Applied Posture Riding

12/08/2026

I stand on a body scanner every month. The metrics change depending on how much exercise, riding, and sitting I do.

ATM my left leg muscle mass is 0.8kg less than my right leg, and it is filled with 1.3% more fat.

This aligns with my past history of nerve injury and my left-sided weakness in my left leg when riding.

I make sure I work to the level of my left leg for strength and power, not my right leg. I aim for better symmetry, not more asymmetry.

My arms are almost equal in muscle and fat.

It would be interesting to scan our horses.

04/08/2026

I have been having a chat with Chatgpt with great success.

I described the signs and symptoms and details about the problem I am having with my pony. In a nutshell, her 5-beat canter, stump, jump plough movement has been very difficult to solve.

Our discussion was 2 way.

The first piece of advice was to strengthen her core and topline. Use poles, hill work, and groundwork.
I have been doing this for 3 years; her core is strong, her musculature is strong, and her 2- and 4-beat paces are symmetrical.

Body work was the next piece of advice.
I do a lot of this myself.

Stretches were recommended.
I do them often.

I told ChatGPT that I use my APR weight training program with a good visual and functional outcome. Chat GPT was quite excited with this information.

Red and infrared light therapy was recommended.
I do this 4x a week.

So I have covered the general advice, but she still struggles with R>L canter. All other paces are fine, and no signs of unevenness, lameness, or gut pain.

A discussion with my farrier has given more insight, and on closer examination I found her hocks have thickened tendons.

After all of the above and digging deeper into details, I have come to the conclusion she has long-term fascial tightness +/- due to her club feet, cause and effect ???

ChatGPT then offered more insight into her psoas muscles biomechanical lines and function. It was easy because I understand the language and movement patterns. It recommended laser therapy around her hocks; it gave me the correct dose (I have a 9W laser), a massage gun along the legs, the gaskin muscles, the psoas muscle, and the lumbar area.

I have been able to apply the recommendations with my own knowledge and ridden training sessions over the past 3 weeks.

Yesterday, Barbie cantered 3 beat both left and right lead for a few circles.

Progress will now be interval ridden training, ongoing laser and RLT and massage gun and teaching her to canter with a correct pattern once her fascial lines allow her.

This is so exciting; I love the journey of gaining knowledge, discussing problems and trial and error.

This cost me time, mostly. I use my own custom-designed RLT pad. I am able to treat with laser because I am a professional. I own and use the deep-stroke massage fascial gun.

Deep diving into all the details, history, signs, symptoms and journey to date allowed me to think further than ridden work to "fix' her canter.

Barbie is my project for now.

03/08/2026

We all plod away in our own little environment, riding, training, caring for our horse(s). Many I know do it alone, safe, yes, no, maybe.

Riding young horses has its inherent risks.

Riding dressage, flat work is deemed less risky than jump training.

Riding in bad weather provides further risk.
Ground work and float training also have their risks.

Walking through a yard or a paddock with more than 2 horses can lead to a mishap.

How many here work alone?
What precautions do you take?

All my work is done alone; I don't carry my phone or have a watch; however, my neighbour is always on the lookout for a loose horse.

The thing I miss most of all, though, is chatting to somebody about my sessions.
Norma and Barbie the silent achievers.

29/07/2026

Hi to all the Broome equestrian community. I will be travelling to Broome on Monday, 24th August for 3 weeks. I am doing a Physiotherapy locum in private practice as well as enjoying family.

I am also available for horse-riding biomechanics lessons and/or horse or rider assessments. Dressage, jumping or just posture resetting.
I can bring products from my website for viewing or purchase if anyone is interested.

My website is Applied Posture Riding for you to review
Contact me via my website or my FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/appliedpostureriding/

Applied Posture Riding is an online rider training program designed by a Physiotherapist. The program incorporates specific horse riding movement patterns to teach riders how to ride with stability strength and better skills. Ideal for injured riders.

20/07/2026

The term self-carriage is applied to many postures that are not self-carriage. If your aim is for your horse to work in self-carriage, then you must already be riding in self-carriage.

Self-carriage postures have no external forces or supports.

A horse is in self-carriage in the paddock; a rider is in self-carriage when going about our daily work, rest and play activities.

A horse does not carry their nose behind the vertical in true self-carriage (maybe some do).

The self-carriage posture and paces we want in our horses will come, but only with a long-term training program.

But what is the order of training? This is the order for riders as well.
IMO
1. Postural strength
2. Movement patterns for step length, symmetry, rhythm.
3. Flexibility
4. Endurance

With a strong body, you can move on to.
Balance training
Understanding of aids for softness

Keeping the work low stress and fun for the partnership.

This is not a spreadsheet; it is a continuum training line

I always advise doing less to achieve more.

Musculoskeletal pain and stiffness are less likely to become a problem when the rider/trainer applies the same training principles to themselves and their horse.

It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.
True rider-horse self-carriage is an elegant picture of achievement.

This AI image makes it look so easy

20/07/2026

If you can't feel you are crooked, you can't fix it. It is possible to be crooked but appear straight due to counter adjustments.

Friends, family, instructors, judges and your horse will eventually tell you once it starts to impact you and/or your horse.

Check your riding posture often; manage NO symptoms.

10/07/2026

Spurs! Why, when and how do you use them?

I have noticed that nearly every rider at competitions wears spurs. It seems part of a standard uniform now.

Very forward horses, lazy horses, ponies, kids, and adults all wear spurs.

IMO, spurs should not be on riders with "busy" or unstable lower legs. If a rider is not able to keep their heel (spurs) away from their horse's side until needed, then they should NOT wear spurs.

Spurs ?? sharpen the aid ??. What do you do when the horse becomes "dull" to the spurs or overreactive to the spur?

I used to wear spurs all the time. Now I know so much more about training, horse welfare, ground work and communication, I rarely wear spurs. I also don't compete at a high level. I have no pressure for outcomes either.

If instructing, I take them off young riders and riders with busy lower legs, and I always ask, "Why wear spurs?" Again, have a reason.

I am not popular with some mothers, but I don't care.

Educate yourself to become a better rider, trainer, horse person. Ground work has been the turning point for me and my training. I also have a history of being turfed off my mare headfirst into the ground wearing a spur.

I hate seeing horses jabbed with a spur in any discipline, unless it is applied with purpose.

My opinion only.

08/07/2026

If you do many hours in the car (and on the computer), your muscle memory for that posture becomes strong. Driving can create slight asymmetries through your seat and spine.

The road has a right-to-left slope (a 2-3% camber).

Even a slight slope for many hours can create an asymmetry in your seat and spine. I certainly notice this with road trips.

To help keep me symmetrical, I use cut-up foam noodles. I cut them into short lengths, then cut a few extras into half-domes.

I place them under my left butt, thigh, or lower back to reduce the time sitting crooked.

If you don't know you're crooked when sitting in a car or a chair, you certainly won't know it in the saddle.

Be body aware. Manage NO PAIN, manage core function, manage resting postures; this will be time-efficient and effective for your riding posture.

05/07/2026

As riders, we need symmetry in movement, range of motion, flexibility, control, and strength throughout our bodies and limbs.

Of course, daily exercises will keep you as good as you can, but age and habits. We all often pick things up off the ground. If you pay attention, you will realise you use your dominant hand to do this.

This becomes a repetitive action.
Next time you pick up an object, consciously use your non-dominant hand and feel the difference.
Exercises are essential, but daily habits can be more effective and time-efficient.

03/07/2026

When I give a lesson to a rider I have not met before, I always ask what they know and what language they use and/or understand.

For example, “Tell me what your canter aid is”.

So often they start with “ err umm, I sit up , I use my seat to go forward, I use my inside rein, I use my outside rein and my legs and ask my horse to canter”. Some add in breath out when? and other long-winded phrases.

I ask, “What is your aid for a walk to trot to walk”?

I ask “What is your aid for a leg yield”? (depending on their level).

Very few riders verbalise their aids.

Walk to halt, walk to trot, trot to walk, and walk to halt are all symmetrical paces, so symmetrical aids apply.

If the rider is not clear and in control of their hands, heels (lower leg), and seat, the combinations we use to apply and release pressure will be very confusing to your horse.

Add in the common phrases from instructors (correct or not) like “relax your inner thigh through the transition”, “drop your right shoulder”, " breathe out through the transition”, remember to give with the inside rein”.

Setting your body up with basic biomechanics is essential; knowing where, what, and how your core, lower leg, seat (and vision) are doing is essential when riding and training your horse.

Give yourself a lesson when you ride.

This will help you get the most out of future lessons.

Rider Biomechanics are the basics for the rider.
This is what my APR Online program is all about.