow (stiff), and it should allow for natural curves
• When riders achieve this correct alignment, with their shoulders over their hips, they should feel stable
• Finally, riders should check that their shoulders are level (opening at the front rather than holding them open on a flat back) and that neither side of their rib cage bulges out more than the other

Awareness

Centring (off horse)

When riding, it is important to be balanced. To enhance a sense of balance, it can be helpful to:

• Sit square in a chair with your weight over your seat bones, your knees at 90 degrees, your body upright and feeling in balance
• Become aware of your own body, feel any areas of tension and try to let them go
• Be aware of your breath filling your lungs and abdomen
• Become aware of your “midline” - the imaginary line that passes between your eyes, down through your spine to your coccyx
• Sit and think about your breathing and your midline for a few minutes
• Remind yourself of the connection from your seat bones down through the floor towards the centre of the earth
• Think of your arms hanging off the midline at C7 and your legs off at L5
• Next open up your awareness and feel the space around you
• Consider how far you can spread your awareness while focusing on your midline and being connected to your body

Fulcrum

A fulcrum is a point of balance. For a rider to be balanced, his / her fulcrum should be down in the centre of the pelvis. To find this point, the rider can imagine a line running from the pubic symphysis to the sacrum and another line running through the hip joints. The fulcrum is approximately where these lines cross.

Many riders carry a lot of tension in their diaphragm / abdomen, so their fulcrum shifts proximally. This creates instability and they will be more likely to topple forwards or backwards. It is, therefore, important for riders to learn to take long, slow breaths to keep their diaphragm moving.