Use this Murdoch Minute to expand your upper ribs and position your shoulders back and down. Practice this exercise while riding circles and turns to keep you square and upright. And always remember to enjoy the ride!
Shoulder Issues
Do you struggle to keep your shoulders back? Drop to the inside when riding circles and turning? Feel like your rein contact is heavy or does not follow your horse? Expanding your upper ribs forward could resolve these problems and more!
Next time you ride, notice what happens with your upper chest. Do you drop your sternum down? Do you roll your shoulders forward? Perhaps one shoulder rolls forward and down more than the other? Is your head tilted to one side? Do you have difficulty maintaining a steady rein contact with your horse’s mouth? Sensing and feeling your upper ribs as you ride circles and turns help you achieve the correct shoulder position for riding.
Anatomy
The shoulder girdle rests on top of the ribcage. The collarbone attaches medially to the sternum and first rib (toward midline) and laterally (away from midline) to the shoulder blade at the acromion process, crossing over the first three ribs. When the sternum and ribs are dropped down in front they come closer together. This causes these ribs to widen apart in the back, which pushes the shoulder girdle up and forward, creating the rounded shoulder appearance. The shoulder girdle no longer sits on top of the ribs but hangs off the front of your body attached to the sternum only by the collarbone.
Any attempt to pull the shoulders back into position without changing the shape of the ribcage is futile because there is no skeletal support for the shoulder girdle to rest upon. You will continually struggle to have your “shoulders back” until your ribs expand in front, which brings them closer together behind.
Unmounted
As they expand in front, the shoulder blade glides down the back and the collarbone widens to the side, perpendicular to the sternum, thus achieving the desired shoulders back position with much less muscular tension.
To help you sense the position of the upper ribs relative to the collarbone, take one hand and place your thumb in your armpit. Let your elbow move out to the side and then drop down alongside to your body. Extend your fingers, letting them rest on the upper ribs and collarbone. Breathe into your fingers in order to expand the upper ribs and move the sternum forward and up. As you do this notice, how the collarbone widens to the side and the shoulder blade drops down your back. Switch sides. Is one side easier than the other? The more difficult side is most likely the rounder shoulder.
Mounted
Mounted, beginning at the walk, ride circles and turns with your thumb in your armpit. Expand into your fingers as you turn while observing your horse. Is it easier for him to turn with the inside hand in your inside armpit? Once you are comfortable with walk experiment at trot and canter. Remove your hand and take the reins whenever necessary.
Use this Murdoch Minute to expand your upper ribs and position your shoulders back and down. Practice this exercise while riding circles and turns to keep you square and upright. And always remember to enjoy the ride!
