The Key to Sitting Trot

It is the goal of the rider to capture and control the power of the horse as it enters the rider's pelvis through the seat bones. This is achieved by actively controlling the 3 movements of the pelvis (left-right movement, rise and fall of each side, and the tilt of the pelvis forward and back) as well as the rotations of the femur bones and the opening and closing of the curve in the lower lumbar and sacrum.
The left-right movement redirects some of the power of the horse down into the femur bones through the knee and lower leg into the foot, forward through the arch of the foot into the stirrups then through the ball of the foot back to the horse. This flow of force has the effect of quieting the movement of the rider’s leg and keeps the heel down by relaxing the ankle and the hip joint. This relaxing is in a way completely passive as it is a result of redirecting the force out of the seat down the leg. The leg can then be used much more effectively with less muscle and more rhythmic power that has been borrowed from the horse.
The amount of force that moves up the spine is redirected by the left-right movement of the pelvis. It is as if it splits and is redirected up the spine in a double spiral. The effect is that the bounce of the trot in the rider's seat is minimized. Instead of the force and power of the horse pushing up into the spine as two strong pulses it now moves in a double spiral up and around the spine. Initially few riders will feel the spiral of energy up the spine; all one can feel is the deeper connection in the sit bones and the lift in the back of the horse. As the force is redirected in this way the effect on the rider's upper body is lessened, therefore the sternum is not lifted and held against the force which in turn means the head does not bounce as much and the arms and hands can be much quieter as a result ….

BHS Training Day

BHS Blog Entry

It was my great honour to be invited to give a training day for the British Horse Society South West Region, in Dorchester, England on the 18th April. The day was open to BHS registered instructors as part of their Continuing Professional Development programme and was held at the very impressive Kingston Maurward Agricultural College.

I have to confess to being a little nervous as to what they would make of me! I am aware of the history of the BHS and understand it is a highly respected and important organisation in the UK. I thought they might think me an upstart from America but I was made to feel more than very welcome and I presented my work with a lecture in the morning, including some audience participation. It was great to see 55+ instructors finding out where their weight is in there feet and shoving each other to mimick the horse’s energy and see the effect on their bodies. After a short break for lunch I taught three very brave young students from the college, one at a time for about 45 minutes each. Taking the principles I had explained in the morning and applying them in the saddle. All three riders and their horses did very well and gave the audience a lot to see. It always fills me up when the horse gives unequivocal evidence that the principles work in action, when the horse visibly improves it’s way of going for all to see.

The feedback from the day was excellent. I think nearly everyone enjoyed themselves and I hope they all got something to take home with them and apply in their every day riding and teaching.

I would like to thank all of those who attended the day and special thank to Julie Garbutt who organised the event and I think perhaps ‘stuck her neck out’ and broke with tradition.

My only gripe was that I didn’t see enough of Dorset. How beautiful it looked and I could smell the sea!! I would dearly love to return here to teach and have more time to explore the coast line and may be even catch a wave!!

Camelot fun-raiser clinic

Thanks to all who made our 4th annual fundraiser at Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship a great success. It was a day full of life, love, and laughter and healing. From Grand Prix Dressage riders to beginner western riders to disabled riders we all found a common ground. The common ground was our miraculous human body.
On the ground and in the saddle the riders learned ‘how to’ tap into that deeper part of the mind in which feel and sensitivity are developed. Using that heightened sense of feel ever one discovered how to move effectively, use and control their seat. This new awareness and control allowed them to manage their weight aids and balance to effortlessly influence the horse’s movement.
The most beautiful thing to me was to be a part of the amazingly deep connection all achieved with their horses.
By applying principles and techniques borrowed from Tai Chi the participants had the unique opportunity to see that the very same techniques of balance, sensitivity and control allowed the students with limited or no use of their arms to turn and bend their horse with some connection and precision as the most experiences and capable riders. To learn more about these techniques have a look at my YouTube page.

Oklahoma Dressage clinic

HI
We all had an amazing weekend in Claremore OK working on and discovering the absolute genius of the human pelvis as it applies to capturing and controlling the movement of the horse, with out force ( over use of muscle). The key is in the balanced nearly unseen turning of pelvis into or away from the rising seat bone. Have a look on my Face Book group 'Ride from Within' at James Russell Shaw to see video of this weekends rides.
see ya there
james

discovering their center

The Whole Seat & Nothing but the Seat!

International clinician, James Shaw, gave a unique clinic in Yelm, Washington, August 28 & 29, 2010. James utilizes ground work (unmounted) for the riders to show them how to utilize their bodies to receive and redirect the larger power of the horse without blocking or diminishing it.
Every participant was astonished during the mounted sessions at how easy and comfortable it was for themselves and their horses to redirect the horse's power to shape his motion and as a consequence shape his physical body. Horses became round and through from the hindquarters forward and lightened their forehands with free shoulders and full, soft necks. Riders sat deeper than they ever had before with ease.
James taught that the pelvis actually must move in three directions to follow the movement of the horse's lumbar spine and pelvis. Most riders move in one direction and a few move in two directions, thereby accommodating the rise and fall of the horse's back. When the third direction is added, the horse's pelvic rotation is accommodated allowing the total power of the hindquarters to come through, lifting the horse's back and filling the base of the neck. Once the rider has this skill, he/she is able to effect changes in the horse's frame, carriage and power by either following, matching or leading the movement
These movements are so subtle that onlookers only see the rider sitting deeply and the horse doing amazing things on his own.
These movements are so subtle that onlookers only see the rider sitting deeply and the horse doing amazing things on his own.
James Shaw does clinics in the US, Germany, England, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and others. See http://www.shawtaichi.com/ or his blog http://www.shawridefromwithin.blogspot.com/

For information on his next clinic in WA, contact Sue Connors at susanc@lugosoft.net

Looking Forward to the UK in September!

Hi James, just a quick note to say I continue to be thrilled by the improvement both in my own balance and movement and in the ridden work. I am finding that it is much easier to feel into my body for my contribution to the problem - for instance, my horse was feeling rather hard and unyielding in my left hand, and I could feel that my left Chi Whoey was closed, and allowing it ot soften allowed my horse to soften too.
And on the ground, I feel much lighter in my movement, it is noticeably easier to stand from sitting, and in doing the exercises I now find that my neck turns are coming from midway down my thoracic spine and lifting the chin I can feel the stretch right down the centre of my abdomen. So it's all good! Looking forward to your visit in September.
Kind regards,
Julie P