Exercise ideas to help....

[Pepper]

I don't know if anyone will be able to help brut I'm hoping for some extra advice!

a year ago I completely smashed my right ankle falling off my hwt hunter - was back riding lightly within four months and back in the ring by April.  However the unpredictability of the hwt and this fall was a reality check that this horse was not happy in his job - he's hunting now and v v happy!

now the problem.... I competed April to late June and didn't have problem.  Sold horse and haven't really ridden for three months.  New horse, and started riding lots again, lessons, schooling, hacking etc and discovered a new problem - always been slightly wonky, work hard to correct it but it now seems my right hip/pelvis is completely locked and tight. I seem to be riding more off the right seat bone - glutes are permantely switched on to support L-4/5 disc problem and thus pelvis/hip solid, thigh and knee tight.  This is my bad leg and I wonder if half the problem is that I am not able to sink into my heels???

anyway, all is fine on right rein, but come canter on left we end up crabbing across the school! I cannot counter the right side pressure with my left side, at all? It's pitiful 

has anyone experienced this before? I've got great ridden support from the brilliant Ruth McMullen but wonder if there are any ground exercises I can do??

And, is it a physio, chiro or osteo job??

thougt appreciated - I know there's some great brains on here   

[sarahp]

I'd go for a good physio in first instance. I've been where you are and you need to sort your own body out, you can't deal with the riding until it's sorted - or as good as it can get in my case. And check out your saddle, I found I was riding with the right hip forward of the left which over the years had made the saddle crooked which in turn upset the horse's back. I do find that the medics tend to look at the various bits of the body in isolation, whereas in practise they all impact on each other, compensating for any problems.

[hack]

I strained both my sacroiliac joints a couple of years ago and as a result a bit like sarahp, was crooked which affected my saddle and therefore horse, especially in canter on one particular rein.

Saddle checked and adjusted, horse much happier, then osteopath regularly for me, both much happier!

Osteopath worked much better for me than physio, plus regular steroid injections into the joints.

[sarahp]

I had a good osteopath too, but a physio may have a wider initial viewpoint, which is why I suggested one to start with. I do have a very good physio who reckons if three treatments from her doesn't cure a problem then proper medical investigation is called for, whereas the osteopath was happy to keep treating ad infinitum.

[lips36]

I have the same problem chipped bones in my knee fractured pelvis, while getting on a horse. I ride totally one sided I have had pyhsio. Sports massages but does not seem to make any difference I always feel like my leg is swinging around just can't seem to drop my heel like I can on my right hand side. I did find standing on edge of a step did give me a bit more strength. Ohh and changed my saddle to a dressage saddle which sits deeper. This is what I did not sure if it will help you.
Ps my accident was 10 yrs ago.

[Pepper]

Thanks lips36 - interesting note re: dressage saddle

Sarahp - I am seeing my physio, who did my ankle and got me back in the saddle so quickly :-) tomorrow and see what he says.

I have had two rounds of injections to the disc and my consultant is now recommending surgery to shave or remove pesky disc. I think the back pain is causing the glute tightness, as they 'holding' my back, but I think like Lips36 not being able to sink in to my heels is causing me to grip more with the thing and lock the hip

I don't know! What a mess :-)