Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

There? is one difference that is fairly well documented about the anatomy of men and women that could affect how "deep" or "rolled back" one is in chair seat.? This, in turn, can have an affect on the amount of forward positioning of the leg.

We all have our ischial tuberosities (IT) that we "sit" on while riding a horse.? The part of the the hip bones that start at the bottom of the pubic symphasis and loop back toward the rear before becoming a larger part of the hip bone (to put it in layman's terms).? The loop part has a rocker-like quality.? Most people have two rather distinctive points with a slightly curved area in between.? The whole of this we tend to call our "seat bones".? Many riders learn to ride balanced more toward the rear-most "point"? of the "seat bone".? There is some evidence (looking at dressage riders) that more studied riders tend to balance toward the front-most point.

Men have another potential aspect of balance in their pelvic floor area.? Their tailbone, or coxyx, tends to be curved round toward the "seat bones" making another point of balance slightly further back.? Women tend to have their tailbones pointing straighter so that the tip of the tailbone is farther away from the ITs (seatbones).? I believe this is a design for childbirth.? Men can actually roll "back on their pockets" and have something to sit on.? Once back there though, the ability to freely swing the leg from the hip is reduced.? At this point, the lower back (lumbar region) is curved back - no longer in neutral.? The head of the leg bone (femur) is tilted forward with the rotation of the hips forward.? In this position it's quite difficult to then put the leg back.? It would cause great imbalance.

I'm not in any way saying that this exaggerated chair seat is the most effective balanced position.? Just that it is physically possible for most men, and not physically possible for most women.? BTW, that was a GREAT story about the fall and recovery at the Woman's Race!

Lisa