Encore Stables

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

This little guy goes in for his dental and some extractions today. Right now he feels good from antibiotics, but the teeth are a mess. I told him he’s not going to enjoy today but he will feel better in a week. Poor Mr. Kitty.

06/18/2026

👀 It’s interesting how similar the thigh appears in both photos, yet the body is organising itself around the saddle very differently.

On the left, the rider is sitting in more hip flexion. The upper body tips slightly forward and the rider’s centre of gravity moves in front of the saddle. To stay balanced, the lower leg swings forwards, even though the thigh still appears to sit neatly against the saddle and thigh block.

On the right, there is only a small increase in hip extension - probably around 5 degrees. That doesn’t sound like much, but around the width of a horse’s barrel, a few degrees can make a significant difference. The rider’s centre of gravity is now positioned more over the saddle, allowing the leg to hang underneath the body rather than needing to drift forwards for balance.

This is why simply looking at where the thigh sits can sometimes be misleading. The relationship between the pelvis, trunk and centre of gravity often tells us much more about what’s happening in the saddle.

Small changes in rider biomechanics can create big changes in balance, stability and effectiveness.

If you’re ready to ride with greater awareness and understanding, Riding Ready can help. Learn more about your riding, improve your body awareness and physical abilities, and discover how small changes off the horse can make a big difference in the saddle.

06/18/2026

Try This at Home

Here’s a simple but fascinating way to see your body’s kinetic chains in action.

Did you know your foot position can influence your shoulder position?

For years I struggled with rolled shoulders. No matter how many posture exercises I tried, nothing seemed to “stick” and they made me feel a littleoff-balance .Then one day someone pointed out that the real culprit wasn’t my shoulders at all — it was my feet.

I have flexible, flat (pronated) feet. That hidden imbalance was quietly affecting my posture all the way up my body. When I consciously roll my feet into a more neutral or high-arched (supinated) position, my shoulders naturally follow — they open up, flatten out, all on their own.

That’s because a body is always balancing and centering itself. Every joint and muscle makes small, automatic adjustments to keep you upright and stable. A change at the foundation — your feet — creates a chain reaction upward, shifting how your knees, hips, spine, and shoulders organize themselves.

This concept, as we all know, applies to horses as well. A change at his foundation — the feet — creates a chain reaction upward, shifting how his ankles, knees, chest, shoulders and spine and pelvis organize themselves,all without any conscious thought.

This is a powerful reminder that posture in any body is never isolated to just one area. Small changes at the base can ripple through the entire kinetic chain and transform how you — and your horse — carry yourself.

15 Interesting Facts About Your Horse’s Muscles -

https://koperequine.com/15-interesting-facts-about-your-horses-muscles/

Picture credited to PosturePro

06/18/2026

Credit Fergus the Horse

06/18/2026

One thing I see a lot when coaching half pass is riders becoming so focused on the movement itself that they forget to check whether the horse is truly around your inside leg.

That's why I often use this exercise.

Ride half pass from the track to the centreline, then leg yield back to the track.
(Keep your inside leg down by the girth when legyielding back to the track)
Simple, but incredibly effective.

I like it because it helps answer an important question:
Is my horse really listening and bending around my inside leg?

The half pass encourages bend, balance and engagement, while the leg yield back out helps confirm that the horse is genuinely responsive to the aids and not becoming fixed in the movement.

What I often find is that horses become easier to position, more supple through their body and more consistent in the contact once riders start thinking about the quality of the aids rather than just reaching the marker.

Sometimes the best exercises aren't the complicated ones. They're the ones that expose the basics.

Give this a try and let me know what you notice. I'd love to hear whether the half pass or the leg yield felt more challenging for your horse.