Inspired by one of our Total Contact Saddle Community group member, I decided to take our Premium nutmeg TCS (short billet) to Amelia Wilbourn's mechanical horse workshop. One of my liveries suggested we go test our balance on the mechanical horses and it seemed like a perfect opportunity to bring the TCS along. Amelia was very happy for me to use my own saddle on the horses for training. It is fantastic because, if you're going to work on rider balance, it makes perfect sense to be able to practice with your own saddle! She did mention that a few people bring their TCS in for their sessions.
One of the horses trots and the other canters and gallops. Amelia asked what we were here to work on, and initially I just wanted to have a good at working on my balance and position whilst in the horseback archery shooting position. I was able to bring my bow to practice with.
As these things often turn out, it just so happens that everything is connected when you are riding. There was a good reason why I was struggling with my shooting position. Amelia gave me a quick hip alignment evaluation and suggested a daily muscle release technique to loosen the hip flexors, and she put me on the horse. It became evident very quickly that I was not using my posterior chain muscles (which include the glutes) adequately when riding (I did have an aha! moment when Amelia commented that rising trot is essentially glute bridges on horseback) and that this was affecting my balance on horseback in any position.
Amelia noticed that like many riders, I rely on my stirrups a little too much. And that does have many drawbacks for everyone but specifically for TCS riders, it makes your lower leg even more likely to move around. The TCS does not 'help' riders maintain position- there are no knee rolls, no cantles, no pommels to hold you in place- and any failings as a rider will be highlighted. If you're being lazy as a rider in a TCS saddle, there will be signs. And there were: lower leg movement, lack of glute engagement leading to a weak core and a hollow back. Altogether, not desperately effective riding I am ashamed to say! Amelia helped me engage my core, my glutes, my thighs which all came together to help me with my balance and improved my shooting position. My lower leg was stiller because my upper body was doing all the work- my stirrups were actually not carrying much weight at all.
The comment that Amelia made which most resonated with me was that with the TCS, there is “nowhere to hide”. Perhaps not, but when you work hard as a rider and it all comes together, it is all the more rewarding. If you’re going to ride, you actually have to ride the TCS.
I will be going back. The mechanical horses are a wonderful tool for an instructor to be able to give incredibly precise guidance, in movement, and focus on the rider’s abilities, putting the ‘horse element’ aside for a while, so to speak. And of course, I’ll be bringing the TCS along (and maybe my Saddle Seat Pad too- the back of that mechanical horse isn’t the most comfortable! 😉)
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