Gadgets...for the rider

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I wasn't sure if I should put this here or in the tack portion. If I'm in the wrong place, please let me know. Still figuring things out around here.

Long and rambling post below. Long story short has any used gadgets to help their position while riding?

I'm starting to ride again after not riding for 6 months because of lameness issues and then Wobblers and euthanasia of my young horse. Needless to say I'm slowly dipping my toes back in. I'm cautiously looking at horses. But being out of riding shape and looking is hard. I tend to get along and go well with most horses, but I'm so self conscious that I don't feel focused on the horse I'm trying! I'm worrying about my position which should not be the focus when trying a horse.

I've always felt I've struggled with position and I have overcome a lot. I have Elher danlos syndrome and I've worked hard over the years with my body and position. My hands are always closed, my thumbs on top, toes facing forward.I don't get very crooked anymore. My ankle doesn't collapse inward much. All a victory! But in some saddles,I can tend to get into a chair seat and land or sit toward the back of the saddle. And my elbows. Oh my elbows. Elbows in posting trot are the bane of my existence.

In the past I did lots of no stirrup work, two point, pilates, begged for lunge lessons. And I got to the point where Jeremy Steinberg told me my position was pretty good. So hard work paid off. I'm starting over, trying to find lunge lessons.

I'm desperate enough to try gadgets. Just for increased awareness. Maybe this is a bad idea, I don't know. I was thinking of things like equicube, exercise bands around wrists, the franklin balls, carry a whip horizontal, whatever might help. Curious if anyone has used those?

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Also should put that I rode in a clinic two weeks ago. I rode in it on a horse I had ridden a few times before but not for a year. And rode once (first time in 6 months) right before the clinic. I told him my issues and concerns. His opinion was that I might take this too seriously and need to enjoy riding for now. That my base position was fine. Just a few tweaks..

Easier said than done. Seeing video makes me want to correct this asap and maybe I shouldn't get frantic lol.

[StraightForward]

I've used the exercise band around the wrists and have found it helpful. Ironically, I did a clinic last weekend and the clinician had me riding with wider hands. But I think I'll still use the band (mine is 12" so not putting my hands super close together) because it tells on me when I drop the connection.

Off the horse, I find standing on the flat side of a Bosu ball super helpful. If you stand with your feet near the edges, it gives a feeling similar to riding, and I think it helps teach balance from the core out. When I couldn't ride much, I felt like it kept me trained for better balance, and there's no concern about having the right horse to practice on. I think this could help you with chair seat, because if you're not perfectly centered of your feet well, you fall down.

[blob]

I also have been using a resistance band on the wrists! I really feel it in my shoulders, esp. in my right shoulder, which I tend to have more forward than my left. It keeps my shoulders and elbows correct and my hands even. When I use it with RP, i can feel a difference in connection.

I know some people have used equicubes for core. But the few times I've tried one, it made my arms tired but I didn't feel any added core engagement? I must be using it wrong, but also isn't it supposed be something that forces you to have to use it right?

I have also be looking up suggested exercises and stretches for riders. I haven't found anything amazing. but I do think pilates work often gets me strong and limber and even in the right spots.

[Chisamba]

tell me about the wrist resistance bands i want to get one for my pupil as a gift, lol, no seriously, she has often wished she had something to remind her of her hand position

[blob]

tell me about the wrist resistance bands i want to get one for my pupil as a gift, lol, no seriously, she has often wished she had something to remind her of her hand position

This links talk a little about how/what, including a video: https://heelsdownmag.com/hear-me-out-re ... ess-go-to/


This lady has started selling special riding marketed bands and talks a bit more about them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLJNQQPWuQQ

I didn't buy her bands, but i did take note of her suggestion that a 12 inch band might be too big. So, I found some that are just under 10" on amazon in pack of 3 weights and bought them. Link below for the ones I bought. However, if I was to do it again, I would look for fabric ones because these ones feel kind of gross when everything gets sweaty. But in general i like them and they are easy to hose off and cheap enough that it's easy to replace them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088N ... UTF8&psc=1

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Awesome to hear about the bands! I ordered some off Amazon last night. I'm very interested about the equicube, I wonder if someone local has one. I've heard mixed reviews on that one.

[Chancellor]

I use a resistance band for my student who likes to have her left hand take over when her left leg should be doing the work! It works. But I am going to read that link that Blob posted about.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I use a resistance band for my student who likes to have her left hand take over when her left leg should be doing the work! It works. But I am going to read that link that Blob posted about.

I'm a bit weak in my left shoulder (I have Elher danlos syndrome). I wonder if these could help that issue too? I just feel like sometimes I have a hard time keeping my outside rein on that side but from my shoulder not hand.

Let us know what you think of the video. The ones I ordered were not from that site though. Still an interesting idea.

[demi]

I use a resistance band for my student who likes to have her left hand take over when her left leg should be doing the work! It works. But I am going to read that link that Blob posted about.

Thanks for this insight. I’ve been thinking about using resistance bands for my hands and when I read the above, I finally tried it, today. My problem is just the opposite of your student, as my right hand takes on a life of it’s own trying to compensate for my weak, collapsing right side, leg.

So today I made a band from DH’s material. The stuff he had was a little too stiff but ok since i just wanted to try it. I made a 10 inch one. I loved the elastic quality it gave to my hands and Rocky responded! The connection we had felt good. It was a gale force wind day and I was a little worried that if she did a big spook I might lose my seat because of the band. But it didnt happen.

I felt it was helpful enough that I will order a set from the website Blob linked.

Just an aside, I don’t think the body sling thing would help me. I think it would make me force my legs down as opposed to just letting them hang.

[heddylamar]

When my hands develop a life of their own (due to weakness in my left leg), I ride with my reins bridged. With the bridge, the leather/rubber combo is stiff enough the left hand can't drift over the withers.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I'm going to try it tonight! I'll report back.

[blob]

When my hands develop a life of their own (due to weakness in my left leg), I ride with my reins bridged. With the bridge, the leather/rubber combo is stiff enough the left hand can't drift over the withers.

My unevenness is weird and is more in my shoulder and elbow. I bend my left elbow more and therefore bring that shoulder back more. I had tried bridging, but it didn't really make it harder for me to keep doing this habit. The interesting thing with the bands is that because you're supposed to holding the band so that there is tension, I can really feel it working my right shoulder and makes it really impossible for me to hold it taut without even elbows. Even the lowest resistance I have (5lbs) really makes my right shoulder burn after a few minutes, so I need to rest in between sets. But this also makes me excited for building more strength and evenness over time!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Okay so I tried the lightest band. It was eye opening! I will say it helped my awareness for sure. I feel like I could really feel my weakness in my left shoulder. Interested in seeing if using these helps strength as well as add awareness to what I'm doing.

I'm going to try to get some video next time so I can see if it looks and works how it feels.

[blob]

Okay so I tried the lightest band. It was eye opening! I will say it helped my awareness for sure. I feel like I could really feel my weakness in my left shoulder. Interested in seeing if using these helps strength as well as add awareness to what I'm doing.

I'm going to try to get some video next time so I can see if it looks and works how it feels.

I'm hoping it will add strength! But I am also curious to see if this is the case. It definitely has added awareness for me with my right shoulder. But I'm hoping it will also add strength over time. I've heard that using the heavier bands also work a bit like the equicube and really engage your core. But until my right shoulder gets straighter I think I would die with a stronger band!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Yes let's hope for stronger shoulders, Blob! I tried the heavier ones at home and there is no way I could ride with them right now ha ha!! I'd be toast in minutes.

[Chancellor]

When my hands develop a life of their own (due to weakness in my left leg), I ride with my reins bridged. With the bridge, the leather/rubber combo is stiff enough the left hand can't drift over the withers.

OOOH! Another good idea.

[Sue B]

I gotta try this! Are you using 10" or 12" bands?

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I gotta try this! Are you using 10" or 12" bands?

Sue B, I got 10 inch ones off Amazon. $10 for a set.

[blob]

I gotta try this! Are you using 10" or 12" bands?

Sue B, I got 10 inch ones off Amazon. $10 for a set.

I got these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088N ... UTF8&psc=1

they are a bit under 10". I wish they had a fabric covering, but they are cheap

[demi]

I tried the heavy band again yesterday. I made it from a roll of material that DH had. It is 5 inches wide and 10 inches long (20 inches doubled).

I had been working on my right seatbone, leg, and hip which I had worked on intensely in my lesson the day before, so I was already fatigued by the time I put the resistance band on. I went to the left in trot and only got a minute or so before I started to fall apart. When I watched the video though, I am fairly certain the band had a positive effect on how Rocky went. I noticed in the vid that I was rounding my shoulders, partly because of my aging body, but also because the band was too much for me.

This morning i cut the band to make it only 2.5 inches wide and decrease the amount of resistance.

I’ll try to post the vid from yesterday. I didn’t have any good right trot video on the same day without the band to compare, because as I mentioned I was concentrating on my right side and it wouldn’t have been a good comparison. I’ll try to get both today.

[demi]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i59J0yG8eU8

[demi]

I just noticed something else as I was watching the vid to prepare to go ride: I am kicking a lot to get her forward which is something I dont normally have to do. I think there are two reasons. One is that I couldn’t use the whip with that heavy band on, and two, is that I didn’t have enough core strength against the band to use my seat for forward...hmmm.

[StraightForward]

Thanks for sharing the video Demi! I see a lot of similarities between Rocky and Annabelle. I had a similar observation in that A was not convinced that she needed to go forward, but I interpreted it as a tell against me giving away too much contact in the up transitions instead of insisting that she step into my hand. I think 20" total is too long? Mine is 12" total and I believe others are using 10" total. 12" worked well for me most of the time, but I could see going narrower as A gets more confirmed in the contact and keeps her shoulders on the line of travel better.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Demi, I'm using the lightest band weight right now. I'm impressed that you could ride with the heavy one at all!

Thanks for the video. Very nice, let us know if you try a lighter band.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I ride a lot of greener horses, so while I was able to use the 10 inch, I think I want a few 12 inch ones as well for a little more room depending on the horse.

[demi]

Thanks for sharing the video Demi! I see a lot of similarities between Rocky and Annabelle. I had a similar observation in that A was not convinced that she needed to go forward, but I interpreted it as a tell against me giving away too much contact in the up transitions instead of insisting that she step into my hand. I think 20" total is too long? Mine is 12" total and I believe others are using 10" total. 12" worked well for me most of the time, but I could see going narrower as A gets more confirmed in the contact and keeps her shoulders on the line of travel better.

10 inches total! I don’t think I could even get both my wrists through that. Maybe if it was very,very stretchy, but my wrist measures 5 7/8 inches around.

I remember what you had said about thinking you were giving away too much contact in the up transitions and I related to that when you said it because I had just taken a lesson where my trainer told me I give up too much rein contact from posting to sitting trot. Sort of similar.

I used the lighter band today and I liked it. I haven’t looked at the vid yet but I’ll try to get clips for comparison: posting trot in the same direction with and without the band. (I said right when I meant left, or vice verse in my previous post).

And yeah about A and R. That QH thing!

[demi]

Demi, I'm using the lightest band weight right now. I'm impressed that you could ride with the heavy one at all!

Thanks for the video. Very nice, let us know if you try a lighter band.

I have no idea what the differences in light vs heavy band material is. Maybe I was able to use the heavy one because I had it 20 inches in circumference. How wide is the material you are using? That makes a difference, too. Mine was much easier to use when I cut the width from 5 to 2.5 inches. still 20 inch circumference.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Demi, I'm not sure what the difference is weight wise. Mine came in a set of four. Each is a different thickness.

I would say mine are around 2.5 inches wide too. I'm looking forward to your comparison videos!

[demi]

Well, I tried to take a comparison video today but the soloshot was uncooperative! I used the lighter band on Thursday and it was much better then the heavy one. I used it for about 20 minutes and my shoulders and abs were a little sore the next day so I think it did some good.

The take away for me, is that I need to sit up, engage my core, and pull my shoulders back! I’ll continue to use the light weight one on occasion, maybe once a week, and see what happens.

[heddylamar]

I have no idea what the differences in light vs heavy band material is.

Light v. heavy (or the color grading system, black normally being heaviest) has to do with pounds of resistance. The actual resistance values depend on the brand of band.

[demi]

Thanks, heddylamar. It’s the actual resistance values that I was wondering about. I guess it doesn’t really matter though, because I have something that is working for now.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Elbows are getting better, slowly. Now I'm noticing an anterior pelvic tilt which is annoying. I wonder if using the band will help with that more, use my core more.

I'm hoping for some lunge lessons soon. Although I wonder if the pelvic tilt us from my lower back having issues OR if it's the other way around. I might need to add some massage/chiropractic/physical therapy.

Basically my body is a mess lol.