Sam, An Experienced Horse Rider,Shares Her Testimony And Advice About Her Back Injury.

Sam came to Getfitstayfit Norfolk, with a serious back complaint. Her life for many years has been involved with the equestrian sector, as a rider and also looking after a lot of horses. She know’s all to well the need, to be fit and free from injury for people to get the best out of the horse. Working with horse’s all day and knowing how much owners will always make sure the horse is in good condition, she like many other’s, has not necessarily considered her own well being as much as she should. As experienced horse rider, she shares her Testimony and Advice about her Back Injury, with other riders.

Sam came to Getfitstayfit Norfolk, with a serious back complaint.

Her life for many years has been involved with the equestrian sector, as a rider and also looking after a lot of horses.

She know’s all to well the need, to be fit and free from injury for people to get the best out of the horse.

Working with horse’s all day and knowing how much owners will always make sure the horse is in good condition, she like many other’s, has not necessarily  considered her own well being as much as she should.

 As experienced horse rider, she shares her Testimony and Advice about her Back Injury, with other riders.

Sam came to Getfitstayfit Norfolk, with a serious back complaint. Her life for many years has been involved with the equestrian sector, as a rider and also looking after a lot of horses. She know’s all to well the need, to be fit and free from injury for people to get the best out of the horse. Working with horse’s all day and knowing how much owners will always make sure the horse is in good condition, she like many other’s, has not necessarily considered her own well being as much as she should. As experienced horse rider, she shares her Testimony and Advice about her Back Injury, with other riders.

It is, as she say important for  the rider to be at one with the horse, to have

Fluidity in Motion ,

A riders injury can affect a horses ability  to perform at it’s best , as every jolt and jar the rider feels  as pain, the horse will feel their restriction in their reaction to the pain in their subsequent movements. to propel a horse forward you need to to be balanced.

Please watch Sam’s testimonial and her advice to other  Horse riders and owners.

 

The Importance of “Fluid Motion when on Horseback”

Advice About Her Back Injury

Here in Norfolk we have some great places If you are a horse rider, from Training Stables, Show jumping rings, Pony Trekking, we even have a Polo Club at Langley Abbey, we thank Sally Lloyd from the Norfolk Polo club, allowing us this photo, but to have a look at some other photo’s and find out more, please have a look at their website.

You will also know that people who do not ride think it looks easy and that the rider is just sitting on the horse’s back, letting the horse do all the work, while all the rider has to do is give instructions when needed like, whoa and turn, I can assure you it certainly is not the case. There is much more to riding than the casual observer may realise. There is no such thing as passive horse riding.  Unlike any other sport you are in a position of joint dependence between you and another animal, more than just a team playing a sport together, you are in fact aiming to be at one with your movements and that of the horse becoming one fluid movement.

 

Here in Norfolk we have some great places If you are a horse rider, from Training Stables, Show jumping rings, Pony Trekking, we even have a Polo Club at Langley Abbey, we thank Sally Lloyd from the Norfolk Polo club,allowing us this photo, but to have a look at some other photo’s and find out more, please have a look at their website.

Be it at competition level or riding for fun, there is a unique correlation of the rider’s movement against the movement of the horse; this can prove to have extraordinary benefits for all elements of the human body. It is also vital if you aim to improve your level.

As we need to focus on the benefits and avoid any injury, yes we know these can happen so more reason to stay in shape , putting massage into a physical training regime  is and should be considered  a must and useful tool.

As much as we need to learn to ride and understand the horse, we also need to understand what our body is doing and the muscles it is using, we have to adapt to the horses muscles movements and use ours to the best of both our advantage, but how do you use your muscles, first of all you should realise that muscles do not control movement they only facilitate it.

Your Nervous system is the controller and throughout your body you have signalling stations, these are your Proprioceptors, they are at special points in the body, sending the information telling your body how and when it should move, without them we would become dysfunctional, we would not have coordination and would bump into things.  Proprioceptors send back all the valuable feedback so the nervous system responds and recruits muscle appropriately, creating tension or force that will then pull on the fascia that will in turn result in coordinated movement. This is why it is so important to keep muscles flexible; they will then be able to allow the Proprioceptors to keep sending the right messages.

Your Nervous system is the controller and throughout your body you have signalling stations, these are your Proprioceptors, they are at special points in the body, sending the information telling your body how and when it should move, without them we would become dysfunctional, we would not have coordination and would bump into things. Proprioceptors send back all the valuable feedback so the nervous system responds and recruits muscle appropriately, creating tension or force that will then pull on the fascia that will in turn result in coordinated movement. This is why it is so important to keep muscles flexible; they will then be able to allow the Proprioceptors to keep sending the right messages.

You do need however to keep on top of any injury,  if an injury occurs , don’t ignore it deal with it. So that your body is not left to over compensate in other areas, putting your body out of synchronization and adopting “Pain Avoidance behaviour”, is not a good idea, after all you want to keep that fluid synergy   between you and the horse

For different sports within riding you use your body differently, for instance if you were riding on a pony trek, or a afternoon leisurely exercise, this would still provide cardiovascular benefits, just an hour of horse riding can burn off more calories than jogging or riding a bike for 30 minutes, when you start to ride you will notice how your muscles will change and become in better condition.

There is a simple explanation for this, it is in the fact that as the rider you have to react to every movement of the horse by having to adapt to the correct position in the saddle, your muscles must contract and relax according to and in conjunction with the horse’s movement, in doing so, every single muscle of your body will naturally be toned and strengthened.

You will use your Transverse Abdominals muscles more, because of mounting and dismounting from the horse twisting and turning and bending and flexing, did you realise there are more than 29 muscles used in aiding core stability and you will use all of them, you will also use your Adductor’s when guiding the horse along with your TLF, ITB and your Glutes, that is a lot of muscle work on just what could be considered simple riding.

When you are doing Show jumping movements you will have to use more forward shoulder and neck movements, rise and fall movements using your Hamstrings down to your Soleus and Gastrocnemius, these are the muscles that can be very prone to tightness, regular Massage can help with keeping these muscles flexible.

As you grow in confidence with riding as you will, let’s face it, you will have to if you are going to be capable of having  control of an animal that is bigger than yourself, the horse does need to feel your confidence for them to feel confident in you, remember it is a partnership.

You may want to get involved with some of the other sports on horseback such as Dressage or Show jumping, or you may like a faster pace and become part of  in a team, you may take an interest in Polo.

This is a fast and invigorating sport, it is exhilarating and demands a lot of technique and flexibility, needing all your abilities, the muscles you will use a lot in Polo, will be your Core muscles.

There is no getting away from the fact that you have to work and keep all your muscles in shape, you will also find that you will build up your reaction times, you may not think it when you first start, but you will really become more mentally aware, of your surroundings, the game usually involves more manoeuvring and shorter plays, lower speeds and space limitations of an arena.

Advice About Her Back Injury

You will have to  use  your  Deltoids  and the upper body muscles when you have  to pull a horse up short , this will happen in a Mêlée  and as using your body to

pull a horse up quick takes a lot of effort, it will be worth developing these  muscles , but do not try over developing, you want them to be flexible.

Fluidity in Motion when on Horseback, is the key

As we say it is all about fluidity, adapting and improving, go to a game, find out about training, judge for yourself, find out what is right for you, but the main thing is to keep yourself fit for purpose.

Julia’sTestimonial For Getfitstayfit Norfolk

The Importance of “Fluid Motion when on Horseback

I have Osteoarthritis in my hips and have been under the consultant at the hospital.

I have been suffering severe pain in my right hip/leg.

The consultant was adamant that this was due to the arthritis and at my age refused to carry out a hip replacement.

Still unsure whether the pain was just due to the arthritis I decided to seek further advice. I am a keen horse rider and have not been able to ride since July due to the pain.

Well I visited Steve Kirby and had three sessions on the Bioneuro Dry Therapy System Sigma Q(∑Q)®

The pain eased considerably and I am now riding my horse with little to no  pain.

I will continue to visit Steve until I feel the need to stop, but feel I will need a top up whilst I am still riding.

Steve and his wife Jacqui are great people with a positive outlook on life and I would never have any hesitation in recommending them here’s to a Pain free 2012