Testing & Assessing the Horse Rider's Balance

Dedicated to Shelley & her niece

Horse riding is a difficult sport, and one most difficult aspects is the horse rider keeping balanced riding the horse. The rider's balance can affect the horse from the beginner's circle to the FEI pirouette.

We either fall towards one side, or put more weight on one side of the horse (the side/side balance), or we lean forward and put more weight on the horse's two front feet (on the forehand). Occasionally riders lean back, but that is pretty rare.

And the FEI Rules are clear that the rider's body must have "thighs and hips well stretched downwards" with the "heels as the lowest point", and the "upper part of the body...erect and on the vertical...".

That means, not leaning forward, backward or sideways.

With these simple tips you will be able to measure your balance, or your pupils balance to prevent the beginner actually losing balance and falling, to the higher level rider losing balance and putting weight on the forehand, or the older riding suffering from poor hip or ankle balance and pain.

Some easy tests:

Side/Side Balance

Are your earrings level to the ground? As you are riding into the mirror, or direct into the camera, which earring is lower?
See "is one earring lower?"

Is the horse rider's helmet level to the ground?
As the horse rider is riding straight into the mirror, or camera...which side of the helmet is lower?

Are your thumbs level to the ground?
The FRONT of the horse is kept straight by the thumbs & forearms creating a "straight track".   See article: "straightness"

Do you sit more on your left or right seat bone?
The MIDDLE of the horse is keep straight and balanced by your left & right seatbones carrying the same amount of weight.   Straightness and balanced will also be affected if one seatbone is more forward - so instead of being straight on the straight line at 9o'clock & 3 o'clock - the left might be more forward at 10 o'clock, or the right more forward at 2 o'clock.

Do you have more weight in the left or right stirrup?
The BACK of the horse is kept straight & balanced by the stirrups carrying exactly the same amount of weight. Balance & straightness is also affected if one foot turns out more than the other.   A great way to test & improve your balance standing is to learn to stand up in the saddle.

Is the horse rider's foot balanced in the stirrup? If the outside of the foot isn't supported by the stirrup, the knee turns out. See "Check Stirrup Placement" in the heels article.

Are your elbows level to your pants? It's very hard if you don't have a mirror to know if your shoulders are level, or if one shoulder is lower than the other.   And, it has a HUGE affect on the horse's straightness & balance.   However, if you measure your ELBOWS and one is higher, above your belt, and the other is lower, below your belt, then your shoulders are the same as your elbows.   Level your elbows & you'll have level shoulders.

Forward/Back Balance

Do you sit more on your pubic bone or your tailbone?
You can see this side on in the camera or mirror and often the rider's belt will be lower at the front than the back.   It's very easy to tip forward out of position like this, and it puts more weight on the two front feet of the horse. See on the forehand

Do you look down?
Looking down puts more weight on the two front feet of the horse. However, on circles most riders look down, but also a little to the INSIDE, which is another reason horses "fall in" on the circle or cut corners, and extra weight is not just on the two front feet (called "on the forehand"), but on ONE front foot (called "unbalanced").   See "looking down"

Are your heels up?
"Heels up - look down - lean forward" all go together. It all adds up to putting more weight on the two front feet and having the rider out of balance tipping forward. It's so important to rider balance that the FEI have made it an official rule to have your heels down.   See heels up

Tracking & controlling the horse rider's movement

Track your belly button in rising trot
You need to learn to both 'track' and 'control' your belly button. As you rise and sit on the straight line, does it track 'true' from 12 o'clock in front of you to 6 o'clock behind you? Or does it vere off to one of the horse's ears say at 11 or 1 o'clock. Or do you land back at 5 o'clock to the right, or 7 o'clock to the left. Or do you track dead straight to 12 in front of you and sit at 6 behind you. See rising trot & balance

Control your belly button in sitting trot. Instead of just allowing the belly button to wobble everywhere, out of control and out of balance, the master rider controls the belly button movement in sitting trot

Best articles on Improving Balance

► Best exercise for balance (on the ground)
► Best exercise for rider balance standing (on the horse)
► Stirrup length
► Build balance & confidence

Testing & Assessing the Horse Rider's Balance

Are your earrings level to the ground? As you are riding into the mirror, or direct into the camera, which earring is lower?
See "is one earring lower?"

Is the horse rider's helmet level to the ground?
As the horse rider is riding straight into the mirror, or camera...which side of the helmet is lower?

Are your thumbs level to the ground?
The FRONT of the horse is kept straight by the thumbs & forearms creating a "straight track". See article: "straightness"

Forward/Back Balance

Testing & Assessing the Horse Rider's Balance

Are your earrings level to the ground? As you are riding into the mirror, or direct into the camera, which earring is lower? See "is one earring lower?"

Is the horse rider's helmet level to the ground? As the horse rider is riding straight into the mirror, or camera...which side of the helmet is lower?

Are your thumbs level to the ground? The FRONT of the horse is kept straight by the thumbs & forearms creating a "straight track". See article: "straightness"

Forward/Back Balance

Are your earrings level to the ground? As you are riding into the mirror, or direct into the camera, which earring is lower?
See "is one earring lower?"

Is the horse rider's helmet level to the ground?
As the horse rider is riding straight into the mirror, or camera...which side of the helmet is lower?

Are your thumbs level to the ground?
The FRONT of the horse is kept straight by the thumbs & forearms creating a "straight track". See article: "straightness"