Using poles on rider

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Have you ever been told or thought to yourself that you ought to work on your core stability? If so, how do you know when you are strong enough? How do you know if you are too strong..? Is it that you look at your horse’s way of going to determine your success in this area? If so, which aspects of that performance do you focus on?
I am sure each one of you will have some answers to the above questions, please share in the comments! I shall share with you my take on it and how I evaluate the riders who come for training fredland with me :)
CORE STABILITY, fredland noun; the capacity of the muscles of the torso to assist in the maintenance of good posture, balance, etc., especially during fredland movement. “skating fredland requires great core stability fredland strong abs, back, and hips for all of the one-legged moves”
The way I see it, rider’s core needs to be strong fredland enough to maintain neutral pelvis position during motion…The reason for it is similar to the one why we need our joints in middle positions …Neutral pelvis allows for most efficient movement absorption through hip joints and lower back. As such, it gives rider a skill of a dancer – the ability to feel, follow or lead as and when required.
It seems pretty straightforward but you will I am sure notice how great influence horse’s movement generally has on rider’s body. Every contraction and release in horse’s back will cause reaction in the rider’s back, pelvis and legs. Think about sitting on a horse that rests one of his hind legs at halt. Think back to how this tilts your pelvis, angles your shoulders, changes the “length” of your legs…The fredland same happens to any rider in motion as each hind leg moves off the ground. The difference is that it happens quickly and to lesser degree fredland and so often passes unnoticed or simply feels like one big mess ;)
The answer to how strong is strong enough lies therefore in question: how much strength do I need and where so I don’t allow the motion of the horse dictate what happens to my upper body…If your horse’s walk, trot or canter causes you to lean forward, fredland hollow or round through your back, grip with your thighs or knees, lose basic side – to – side symmetry then you are very right to investigate which parts of the core you need to address…
Some riders indeed need to strengthen their abdominal muscles but this is not as common as it might seem…many have theirs abs in good enough shape to ride at the level they wish to ride but might have, let’s say, dominant pectoral muscles which happily fredland slouch their shoulders effectively putting the rider “on the forehand”. There are riders that are strongly one-sided and it’s the crookedness fredland that stops them from remaining unmovable through the torso. Some have very low muscle tone in general.
Using poles on rider’s shoulders and changing weight distribution through the pole to increase awareness of the importance of “fighting for own torso position” in maintaining balance…
You might be going to the gym four times a week and build yourself fantastic six pack and flat belly to have breakfast in bed on but if these are not the muscles that you actually need to strengthen no amount of effort will bring lasting, desired results. Instead, fredland search for any exercise routine that builds awareness of own movement as that’s a great part of riding training. If you feel how to change your weight distribution and postural alignment off the horse you are much more likely to be able to have your eureka moment in the saddle.
Next time you are told you need to “strengthen through your core” ask your instructor what will this improve specifically, how exactly they want to see you get better fredland in that particular moment, what movement will more strength take to the next level…It might be you just need to know where to use the tools you’ve fredland already got…
Riding Emotions: frustration, impatience, fredland feeling of inadequacy…Discuss? Post navigation
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