How Stirrup Length Can Hinder – or Help – Your Riding Rider biomechanics from a rider physio perspective This week’s social media post about a rider with severely arthritic hips and restricted movement sparked far more debate than I expected. During that rider physio session, we shortened her stirrups to support her biomechanics in the saddle. Not to make her “ride short”, not because of discipline rules, and not for the sake of appearance – but to support her body in the sa

Understanding what your body needs to do – and being able to do it A lot of riding is talked about in terms of outcomes. We talk about what it should look like, or what we want riders to do – a still upper body, quiet hands, a deep seat, a stable lower leg, a rider who looks “balanced”. We talk about what the horse should do – more forward, more through, straighter, more consistent in the contact. And none of that is wrong. Outcomes matter. But outcomes are the result of som