Why is symmetry so important?

Do you have a feeling that it is easier to ride on the right rein compared to the left?
Or to approach a fence after a left turn compared to a turn from the right?

The third corner stone in the rider’s position is symmetry.

As humans, most of us have one dominant side and to be an effective rider you need to be as symmetrical as possible to be able to communicate successfully with your horse.

There is a common opinion in equestrian sport that symmetry in riders is desired. It has however been indicated that riders often have anatomical and functional asymmetry that could put both riders’ and horses’ health at risk.

Their own ingrained asymmetry.

Both horse and rider have their own ingrained asymmetry, so everyone find it easier to turn in one direction than in the other. Every individual has their own natural crookedness. This is already apparent when we for instance as a right-hander try to brush our teeth with our left hand. Furthermore, almost everyone has a preferred leg for main support, and this affects our entire trunk and way of moving. Still, we mount the horse with our crooked structure and expect the horse to move straight, while the horse has enough trouble with his own natural crookedness.

Compensation for asymmetry.

Crookedness usually has its source in the trunk while the arms and legs try to compensate for this asymmetry. A lateral deviation of the spine can trigger different ways of holding the shoulders, arms, and hands. Furthermore, restricted mobilities of one or more joints can cause crookedness of the whole body. Muscles can be shortened or be of different elasticity or strength. One-side weaknesses of a muscle group are often the reason why a rider is crooked.

Posture problems.

When mounted, asymmetry of the trunk manifests itself most frequently in two typical posture problems: collapsing the hips or the waist. This happens mostly in a turn, when starting to canter, in lateral movements or when applying one-sided aids the wrong way.