OMG...Okay...I have to share this with you guys...cause it is too stinking funny not to...
Today I got on the treadmill and proceeded to work myself up to a pretty strong walk (about 4.3mph).
And then I about fell off the treadmill.
Giggling with embarrassment, I righted myself and took off walking again.
I paid a bit more attention to where my feet were landing and noticed that I kept fading off to the right.
Squaring myself up...I kept on striding...
Next thing I know, I about fall off the treadmill again.
Well...W.T.F???
For the next 20 minutes I had to actually c.o.n.c.e.n.t.r.a.t.e!!! on walking in a straight line.
Seriously? Walking is just one foot in front of the other right?
So...while I am laughing at myself because I actually have to focus...The thought that Moon and I have the same problem pops into my head...
Uuuhhhh???
Wait a minute here.
Moon and I have the same problem?
Moon has the most annoying habit of fading off to the right when we are riding out in the open.
I keep fading off to the right on the treadmill?
It's my right hip that keeps causing me pain and has to be repeatedly adjusted.
I struggle with my horses leaning into the first barrel, or in Spooks case...the 2nd and 3rd barrels...which CdnCowgirl noticed in some videos this summer!
Coincidence?
I think NOT!!!!!
This is an interesting development, but WOW! I might actually be able to make several training 'issues' disappear without having to do a single bit of training on anyone except myself. This 'get fit' thing is already paying off!
12 comments:
That's very funny!
Great catch! Er, I mean in the case of Moon's issues, not the fall.
Always good to get someone else to critique your riding for you, to point our YOUR holes. :)
You might be on to something there. I know that my issues with my back affect the performance of my horses- it's why I don't show, my body just doesn't work right and it interferes with their movement. A case in point is sitting the lope, I have trouble keeping my hips relaxed enough to follow the movement of the horse; my lower back has no fluid between some of the lumbar vertebrae.
Wow! you are good ! lol that has to have been unerving! glad you picked up on the significance so quick too
That's an interesting development. I actually went to the doctor a few years back, because I kept leaning and falling off the treadmill. In my case, the balance problem was a side effect of some drugs I was taking to control another problem.
We regularly have the horses at the barn I work at checked out by a chiro/massage therapist. Think about it. We need to be re adjusted from time to time when things aren't lining up right, just think of how our horses must feel! They work twice as hard as we do during our rides and move their bodies in incredible ways. We had one mare who had an obviouse hip alignment issue and regularly had a problem stopping and turning right in the cutting pen. Turns out her pelvis was tilted and rotated severely. It took six visits to bring it back to 'normal'. And even at that it took awhile to muscle her up properly again after having dealt with that imbalance for so long. Now she can turn a cow like nobodies business! But she always lets us know when its time to have her looked at again. As soon as she starts stiffening up adn raising her head high when you mount, you can pretty well guess she is going to show signs of having a problem turning right that ride. And sure enough We get her checked out and her pelvis has dropped slightly again. Its crazy what our horses can tell us if we only take the time to listen.
The rest of the day, I have paid attention to how I *stride* with my right leg and I realize that I am landing on the inside of my heel and have my toe pointed out slightly.
I dunno what came first...the hip pain and that caused me to start walking like this or did I start walking like this and that is what is causing my hip pain?
I guess it really doesn't matter...I now realize that I need to pay extra attention to how I stride with that leg because it is causing problems with my hip and ultimately affecting my horses.
Ironically..I was cursing when I was shopping for new tennis shoes because most of the pairs I tried on felt 'weird' on my right foot when I walked in them. Guess it wasn't crappy craftmanship after all. I just didn't know I wasn't walking square.
Ok I laughed at the part where you fell off the treadmill. I admit it. But when you mentioned you were fading to the right I thought "hmm... isn't that where Moon is having issues?"
Nope I'm not a genius, I just have the same problem. Mine shows mostly in getting a horse to pick up a lead nicely but also crops up in timing (Ed was ASTONISHED that I'm left handed lol) and in keeping my circles round not egg shaped.
I had to chuckle at the image of you tipping off the treadmill - glad you weren't hurt though! :-)
Interesting that you lean so far to the right. Hopefully working on correcting that in your body will transfer to Moon!
may seem like and overkill but some real simple physical therapy could square that up in just a couple of visits...
After my car wreck I too faded to the right... sometime it take more than just being aware of it to fix it - you gotta correct the cause - making yourself walk straight, and move straight causes muscle to compensate for with the others are not doing - causing more problems...
poor you, falling off the treadmill! But then I can't walk a straight line- forget the balance beam, or even a curb. lol.
That does sound like it might be having an effect on Moon's way of going.
Physical therapy may be a good solution.
wotd- pairs :) you and Moon, right?
How funny, i too laughed at you falling off the tread mill!! But I always heard if our horses have a problem (especiailly when its more than one horse) its usually the riders fault. It took me a long time to believe that but when I think of all my ponies they all have the same problems.
Hope you get it all figured out now that you maybe know the cause.
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