How I Assess Riders: It Starts With You, Not Your Horse

When we talk about improving a horse and rider partnership, it is very easy to focus on the horse.

Is the saddle fitting correctly?
Is the horse moving evenly?
Is there a physical problem?
Is the training appropriate?

All of those things matter.

But there is another part of the partnership that is sometimes overlooked:

the rider.

As a physiotherapist, I have always been interested in how the human body moves, adapts and responds. Over the years, my work with riders has made me increasingly aware of just how much information our own bodies are giving us, if we know how to look for it.

A rider who feels crooked, struggles to sit evenly, loses balance in one direction or repeatedly develops pain may not simply need to be told to “sit straighter” or “use their core”.

There is usually more to the story.

That is where my Rider Physiotherapy Assessment begins.

Looking at the whole rider

My starting point is always the individual.

What are you experiencing?
When does it happen?
Does it happen on or off the horse?
Has anything changed recently?
Have you had previous injuries?
What are you finding difficult in your riding?

Pain is important, but it doesn't exist in isolation.

Our movement, previous injuries, training load, stress, confidence, breathing and general physical capacity can all influence how we move and respond.

This is why I don't want to simply look at the painful area and treat it in isolation. I want to understand the bigger picture.

I'm not looking for a “perfect” rider.

I'm looking for useful information about how your body currently moves and where it may be making riding harder than it needs to be.

Before we put you on the horse

A large part of my rider assessment takes place away from the horse.

I look at things such as mobility, strength, balance, coordination, movement control and asymmetry. I may also look at breathing and how you respond to different movements or challenges.

This isn't about finding faults.

Human bodies aren't perfectly symmetrical, and there is no single “correct” way for every rider to move.

Instead, I'm looking for patterns.

Perhaps one hip doesn't move as freely as the other. Perhaps you find it harder to balance on one side. Perhaps your body is using a lot of unnecessary tension to achieve a movement. Perhaps something that feels like a lack of flexibility is actually a control or strength issue.

These observations can give us a much better understanding of what might be happening when you ride.

Then we connect the dots

The interesting part is seeing how this relates to your riding.

Something we identify off the horse may help explain something you experience in the saddle.

A restriction in one area may influence how you sit.
A lack of control may make it difficult to maintain a position.
Pain may cause you to protect or stiffen.
Previous injury may have changed the way you move without you even realising it.

And sometimes the connection isn't obvious at all.

That's useful information too.

The aim isn't to decide that everything happening in your riding is caused by your body. Horses, saddles, training, environment and many other factors all have their part to play.

It is about understanding the rider within the partnership.

Where Equanimity comes in

This is where my Equanimity framework has become such an important part of my work with riders.

As I wrote about in my previous article, Equanimity grew from my experience as a physiotherapist, my work with breathing and rehabilitation, and my experiences with horses and equine assisted therapy.

At its heart is the idea of developing calm awareness and adaptable balance, the ability to respond appropriately rather than react automatically.

Those principles apply beautifully to riding.

I don't want riders to spend their entire lesson trying to hold themselves in the “correct” position.

I don't want you constantly thinking about holding your core, pulling your shoulders back or forcing your hips into a particular position.

Instead, I want to help you develop the awareness and physical capacity to allow your body to respond.

That might mean improving mobility.

It might mean developing strength or control.

It might mean understanding how your breathing changes when you are under pressure.

It might mean becoming more aware of tension that you didn't realise you were holding.

And sometimes it means learning that you don't need to work harder… you need to work differently.

The goal isn't a prettier position

One of the things I really want to move away from in rider development is the idea that there is one perfect position that every rider should be trying to achieve.

Of course, position matters.

But a photograph of a rider can only tell us so much.

What I'm interested in is what happens when the horse moves.

Can you adapt?

Can you maintain your balance without becoming rigid?

Can you respond when something changes?

Can you move with the horse rather than trying to hold yourself in place?

Can you do all of that without pain?

Those things require more than simply being told where to put your body.

They require awareness, adaptability, mobility, strength, coordination and confidence.

And that is why I look at the rider as a whole.

From assessment to action

An assessment is only useful if it gives you something to work with.

Once we've identified the areas that may be affecting your riding, we can decide what you actually need.

That might include specific exercises to work on at home, Pilates-based movement, mobility or strengthening work, changes to how you approach certain movements, or simply a better understanding of what your body is doing.

Sometimes further physiotherapy is appropriate.

Sometimes another professional, such as a saddle fitter, trainer or veterinary professional, needs to be part of the picture.

And sometimes the most useful thing is simply having someone help you make sense of what you've been experiencing.

There isn't a standard programme that I give to every rider.

The assessment is about finding the right starting point for you.

Your horse isn't the only one who needs an assessment

Our horses receive regular attention to their physical health, training, tack and wellbeing.

As riders, we can sometimes forget to do the same for ourselves.

If you're experiencing pain, stiffness or recurring problems when riding, struggling with asymmetry or balance, returning after an injury, or simply feel that something isn't quite working as well as it could, looking at the rider can provide a completely different perspective.

My Rider Physiotherapy Assessments combine my experience as a Chartered Physiotherapist with my work in rider biomechanics, Pilates and Equanimity.

The aim isn't to create a “perfect” rider.

It is to help you understand your body, move with greater awareness and adaptability, and find a way of riding that feels more comfortable, effective and connected.

Because the horse and rider are a partnership… and sometimes the best place to start is by looking at the other half of that partnership.