> as the > motion of the horse is like centrifugal force that will tend to move > us out > of it. > Robyn
Does it then follow that to oppose that centrifugal force requires increased weight on the inside seat bone. Sylvia Loch says so in The classical Seat (only arrived today). I made my little cardboard model and discovered the horses centre of gravity is inside the centreline when bent.( A crescent shaped piece of cardboard balances on the inside of it's centreline.) Mary Wanless in the Natural Rider states that the horse leans inward slightly on the bend and so must the rider. That doesn't mean collapsing the torso on that side but supporting it. Both seatbones stay in contact in a fencing stance. Obviously none of these things are to be overdone. It is all subjective and if done correctly probably doesn't feel like leaning in or weighting the inside seat bone. I remember the famous Doc councilman asking swimmers if they pull underwater with straight or bent arm. !00% said straight. 100% had a 90' bend on video. Until we have evidence like that we can only make educated guesses. I knew a swimmimg teacher who used a harness to hold the swimmer up on a hoist in the water. I used to wish I could hire one for riding. It would make falling off less painful.LOL. Then one day I realised I already had one it was called 'gravity'. There have been several moments when it felt like God was holding me up by a string that went through my head down to my heels. The lightness was fantastic. Then there were the times he was too busy to help. Boy was I heavy as I hit the ground! > > > Also someone (sorry I deleted the post) asked about the weight on the > inside seat bone on a turn. As I understand it, by putting your > weight to the inside the horse has to "catch-up" to follow your > weight so they lean into the turn and the inside shoulder drops. > (Some one who is better at this, please chime in!) I'm no better at this but I know that's exactly what would happen if I was running in a circle. The Article that started this discussion said that the opposite happens. The horse pushes the shoulder up to counteract the weight and the head turns ouside the circle. Did I read it wrong? I was taught to > keep my weight centered, but move my outside hip bone away from the > horse making room for the ribs to arc out. (Think off your hip as > being a drawer that you can pull out.) I find it really helpful to > get down on all fours and try these things out, have some one play > rider and shift their weight and see how it effects you. > > Kat So have you read Mary Wanless book Ride With Your mind Essentials? There are lots of exercises like that. Sylvia loch does a lot of rider walking through dressage exercise. I like the drawer analogy to allow the horse to bend through the ribs. I will add that one to my tool box. The following is only my opinion; If I keep my weight centred by feel it must be centred over the horses centre of gravity. There is centrifugal force to which we have to apply an equal and opposite centripedal force. The vector for that will cause a slight lean inwards by horse and rider(one unit). When the forces are balanced it feels centred despite the lean. Too much or too little lean will unbalance the horse. My opinion isn't worth much as I am only learning! Sue Coombes
