Horse Rider's Mechanic Workbook 1: Your Position

by Jane Myers

Overview

Many common horse riding problems, including pain and discomfort when riding, can be attributed to poor rider position. Often riders are not even aware of what is happening to various parts of their body when they are riding. Improving your position is the key to improving your riding. It is of key importance because without addressing the fundamental issues, you cannot obtain an 'independent seat'.

This book looks at each part of your body in great detail, starting with your feet and working upwards through your ankles, knees and hips. It then looks at your torso, arms, hands and head. Each chapter details what each of these parts of your body should be doing and what you can do to fix any problems you have with them. It is a step by step guide which allows you to fix your own position problems.

After reading this book, you will have a greater understanding of what is happening to the various parts of your body when you ride and why. You will then be able to continue to improve your position, your seat and your riding in general. This book also provides instructors, riding coaches and trainers with lots of valuable rider position tips for teaching clients.

You cannot afford to miss out on this great opportunity to learn!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780994156105
Publisher:	Equiculture Publishing
Publication date:	09/11/2014
Series:	Horse Rider's Mechanic , #1
Edition description:	Learn How to Correct Your Own Position ed.
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.33(d)

Table of Contents

By reading this book you will... 1
1: Your feet 7
1.3.1: ...feet are unlevel (from side to side) 10
1.3.2: ...feet are numb 13
1.3.3: ...feet are not angled correctly 15
1.3.4: ...feet are painful 17
1.3.5: ...feet are weighted unevenly 18
1.3.6: ...feet are losing the stirrups 19
1.3.7: ...feet are letting the stirrup/s twist 22
2: Your ankles 25
2.3.1: ...ankles are wobbly 28
2.3.2: ...ankles are too loose 31
2.3.3: ...ankles are painful 33
2.3.4: ...ankles are stiff 34
2.3.5: ...ankles are behaving differently to each other 36
3: Your calves 39
3.3.1: ...calves are too loose 40
3.3.2: ...calves are too tight 40
3.3.3: ...calves are painful 41
4: Your lower legs 43
4.3.1: ...lower legs are 'disengaged' 45
4.3.2: ...lower legs are flapping 46
4.3.3: ...lower legs are sticking forward 48
4.3.4: ...lower legs are sticking out 51
4.3.5: ...lower legs are tilting too far back 52
4.3.6: ...lower legs are ineffective 53
4.4: Your lower legs - a recap 54
5: Your knees 55
5.3.1: ...knees are gripping 57
5.3.2: ...knees are flapping 59
5.3.3: ...knees are painful, weak or stiff 59
6: Your thighs 63
6.3.1: ...thighs are gripping 66
6.3.2: ...thighs are flapping 66
6.3.3: ...thighs are painful or are weak 67
7: Your hips 69
7.3.1: ...hips are painful or are stiff 70
7.3.2: ...hips are crooked 73
8: Your lower body 79
8.3.1: ...lower body is unable to follow and absorb the movement 80
8.3.2: ...lower body is unable to maintain position 80
8.4: Your lower body - a recap 83
9: Your torso 85
9.3.1: ...torso is moving excessively 88
9.3.2: ...torso is crooked 89
9.3.3: ...torso is slouching 93
9.3.4: ...torso is tipping forward 96
9.3.5: ...torso is leaning back 98
9.3.6: ...too arched in the lower back 100
9.3.7: ...lower back is painful 101
10: Your head and neck 103
10.3.1: ...head is incorrectly positioned 104
10.3.2: ...head is wobbly 106
11: Your arms 109
11.3.1: ...arms are hanging incorrectly 111
11.3.2: ...arms are stiff and unyielding 112
11.3.3: ...arms are flapping 115
12: Your hands 117
12.3.1: ...hands are unable to maintain position 120
12.3.2: ...hands are moving incorrectly 121
12.3.3: ...hands are hard and heavy 124
13: Your upper body 127
13.3.1: ...upper body is unable to follow and absorb the movement 127
13.3.2: ...upper body is unable to maintain position 129
13.4: Your upper body - a recap 130
14: Your whole body 131
14.3.1: ...whole body is unable to follow and absorb the movement 133
14.3.2: ...whole body is unable to maintain position 133
14.4: Your whole body - a recap 135
Further reading - A list of our books 137

Editorial Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative and educational
By Christine Meunier on February 11, 2015, Amazon
The Horse Rider's Mechanic Workbook 1: Your Position offers an in depth look at the rider's position as a whole. Broken down into different segments, it addresses how the rider's feet, ankles, calves and lower legs as a whole should be positioned. It then moves onto the upper leg, the torso, upper body and head and their positioning.
With each part of the body discussed, a description is provided along with notated photos of how the body should be positioned. In light of this, possible issues that may arise with each body part and its position are also discussed.
Jane Myers points out incorrect riding positions and what can be done to fix certain issues. Throughout the text, further reading is provided in the form of links to articles on the Horse Rider's Mechanic website. Reference is also provided for further reading in the next two books in the Horse Rider's Mechanic series.
Part 1 of these workbooks provides a great overall picture of how the rider should be positioned whilst horse riding.
Better yet, it covers greatly, issues that may arise and how these can be corrected. It seems a wonderful text for bringing to light issues to the rider, that may otherwise have gone unknown and held the individual back from becoming a more effective rider.

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Horse's Health & Happiness is Profoundly Affected by Your Your Riding Posture
By L. M. L. Wilson on June 5, 2015, Amazon
Even experienced, long time riders can benefit from these books to fine tune their riding skills and to discover whether they have developed "bad" postural habits and how to change those habits and change their muscle memory to ride better. These workbooks (see my review of Volume 2) should be in every instructor's and riders self-help riding library because the author explains in simple language, the how to and why of proper position....and also the why of postures that make you an uncomfortable and unbalance load for your horse (which results in the horse's tension and pain and possible injury). Small books....worth every penny.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it love it love it!!!
By Sharann on May 19, 2015, Amazon
The horse rider's mechanic is the only book on riding position you will ever need. It is comprehensively written by Jane Myers who is an expert in her field. The pictures and photos make the concepts simple and easy to understand. I wish I had this book years ago!

From the Publisher