Riding in the balance

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Riding in the balance

Physio led sessions ( mounted and dismounted) that will assess your, posture and symmetry. Allowing

Assessment and treatment to improve horse riders posture and symmetry and their influence on the horses way of going. Book your session to find out how you could improve rider communication with your horse. Allison has 20 years experience as a Chartered Physiotherapist so has an extensive and indepth knowledge of the human body and posture/ biomechanics. This coupled with riding since the age of 5 and competing in Dressage and eventing means a unique blend with actual rider knowledge.

22/12/2025

2026 Clinics

Wed 7th January- Wigan (a couple of sessions free)
Friday 9th January- Chorley
Friday 16th January - LOCAL
Weds 21st January- Wigan (FULL)
Friday 23rd January - Kearsley Katie Khristian Shortland
Weds 28th January - Hope Valley ( )
Friday 30th January- Happy Hooves

If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770.
Many thanks Allison

04/12/2025

Late cancellation for a session next Wednesday 10th December in the Cheshire area would anyone like the slot ? It will be am. PM for more info !

01/12/2025

CLINIC DATES

Friday 5th Dec- Local
Weds 10th Dec - Cheshire am Wigan pm (FULL)
Friday 12 th Dec - Local Including Lowerdale

Friday 9th January- Chorley
Friday 16th January - LOCAL DAY
Friday 23rd January - Kearsley Katie Khristian Shortland
Friday 30th January- Happy Hooves

If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770.
Many thanks Allison

30/11/2025

This is great don’t just look at the horse’s posture look at the rider’s ! Please comment on what you see 👀👀👀👀.

24/11/2025

CLINIC DATES

Weds 26th Nov- Hope Valley ( )
Friday 28th Nov - Kearsley (Katie Khristian Shortland)

Friday 5th Dec- Local
Weds 10th Dec - Cheshire am Wigan pm
Friday 12 th Dec - Local Including Lowerdale

Friday 30th January- Happy Hooves

If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770.

Many thanks Allison

07/11/2025

So cute love the crafty pony brand ❤️

22/10/2025

This is very interesting and what we work with in our ridden sessions.
People often ask me about sessions on riding simulators ….,.. this is one reason why I believe it’s important to do ridden sessions on your own horse/s as you need to help them balance their asymmetries ! 🐎🫶🏼

⚖️🐎 “Sound” doesn’t always mean symmetric.

A 2024 study by Zetterberg et al., Prevalence of Movement Asymmetries in High-Performing Riding Horses Perceived as Free from Lameness, shook up what we thought we knew about performance horse biomechanics - revealing that over 70% of elite dressage and showjumping horses without any clinical signs of lameness showed measurable vertical movement asymmetries.

📊 Here’s what they found:
Using objective motion analysis, the researchers discovered that most of these “sound” horses displayed head and pelvic movement asymmetries that were similar in magnitude to those seen in lame horses.

These asymmetries were consistent across different gaits and persisted even when horses were warmed up and performing at their usual level.

In many cases, riders and trainers did not perceive any abnormality - the horses were competing and training at a high level without ever being flagged as “unsound.”

💡 What this means for us as vetrehabbers:
👉 Movement asymmetry is not always lameness - but it is information. It tells us about underlying muscular imbalance, compensation strategies, pain history, or functional adaptations that may increase injury risk over time.
👉 Subtle asymmetries can affect saddle fit, rider balance, joint loading, and long-term soundness - even if the horse never “looks” lame.
👉 Objective assessment tools, slow-motion video, and systematic groundwork can reveal these patterns before they evolve into pathology.

📆 Join us at the Vet Rehab Summit on 8 November, where Kevin Haussler will discuss Redefining Laterality in Horses, Maria Teresa Engell dives into The Rider’s Influence on Equine Biomechanics and the Role of Off-Horse Training for Technical Riding Skills, and Gillian Higgins shares the anatomy of dressage and show jumping.

In this image, we can see a pelvic drop together with muscle atrophy of the left hind gluteals which may point us towards instability or core weakness. Or it may not - because a still image in an asymmetric gait does not give us enough information.

13/10/2025

CLINIC DATES

Friday 17th October- Local day SPACES
Wednesday 22nd October- Cheshire area FULL

Friday 7th Nov- Chesterfield
Wednesday 12th Nov- Wigan
Friday 14th Nov- Local day
Friday 21st Nov- Chorley
Weds 26th Nov- Hope Valley ( )
Friday 28th Nov - Kearsley (Katie Khristian Shortland)

If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770. Many thanks Allison

07/10/2025

Friday 10th October- Kearsley (Katie Khristian Shortland) FULL
Friday 17th October- Local day SPACES
Wednesday 22nd October- Cheshire area FULL

Friday 7th Nov- Chesterfield
Wednesday 12th Nov- Wigan
Friday 14th Nov- Local day
Friday 21st Nov- Chorley

If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770. Many thanks Allison

11/09/2025

Well Autumn is definitely upon us the colder mornings and evenings! I though I would take the time to update you on my Clinic list for the remaining of September and October.

CLINIC LIST

Friday 12th September- Local day
Wednesday 24th September - currently available
Friday 26th September- Chesterfield ()

Wednesday 1st October - Ashton
Friday 3rd October- Chorley
Wednesday 8th October- TBC
Friday 10th October- Kearsley (Katie Khristian Shortland)
Friday 17th October- Local day
Wednesday 22nd October- Cheshire area
If you would like to book on any of the clinics above please PM the page or text 07946099770. Many thanks Allison

28/08/2025

re sharing this post following a session this week . Josie Gibbs

14/08/2025

CLINIC DATES

August
22/8 Kearsley
27/8 Hope Valley

September
10/9 Cheshire
12/9 Local day (including lowerdale 12-3ish)
26/9 Chesterfield

October
3/10 Chorley
10/10 Local day

If you would like to book on or for any more information please PM the page or text/ call 07946099770.
Thanks Allison

Address

Lee Vale Drive
Charlesworth
SK135HD

Website

http://www.ridinginthebalance.co.uk/

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Our Story

Biomechanical assessments on your own horse look at your balance posture and symmetry while you are riding. Allison Winterbottom is a Chartered Physiotherapist and horse rider and has a unique insight into the human body and how it can influence your horse. Below is a short insight into why Allison does what she does!

“If you consider your horse can feel a fly landing on him, imagine his reaction to your weight being unbalanced when you ride him? This is why I do what I do I have an scoliosis and gradually over time I noticed my equine physiotherapist always pointing out similar areas of tightness on my horse. I came to thinking it could be me affecting him! This is where my journey began studying biomechanics in riding and using my extensive knowledge of the human body, to help myself as a rider. Now I apply my knowledge to helping other horse riders from all backgrounds and experiences with great success (look at the reviews on FB and testimonials on my website).”

“Sometimes it is just one issue that may have arisen from a fall or injury, or sometimes it is more about weakness or postural type of the rider. We all have certain traits that change our perception of how our body interacts with space and force. This can effect our seat, straightness and position alongside the harmony of horse and rider. It is about finding the cause of the issue not the symptom.”

The list of issues Allison has helped riders with is endless as every horse and rider combination are unique, but her is a few:

Toes that stick outwards

Pain or stiffness when or after riding

Keeping your stirrups or keep your legs in the correct position

Feeling uneven/ wonky in the saddle, or sometimes being told you are and seeing it in photos

Hands being too high or too low, or backwards

Coming back to horse riding after a break, injury or operation

Uneveness on one rein (yes it could be you and not your horse!)

All of these and many more issues can be because of poor biomechanics, due to stiffness weakness or just that you have not been shown the correct “feel”. Allison can help you acheive those goals and get rid of these hurdles.

Allison Winterbottom is a Chartered Human Physiotherapist with 19 years experience. Over 5 years ago she has specialised in working with horse riders setting up "Riding in the Balance" to help riders from all disciplines and experience. This offers the horse rider a unique opportunity into the insight of horse rider biomechanics.

With her understanding of the human body and 35 years of horse riding and competing in various disciplines Allison can offer you a bespoke service to assess you on your horse, this allows you to feel for yourself how riding in good posture and alignment can improve your horse's straightness and throughness.

Sessions are held with you on your own horse, or Human Physio sessions off the horse. Or combine the two.

Sessions can be for the individual or held as a workshop. £55 for 60 minutes within a 15 miles distance of SK13 5HD.