Do you have difficulty opening your hips in rising trot? Hollow your back? Sit on the front part of your seat bones? Is your horse on the forehand? Many riders hollow their back when riding but this tips the pelvis forward and down, sticks the seat bones out behind, closes the hip angle and puts […]
Murdoch Minutes
Murdoch Minute No. 90: Balance Point of the Foot
Do you lose your stirrups? Stiffen your ankles? Have trouble getting your heels down? Does your stirrup swing forward when you ride? Do you carry your stirrup on your toes? Perhaps your difficulty results from the interpretation of riding with the stirrup on the ball of your foot. A small but significant change in foot […]
Murdoch Minute No. 39: Collecting Yourself
Do you have trouble keeping your balance? Do you tend to pitch forward? Do you have difficulty sitting to the canter? Would you like to feel deeper in the saddle? Here’s a quick tip to deepen your seat. Next time you ride notice what happens to your seat. Do you feel like you can’t sit […]
Murdoch Minute No. 38: A Quick Saddle Fit Test
Are you wondering if your saddle fits your horse? Do you find that it keeps shifting when you ride? Do you have to use a breastplate to keep it in place? Does your horse raise his head when you go around a corner or make a turn? Here’s a quick tip to find out if […]
Murdoch Minute No. 46: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall….
Use this Murdoch Minute to improve your overall symmetry and to rehabilitate old injuries. If you have one ankle that is stiff, mirror the other ankle and see what happens. Do you have trouble using your right hand as well as your left? Do you have a ‘dumb’ side? Do you feel like your two […]
Murdoch Minute No. 75: Carry Your Hands
Do your hands lean on your horse’s mouth? Unconsciously drop one or both hands? Lean forward and lower your hands when using the reins? Does your horse rush when you ask for downward transitions? Learning to carry the weight of your forearms and hands can help you stay away from the neck and avoid leaning […]
