Harmony. An often-used buzz word in equestrianism, but what does it mean? It is defined as “the state of being in agreement or concord” and harmony in the equestrian sense is essentially the same, where both horse and rider are working together as one.

There are many elements required from both participants in the attainment of harmony, such as clear communication and mutual trust; however, in terms of rider technique, considerable importance is placed on positioning and use of the pelvis. To coordinate their movements, the rider’s pelvis must move in synchronisation with the horse’s back in a forward and backward motion.

Illustration of person in saddle.

Figure 1. (L to R): Pelvis in anterior tilt, neutral and posterior tilt. (from Centered Riding, S. Swift)

It is commonly perceived that a neutral pelvis, which is not tilted towards the front (anteriorly) or towards the back (posteriorly) is required to achieve harmony (Figure 1). So, it follows that experienced riders will have a neutral pelvis; however, is this something that we can assess objectively in riders? Can we evaluate rider performance using precise quantitative measurements rather than (sometimes flawed) human judgment?

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