Symmetry, Strength, and Optimizing the Rider's Seat

Equestrian Voices

There’s so much more to your seat and symmetry in the saddle than meets the eye. It’s not just about good equitation or looking pretty in the saddle. Your horse’s health, musculature, and soundness are profoundly impacted by your balance while you ride.

Also, it’s just plain miserable to constantly be fighting your own position while you ride. If you’re constantly focusing on just turning your toes in, or not falling off the left side of your horse, there’s little hope to be effective and clear with your aids, thereby growing your partnership with your horse.

But, here on Equestrian Voices, we have good news! One, there’s a lot you can do out of the saddle to fix position issues that you’re having in the saddle. (Yes, in this regard, you truly can become a better rider from your living room!) Two, most problems with seat and position come down to 3 main symmetry issues, and we talk all about them in this ep.

We’ve turned to Maeve Sheridan MCSP, owner/operator of Activate Your Seat. Maeve is a highly specialized physiotherapist - for both people AND horses - with over 20 years of experience treating musculoskeletal disorders and sports injuries.

Caroline and Maeve tackle:

• The three main symmetry issues (front to back, side to side, and rotational) and how they manifest both in and out of the saddle

• How asymmetry in the saddle greatly affects your horse (and how it can sometimes lead to injury)

• The main muscles involved in producing symmetry in your own body - spoiler alert, it’s not your core.

• Basic exercises you can do out of the saddle to strengthen your sense of symmetry in the saddle

• How your own anatomy affects body position in the saddle (all rider’s who turn out their toes, this is for you..)

• How saddle fit and design helps (or hurts) how symmetrical you can be in the tack

You can also check out Maeve’s instagram account for more exercises and information on how to strengthen your own seat.