What is Rider Biomechanics
Rider biomechanics refers to the study of how a rider’s body movements, positioning, and muscle activity affect their riding performance, comfort, and safety. It encompasses the analysis of various factors such as balance, posture, and the interaction between the rider and the horse.
Rider biomechanics is important in equestrian sports, where small changes in the rider’s position or muscle activity can have a significant impact on the horse’s movement and performance. By understanding the principles of rider biomechanics, riders can improve their riding technique, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance their overall riding experience.
In addition, rider biomechanics can also be used to evaluate and select appropriate equipment, such as saddles, stirrups, and reins, to optimize the rider’s position and comfort while riding.
What does Rider Biomechanics Assess?
When assessing rider biomechanics, several factors are typically considered, including:
Alignment and posture: This refers to the rider’s ability to maintain a neutral spine and aligned body position, which helps distribute their weight evenly across the horse’s back and allows for clear communication between the rider and the horse.
Balance: Good balance is essential for effective riding. It involves the rider’s ability to maintain their center of gravity over the horse’s center of gravity, which is important for staying in control of the horse’s movements.
Joint angles: Proper joint angles, such as hip, knee, and ankle flexion, can improve the rider’s stability and balance, while also allowing them to move with the horse’s motion.
Muscle activation: The rider’s muscle activation patterns can affect their balance and stability, as well as their ability to influence the horse’s movement.
Rein contact: The way the rider holds the reins and applies pressure can impact the horse’s response to their cues.
Movement: The way the rider moves with the horse, such as their ability to absorb and follow the horse’s motion, can affect the horse’s comfort and overall performance
By assessing these factors, riders can identify areas where they may need to improve their technique and develop a more effective, efficient, and comfortable riding style.
Considerations of Assessments
It is important that any rider biomechanics assessment takes into account learned behavior, habits, and body responses that come from riding experience, as well as any injuries or traumas that a rider may have experienced.
These factors can play an important role in shaping a rider’s biomechanics.
For example, a rider who has experienced a fall or riding trauma may have developed habits or muscle activation patterns that are designed to protect them from future injury. These patterns may not be optimal for riding performance, but they can be difficult to overcome without the help of an experienced coach who understands the rider’s history and needs. Similarly, a rider who has developed a habit of leaning too far forward or gripping too tightly with their legs may need to retrain their muscles in order to achieve a more balanced and effective riding position.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Improved riding performance: By optimizing rider biomechanics, riders can improve their balance, stability, and overall riding technique, leading to better performance in the arena or out and about.
- Reduced risk of injury: Proper biomechanics can help riders avoid injuries such as falls, muscle strains, and joint pain, by distributing forces and stress evenly throughout the body.
- Enhanced horse welfare: Optimal rider biomechanics can also benefit the horse by reducing interference with the horse’s movement and allowing the horse to move more freely and comfortably under saddle.
- Improved communication between horse and rider: Good biomechanics can help the rider communicate more effectively with the horse, by using clear and subtle cues that are easy for the horse to understand.
- Increased rider confidence: By improving their technique and reducing the risk of injury, riders may feel more confident and comfortable in the saddle.
Cons:
- Focus on form over function: Some riders may become overly focused on achieving a “perfect” position or technique, to the point where they force their bodies into positions they are not designed or conditioned to perform. A riders ‘perfect’ position is individual. Where their skeletal structure may mean it is not possible for them to obtain the ear, shoulder, elbow, hip, heel alignement.
- Potential for injury from over-correction: In some cases, riders may overcorrect their biomechanics in response to coaching or training, leading to new injuries or imbalances. As above, the ‘perfect’ alignment is not possible for some riders. This should be recognised and advised by coaches.
- Overemphasis on individual technique: While rider biomechanics can be an important factor in riding performance, it should not be seen as the only or most important aspect of riding. Factors such as horse training, rider conditioning, and nutrition can also play a significant role in achieving success in the saddle.
- Time and resource-intensive: Coaching or training for rider biomechanics can be time-consuming and require riders to understand that correction is a process.
Taking Action
Following a Rider Biomechanics assessment you will need to work on yourself off the horse to improve upon the areas identified by your Biomechanics Coach.
Whilst you can improve upon the identified areas in the saddle it is important to understand that your body is used to a particular way of functioning in the saddle. It has created muscular memory, recruitment and activation pathways that cannot simply be undone by adjusting your posture and function in a session. It takes time.
Research shows that improving functional movement on the ground can lead to improvements in functional movement on the horse. Developing proper functional movement patterns, such as good posture, core stability, and balanced weight distribution, can help riders maintain a stable and effective position in the saddle, which can in turn enhance their ability to communicate with the horse and improve overall riding performance.
Summary
Overall, rider biomechanics is a complex and dynamic field that takes into account the individuals skeletal structure, needs and experiences of each rider, as well as the unique characteristics of the horse they are riding. The key to improving the your riding biomechanics is working with a knowledgeable instructor or coach. And understanding that is is a process. Results are not achieve overnight but the benefits are improved technique, reduction in the risk of injury, and enhance yours and your horses overall riding experience.
Improving functional movement on the ground can have a positive impact on riding performance, by enhancing core stability, balance, and overall fitness. It allows you to focus solely on yourself without having to worry about a negative impact on the horse as you learn, develop and adapt.
Other key points to remember is that riding is a unique and complex activity that involves many different factors beyond just functional movement, including horse training, communication, and tactical decision-making, that also play a significant role in achieving success in the saddle.
References:
A study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in 2016 found that riders who participated in a six-week core stabilization program experienced significant improvements in riding performance, including increased stability in the saddle, improved leg position, and better overall balance.
Another study published in the Journal of Equine Science in 2017 found that riders who engaged in Pilates training had significant improvements in their riding posture, including better alignment of the pelvis and spine.
A review of the literature published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in 2020 found that strength training and core stabilization exercises can have a positive impact on riding performance by improving riders’ ability to maintain a stable and effective position in the saddle.
