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Back and bum sore every time you get off your horse?
✔️You've checked the horse
✔️You've checked the horse
✔️You've checked the saddle
But, when did you last check the rider?
If recurring pain, stiffness or physical restriction is affecting how you feel in the saddle,
it may be time to look beyond the area that hurts.
Equestrian Rider Alignment Assessment
Equestrian Rider Alignment Assessment
looks at the rider’s history, physical comfort and alignment
both standing and in the saddle
to identify patterns that may be affecting
the wider horse-and-rider partnership.
Has discomfort quietly become part of your riding life?
Perhaps you recognise one or more of these:
Recurring pain in your back, shoulders, hips, bum or knees
Headaches following riding or training
Feeling stronger or more comfortable on one side
Stiffness when mounting, dismounting or after riding
Continuing to rely on pain medication
Having regular massage or other treatments without understanding why the discomfort returns
Taking more lessons because something in your riding still does not feel right
Feeling that your horse is resisting, refusing or not responding as expected
There may be several reasons for these experiences, and not every problem originates with the rider.
But the rider’s body is an important part of the partnership and it is often the last part to be considered
Your horse responds to what your body communicates
Riding is a physical conversation between the two of you
How you sit, balance, carry tension and distribute your weight can influence the signals you give your horse.
When something is uncomfortable or restricted, the body naturally compensates. You may shift your weight, brace through an area or rely more heavily on one side without realising it.
This does not mean you are a poor rider or that every difficulty is caused by your alignment.
It means your own physical comfort and movement deserve the same thoughtful consideration you give to your horse, saddle and training.
Gilly and Smithy
Gilly and Smithy
This is a Rider who came to Acubalance for Spinal Touch Therapy and has given permission for this to be used.
Gilly is a devoted horse owner who spends a fortune on her "boy". She'd been struggling with persistent low back pain for ages and just thought this was a normal part of riding until her hips started giving her problems too.
She was struggling to sit to trot as her back and hips were aching. She advised me that she kept gripping with her knees as her lower back was really sore and she felt she was crooked when sitting on Smithy. This was preventing her from enjoying her riding. She advised that Smithy had been refusing jumps recently. She'd had his saddle, back and teeth checked which showed nothing untoward.
I asked Gilly if she would like to write about her Spinal Touch treatment. Here's what she said.
A note from Gilly;
Hi I have had a couple of Spinal Touch treatments so far and I can honestly say what a huge difference this has made to me and my riding and Smithy too! Firstly, this was a really gentle relaxing treatment. I felt really light and tall after it. I noticed the next morning that my low back and hip pain felt different, not as sore, so I went to the yard to ride Smithy as I wanted to see if my riding felt different.
I felt my riding was more relaxed and comfortable. Smithy seemed to be moving forward more freely. I tried a wee jump in canter and he popped this without hesistation. This has helped me with my confidence at jumps as Smith had been refusing recently.
I would recommend this treatment to anyone who is feeling this way. I will be continuing to have regular treatments. Gilly M.
Gilly showed that her sacrum and pelvis were out of alignment. This was affecting Smithy, particularly at jumps, feeling the imbalance in Gilly. This was affecting Gilly's confidence in her riding.
Specific body "zones" were used allowing the spine to relax and correct its own alignment. No force or manipulation is used during treatment. This is gentle, safe and effective, correcting postural distortion, imbalance and pain.
The Initial Appointment
The Initial Appointment
What happens during your Equestrian Rider Alignment Assessment?
Your appointment begins with a detailed conversation about:
Your riding and equestrian history
Any previous falls or injuries
Where and when you experience discomfort
Treatments or medication you have already tried
What you notice before, during and after riding
Any recurring difficulties in the saddle
Your standing alignment will then be observed, followed by an assessment of your position in a saddle where appropriate.
This allows us to begin identifying physical patterns that may otherwise be missed when attention is focused only on the area that hurts.
Following the assessment, you will receive an explanation of what has been observed and a personalised recommendation for the most appropriate next step.
You do not need to choose a treatment before you arrive
You do not need to choose a treatment before you arrive
You may have seen individual services such as acupuncture, massage, cupping, spinal touch or fascia release advertised separately.
You do not need to decide which one you need.
These therapies form part of the practitioner’s professional toolkit. Any recommendation will be based on your history, the assessment and what is appropriate for you.
The purpose is not to fit every rider into the same treatment. It is to understand the person first
Clinical understanding. Equestrian experience. One joined-up approach.
Clinical understanding. Equestrian experience. One joined-up approach.
Angela is a qualified midwife with 20 plus years of clinical experience and further qualifications in therapies, including massage, maternity acupuncture, acupuncture and spinal touch, cupping and fascia release.
She has also been part of the equestrian world for over 50 years, having begun riding at eight years old.
Her experience includes competing in cross-country, endurance and eventing throughout Tayside and the surrounding area.
She first became aware of the connection between rider alignment and the wider horse-and-rider partnership during her competitive period. At the time, there was little support available to help riders understand or address it.
Today, her clinical, therapeutic and equestrian knowledge comes together in one approach. One that considers the rider as an essential part of the partnership.
What this appointment can, and cannot, do
What this appointment can, and cannot, do
The assessment will not promise to make you a better rider.
Training, experience and the relationship you build with your horse remain important.
It will not assume that every difficulty comes from the rider, nor will it diagnose or treat the horse.
Its purpose is to help you:
consider your own body as part of the partnership;
identify physical patterns that may have been overlooked;
better understand where discomfort or compensation may be occurring;
receive an appropriate recommendation based on your individual situation.
Where symptoms require medical investigation or care outside the practitioner’s professional scope,
you may be advised to consult your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Reviews
Reviews
The rider is one half of the partnership
The rider is one half of the partnership
You put enormous care into your horse’s comfort, movement, equipment and training.
Your body deserves consideration too.
If recurring pain, stiffness or restriction is affecting your riding life, your Rider Alignment Assessment is an opportunity to stop guessing and begin looking at the complete picture.
Appointment length: 45 minutes
Price: £50
Location: Forfar and Monifieth
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