Anyone else wonky?

domane

domane

Retired cob mum
Jul 31, 2005
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I've had a problem for years, I call it my "Right Rogue Heel" in that it lifts as I ride. You can see it clearly here...



I know that I am wonky... I have a tilted pelvis on one side and I also have a twisted spine. Bareback I sit straight a level but when my feet are in stirrups, if I push my heel down in my right foot, I always feel like the stirrup is longer and that I am leaning (despite Dom telling me my feet are level)

Anyhoo..... this morning I was riding Joey and remembered an old saying from years back, that you should be able to see your toes when you look down. I had a bit of a lightbulb moment and I don't know why I haven't looked at this before because it transpires that my "twist" seems to be from my pelvis as I actually carry my right leg a lot further back than my left in the saddle.... which explains why my heel is creeping up. This twist also explains why Dom tells me that my left leg usually sticks out further than my right. So I positioned my legs equally, turned my toes forward and sat equally.... my goodness it felt odd.... BUT my heel remained down and I didn't feel like I was tipping to the right any more. Durrr..... sometimes I really can't see the wood for the trees! I know it is going to take a while to re-train my brain and body to sit like this, but I'm sure the boys will appreciate it long term.
 
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I'm wonky, part injury, part old age. I did go to a lot of effort a couple of years back (when I still had JJ) to rectify my wonkiness, didn't work. Just gave me agony and totally dislodged my seat in the saddle. I think I have been wonky for too many years now, I am set in stone! You however, are young enough to do something about it, and fit enough with all your running around everywhere!:p I just try and compensate for Dolly's sake, by being as light as I possibly can in the saddle, in the hope that helps lessen the effect of my wonkiness on her, probably doesn't but it makes me feel better about it. Although my saddler did say she has no signs of uneven muscle development so I can't be ruining her too badly.:)
 
I'm another wonky one! I sit to the right so there's more weight in my right stirrup than my left so my wonkiness is making it difficult to get an even contact with the horse. Horse is a crafty old schoolie who basically says 'Shan't until you ride me properly!' so I have to try. So today RI took my stirrups off me, got me to swing both ankles up behind me and then back down and lo and behold both ankles were even. We did it a few times and horse started to listen and work down into the bridle.

It is amazing how changing one small thing can make quite a big difference.
 
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I have just modelled for a friend who is qualifying as an equine chiropractor. She says Ziggy and I are madly wonky! I hope to get some video to prove it, I'll share it on here when I do. You are not alone....
 
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Yep wonky as hell. Tight muscles in one side from old injury or something along those lines, I need stretching out one on side. I get ankle pain and I know ive been leaning to one side.
 
I have an issue where I am 'tight' in my left rein and don't seem to bend on that side. That makes Ben difficult to bend to the left as I am effectively blocking him. It's getting better now, but it's taken lots of work to rectify it.
 
I love my RI because she constantly assesses my position. In my lesson on wed she picked up that on that day i was scrunching my right hip in an attempt to straighten Moet, which unfortunately was actually doing the opposite and allowing Moets ribcage to bulge out through my right leg.

Generally though i would say that my left side 'feels' like it collapses in comparison to my right 'strong' side....though i don't seem to have big problems with my legs as such, i do notice that during hockey season my left butt cheek feels like a tennis ball under the seat bone and my left thigh doesn't stretch down as well (due to a hockey injury to my left thigh which has healed but obviously still susceptible to strain!)
 
I didn't think I was too bad - but I am. With the RS ponies it's less obvious, as they are used to all sorts bimbling about on them. As soon as a I ride a new to the RS horse, or one that's more highly schooled my wonkiness shows up. My old share Connie used to fall in pretty badly on the right rein, as as he had some hock stiffness I used to presume it was him. Now it's clear that my stiffness through my hips (mid 50's) was adding to it.

I have to concentrate really hard to ride straight, now I've recognised I'm "right hip down a bit". Might explain why at times I find it hard to judge for myself if my stirrups are level. I even find if I think about it I am slightly wonky in the driver's seat in the car too. Really working on correcting this now.

I am a lost cause. I manage to both slump my shoulders and hollow my back at the same time, while having a camber. It's a wonder ponies go for me at all.... Very forgiving!
 
Another wonky one here! I often feel despite being told my saddle is straight that my right leg is not where it should be.....I did wonder if it was just that one stirrup leather had stretched more?
 
Totally! I have one foot about an inch shorter than the other due to a wonky hip. I'm also really lopsided in terms of strength and 'agility'. I cannot bring my right shoulder back easily at all. Which is a PITA when trying to get flexion to the right :(
 
I have a tendency to sit to the left. I am also much stiffer down the right side of my body than the left, and find it harder to bend this way.
 
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