I Move My Grip Up an Inch or So

When I talked to Debbie before my lesson on Wednesday, I told her about my hip bursitis and that I would not be very ambitious, no “rider's push-ups”, limited 2-point and limited posting trot. I had been hobbling around all week and I did not want to do anything that would trigger my hip bursitis again! I asked to use the Equicube so I would work different muscles during my ride.

I put both my BOT and regular “exercise sheets” on Bingo for my lesson. The temperature had dropped and the north wind was bitter. Bingo showed his approval for each exercise sheet, both of his “hats”, and his BOT exercise boots on all 4 feet. The wind might have been bitter but Bingo was well wrapped up, and he did not suffer from the wind during my frequent rests. I worked mostly on getting him to walk on out but he did not loosen up as quickly as usual since I was not doing 2-point while we warmed up. After a few minutes I asked Debbie for the Equicube, and I carried it before me for a minute or so, and while I was not asking Bingo for contact he stretched out his neck and picked it up on his own. My arms rapidly got tired from the weight of the Equicube and I had to WORK my arm and back muscles to keep it off of Bingo's withers.

The rest of my lesson went well. I experimented with moving my lower leg grip up an inch or so while keeping my feet canted in my double-offset stirrups and I worked on making sure my toes did not turn in too much, which was what triggered my hip bursitis. Near the end of my lesson I got Bingo trotting out enough so he got out of his Western jog into a true trot with suspension. Debbie really liked his trot!

When I got home I started feeling twinges in my back and arms. As the day progressed my back muscles hurt more, with the pain expanding down my buttocks to my seat bones. Obviously I had achieved my goal of working different muscles, and I could feel each of these muscles for DAYS, and I am still sore from that ride! Fortunately I did not trigger my hip bursitis and my hips did not bother me as I ouched my way throughout the next few days.

Greatly encouraged about my hips not hurting, I decided to experiment some with the higher lower leg grip while riding Mia on Friday. When I arrived at the stable it was swamped with people, the kids had a day off of school and they were all working on getting ready for Debbie's gymkhana this weekend. They had taken all the jumps out of the main ring, and replaced them with poles for pole bending and barrels. Debbie was giving a lesson in the ring while I rode but she said I could do my ride in there. I took advantage of the pole bending set-up, walking Mia through the poles, changing her whole body's flexion each time as we weaved between the poles. Then Debbie's students came in, two girls, and I kept out of their way though I did manage to trot once all the way around the ring when Debbie had them trot.

As we walked around the ring I tentatively tried some “rider's push-ups” while Mia walked, making sure to bring my lower leg forward, my feet “home” in the stirrups, my heels down, and my toes pointed out in the proper Forward Seat manner, at about 45°. My hip joints did not bother me at all. I did not feel as secure as I did when I gripped lower on my leg with my toes turning more inwards, but at least my hips did not hurt! My knees were closer to the saddle and I was teetering in the stirrups more, just enough so I had to use my hands some while doing the “rider's push-ups.”

Since that did not hurt I did more 2-point, trying to replicate the position and grip of my lower legs that I used in the “rider's push-ups.” I felt more secure in two point though I had to continually keep my back straight, it wanted to curl up because it still hurt from my lesson on Wednesday when I used the Equicube. Still, I am greatly encouraged, it was not the “rider's push-up” exercise itself that caused my hip bursitis, it was the lower grip with my toes turning inward that triggered it. As for my muscle pain from using the Equicube, to me that proves that I was right about my idea that I need to strengthen more core muscles if I ever want to jump again. I will continue to ask Debbie to give me the Equicube during my lessons so I can, a minute at a time, strengthen my back and buttock muscles so I can safely ride faster gaits, like the extended trots and when I start cantering again.

When my ride ended I talked with Debbie's daughter, Sam, about my back pain from using the Equicube for just one minute, telling her that it might pay off to take it easy with older riders when introducing the Equicube. Sam told me that she is using it while teaching her students, children, to help them learn how to carry and use their hands properly. The Equicube has helped one student that just could not get her hands to hold the reins properly, another student whose hands were just flying around, and with the other two students just getting them to hold their hands steadier as they rode. I am glad I bought the Equicube and gave it to Debbie's stable, it will help me greatly in getting my core muscles stronger as it helps other riders to ride their horses better! It is worth every penny, especially when I have a good riding teacher to correct my mistakes while using it.

Have a great ride!

Jackie Cochran

P.S.  Sorry about the font size changing.

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