Rider Straightness and Symmetry: Align Your Shoulders and Knees!
Straightness is something that we ALL struggle with in Dressage because every horse and every rider are innately asymmetric! Traditionally in Dressage, when we hear the word “straightness,” we immediately think about the horse! BUT it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR A HORSE TO BE STRAIGHT WHEN THE RIDER IS CROOKED!!!
While some riders are naturally straighter than others, ALL riders are crooked to some extent. The tricky part about riding, it that the horse is effected by EVERY asymmetry and it can be very difficult to determine the root cause of the asymmetry!
For many of my students, it has helped to think about keeping the line between the knees and the shoulders “straight” and horizontal to the ground. If you imagine a line that goes through the horse and between your knees, this line must be horizontal at all times. Often, the horse will want to carry the rider off to one side or the other, or the rider will want to sit on one seat bone or the other, or the rider will draw their leg up and clamp with one leg to “hang on.” All of this results in uneven knees and a crooked rider.
The second, and more complicated line is the line between the shoulders. Again, the line between the shoulders of the rider should stay horizontal. If one shoulder is higher than the other, this will put more weight on the opposite seat bone and negatively impact the seat of the rider.
The rider must also be able to rotate the shoulder and bring one shoulder forward and the other shoulder back without rotating the hips. This move is essential for properly turning the horse. In a left hand circle, the left shoulder of the rider must come back and the right shoulder should come forward WITHOUT collapsing or raising one shoulder!
Try to visualize these lines and focus on keeping them straight and parallel the next time your ride! Your horse will thank you!
What is your biggest struggle with symmetry in your riding?
