Annette Willson – a bit about me and what motivates me
I’m a country girl born and raised in the Clare Valley. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Both my parents were Veterinarians, and as a family, we rode horses, went hunting, attended Pony Club, and participated in all and any sports on offer. Community, family, and friends contributed to and created the wonderful chaos we called childhood.
I have three great kids (all adults now), including my special “Nico”, my third son, who has an Intellectual disability.
I’ve never been one to sit back and wait for others, and results are what motivate me. I have a strong passion for horses and a curious, inquisitive mind. My dream and passion as a horse rider was to target selection for the team eventing and represent Australia at the Olympic Games.
When I was in my early 20s, I had two very talented horses and a fire in my belly that could take me there. I had moved from the Clare Valley to the Adelaide Hills and started Teachers College. I had a part-time job, and the plan was unfolding with strong eventing wins and notoriety with selectors. It was all coming together beautifully.
The next bit really sucked….a back injury with severe nerve damage and chronic pain that changed my world!
Off to the non-horsey surgeon who had no understanding of my passion, dreams, or goals. His advice was to “give up riding forever”! I was 21 years old, for Christ’s sake – I had a dream, I had plans… this guy must be joking… I just had a sore back.
The reality check was a shocker. As you can imagine, I was faced with a permanent disability, and my love, my passion, and my future were out of my control. I suddenly had no purpose, no drive, no direction. Sadness,
shock, anger, and all the emotions of the grieving process overcame me all at once! And worse still, my two talented mates were sitting in the paddock doing nothing!! Grrrr.
I chose not to have the surgery and opted for time and healing. Teachers College was no longer an option, and, being the determined person I am, I chose to work through my injury and situation to a positive outcome and perhaps resolve my own problem by studying Physiotherapy. I thought Physio could ultimately provide me with a better understanding of my injury through a thorough study of anatomy and physiology.
The healing process was a combination of pain management, time, and protecting myself from more damage. Pain management included wearing a Back Brace and working on isolated muscle groups. The damage to my nerves was a long-term proposition and would require time and patience. Pain heals with time; rest and cost are four-letter words we all hate, and I still use these in my work today.
I managed to regroup by adopting the old adage – “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me”! An oldie but a goodie and oh-so true. Once I took this new, determined attitude on board and adopted a positive, focused mindset, the dream of riding was alive again. I plunged into my studies and applied the pain management theories to my riding and my posture! I could say that the rest is history right now, but it was still a long and difficult road ahead…
My passion for riding has now become my obsession. I had to learn to ride again. I watched, and I learned. I scanned magazines, I looked at riders’
positions in the saddle, dressage, jumping, and even strappers and handlers were under my watchful eye. How did they balance, what muscles did they use, and where was their centre of gravity? I went home and gave myself rider lessons. I had to teach myself to ride; we didn’t have access to Instructors in my day, and certainly not in the country.
I graduated as a Physiotherapist in 1987, and while I didn’t know it at the time, I had actually discovered my now-famous “Core Crunch” Movement Pattern, which is helpful not only to horse riders but to every upright being on this planet! I discovered
Riding in an upright posture was better for my back and my riding.
Physiotherapy has given me the knowledge to develop my own training program to get me back to riding. I also started assessing teaching Riding Posture. I certainly developed a skill and a sharp eye for identifying Rider Posture problems, which sets me apart from other coaches and riders. I believe the horse is only as good as its rider, so the rider needs training before the horse can be properly trained. This concept did not take off for years. The feature of all lessons was (and is) the horse.
Riding Instructors became more available and more trendy. I was offered instruction from local, state, and international instructors. I found the focus was always on the horse and never commented on my riding posture. I decided, yet again, that I had to figure this out for myself.
I continued to watch the top riders intently whenever I could and studied their riding style. I also studied the bad ones, and in my mind, I gave them a rider lesson. Some riders were beautiful to watch and in harmony with their horses, while others were not. I wanted to be in harmony, not in hell.
I studied every rider, examining how they rode and how I wanted to ride. I would get home from each event and copy what I had learned. I combined what I had seen with what I would learn from a lesson and my Physiotherapy knowledge, but comments like “keep your lower leg still”, “soften your hands”, “keep your shoulders back”, “relax through your back”, “squeeze gently”, “don’t bounce”, “look up”, baffled me.
How do you do all this at once? All the lessons focused on the horse: “You need more impulsion”, “Flex him more”, “Control the bend, “” Slow the pace, “” Not enough, “Ask for more,” “Put his hindquarters here”, and so on
As I applied my own training out of the saddle (applied posture) and mimicked my mentors, I developed a better lower leg position with good stability and strength. I no longer needed to use my hands for balance, and my seat became quite useful.
My back pain also settled as I rode with less bounce.
Each year, my balance and posture improved, and my stability became established. I progressed through to higher levels of competition with confidence and success. My (secret) goal was getting closer!
My back pain was under control, I was riding exceptionally well, I won my first 3DE event, and I had another exceptionally talented horse.
Well, as life goes, I had three small children my relationship broke up, my youngest son was diagnosed as intellectually disabled, and I found myself single with three children under 5 years old. My best-ever horse had to be sold to international buyers.
I moved back to SA to be closer to my family, especially my mum.
Working and being a full-time carer for my son took up all my time, my energy, and my money. My mother was a godsend and became my babysitter, strapper, and saviour. I started again with horses that had been given to me. One of these had the talent to go far, and, with luck and success, I finally earned a spot in the SA Olympic Training Program.
Being on this squad required commitment and my life was full I was not set up to leave my business, my home, and my children, and travel 3 hours for training camps. I just could not get there.
My horse developed a splint, it was removed, and within a week, I had a dead horse, post-surgery colic.
Two years later, my mother died, and I felt I had reached the end of everything (2001).
Lots of tears, frustration, and grief. My mother was my rock, and she was as passionate about riding as I am. My mother always saw the positive in life, so I reset my dream.
I thought of all the frustrations I had gone through in life, my training, and how I could change that for others. I knew I could teach my riding style to others.
My new plan transferred from riding to rider training.
First up, I started to review the value of a riding lesson.
Riding instructors seem to have knowledge of training the horse, but very little
knowledge of training the rider. It seemed the rider had to acquire these skills “naturally”. Are all riders “natural riders”, or do many have the same confusion I had?
I had that “Aha!” moment at Equitana in Melbourne in 2001 about how I could train riders. While watching a demonstration by Olympic dressage rider Anky Van Grunsven, I realised that riding instructors only teach you about the horse. There was nothing about the rider. Even at the elite level, there was no mention of the rider’s posture.
I watched her instruct a number of riders whose horses were at various stages of training. The riders Anky was instructing were very good; they were not beginners or novices. They were also experienced riders on a big, moving horse. I was impressed, of course. She is a world champion rider and trainer. The lesson progressed, and Anky suggested any one of us could ride her Olympic horse and get him to perform at her level.
This was my “Aha” moment. I suddenly saw how I could teach these riders and train them to ride with greater stability, balance, and symmetry, and to apply independent, isolated aids. I could see that all the work I had done was valid and teachable for training riders.
I disagreed totally with Ankys’ statement. Why? Because Anky is a natural rider with extreme talent, and I’m not sure she understood that her skills weren’t universal.
To ride a horse with big paces is a skill of its own. To apply aids with precision and accuracy is an even greater skill. It requires excellent balance and coordination. It requires suppleness and flexibility in the rider, and it absolutely requires independent isolation of all body parts to apply the aids correctly.
I thought to myself, she could not teach any rider to ride her horse, but I could. At that instant, I knew my knowledge was what other riders and instructors did not have or maybe did not use. I knew then I could teach any rider to ride because I know rider biomechanics. Back in 2001, no one had even thought of rider biomechanics.
By learning how to balance and use muscles individually and within predetermined movement patterns, and to coordinate your posture, you can ride better and more effectively, and look good too. This must start out of the saddle, though.
Our posture and muscle control on the horse are essential for giving accurate, consistent aids. The control and training of this skill cannot be achieved by riding only. How many lessons have you had only to repeat the same problems?
I went back to University in 2002 and achieved a post-graduate degree in a Master’s of Physiotherapy. My knowledge of anatomy and muscle movement patterns gave me a huge advantage over instructors in teaching riding posture and mechanics. I developed a training program to train “independent isolation”. I believe a rider needs less focus on an independent deep seat and more focus on learning and training the independent isolation of every body part.
I combined my passion for riding with my knowledge of physiotherapy and designed a series of exercises and muscle Movement Patterns to do just that: apply posture to riding. It is purely a process of learning how to use your body.
So why do we find it so difficult to stay balanced in the saddle at various paces, especially the sitting trot? Instead of maintaining an upright posture and moving with the horse’s rhythm, many riders tend to bridge against the horse’s movement. They then squeeze themselves up out of the saddle and bounce. By learning “how” to coordinate your breathing and being aware of your muscle groups, you can move with the horse and appear to be still.
The isometric postural nature of riding makes stretching extremely important at the end of each day. Our resting posture becomes tight and stiff if we don’t stretch. The postures we use at work and play can all contribute to our posture on a horse. When sitting in a chair, how many times have you heard, “sit up straight” as it is good for your back?
I have developed a deep passion for training the rider. I have discovered a severe lack of knowledge in instructors has left a hole in the training of the horse and rider. Certainly, Pilates exercises have been recommended and have helped numerous riders. Pilates does not train the rider to ride. Many Pilates riders do not learn how to use their newfound strength in the saddle. The skill is not transferred. Pilates trains in “Neutral spine”. My program will train you in “Neutral and Non-neutral Spine” and teach you how to use your core in the saddle. This is the difference between my program and Pilates.
Many Personal Trainers are offering exercise classes for Horse Riders. Certainly, exercises are great for fitness, but as with Pilates, the transference of strength to the saddle and into skills does not happen for many. The term “No Pain No Gain” is dangerous if the person pushing through pain does not know what the pain is. Pain is a signal, not a challenge. As a Physiotherapist, I have knowledge of pain.
I train riders on how to use their core on demand and use it for riding. I also rehabilitate injured riders, or those who have just had a baby or taken a break from riding and need a complete rider program before they even step back into the saddle. I had to retrain myself to ride after my serious back injury. I repeated the program after giving birth to my three children. I have done the hard yards, and I can teach you the same program that got me back on the bike and helped me achieve my riding dreams.
My Applied Posture Riding Program has been designed to teach functional core stability and independent muscle control. The pelvic tilt is an essential movement for horse riders. I teach this every day in my physiotherapy practice: to control back pain, neck pain, headaches, and other posture-related pain. Riding requires strength, flexibility, and coordination of individual movements. An independent seat is just that, independent of the other parts of the body.
My Program teaches riders how to gain an independent seat, an independent lower leg, and an independent hand action.
My life has settled into work, family, and horses. I have my own
Physiotherapy practice, teach Functional Core Stability to everyone in my practice, and teach it to horse riders. I run Applied Posture Riding workshops that change riders’ lives. My children are adults now; my youngest son has been accepted into support care. I still ride and compete at a lower level because it is my passion. I practice my own exercises every day. These exercises keep me fit, strong, and flexible to ride.
So what does all this mean to you?
Your biggest challenge is changing your thinking from training your horse to training yourself. I have seen this program change riders’ lives, so now it is your turn. Get started, because once you do, you will never look back and wonder why you didn’t do this training years ago. If you are recovering from an injury, this program is a must.
What is Applied Posture Riding?
“OLD WAYS WON’T OPEN NEW DOORS”
How often do riders continue spending money on lessons and training and
get nowhere? I can guarantee that if riders, past and present, choose to undertake this program, they WILL see significant results. They will look better in the saddle, see improved performance from their horse, and, most excitingly, have their everyday posture and confidence improved.
In recent years, I have made a commitment to share my knowledge of pain and performance and to apply it to the horse-rider, initially via an unmounted floor exercise routine and then in the saddle. I thrive on helping people, and the greatest thrill is bringing the two together. How good is it when someone who’s been suffering pain and discomfort can ride again? When someone who has been working hard and getting nowhere makes a small change and just flies – it’s such a good feeling. Whether you’re a top-performing rider, a beginner, or a ‘re-entry’, the same principles and support are there and the same energy to help resolve your situation.
Riders spend $1000s on buying a horse, saddles, bits, and “bling”, but fail to even think about their own posture or skills. Do yourself a favour and spend some time and money on yourself.
Every rider uses the same muscles to ride. The Olympic rider will use the same muscles as the preliminary rider, but they do it better. The new mother returning to riding after a baby will need to train the same muscles and movement patterns as the injured rider, who has poor balance and coordination. Each rider aims for the same posture and the same outcome when they apply aids.
A rider requires more than an independent deep seat. A rider requires skilled, independent, stable lower-back, hand, arm, and lower-leg movements to precisely apply aids. The ability to use each body part independently and in synchronicity needs to be trained.
Riding instructors recommend that riders strengthen their core, but core strength does not translate to use in the saddle unless the rider knows how to voluntarily engage it. The movement patterns required for riding are not taught by fitness trainers, physios, or riding coaches. I believe this is the uniqueness of my Applied Posture Riding Program. My Program also trains riders who have suffered injuries from a fall, from accidents, or from childbirth. A minor injury may result
In a simple confidence issue, fear can compromise riding skills.
My physiotherapy education enables me to support riders with questions about injuries and posture. Back injuries are a major problem for horse riders and create conflict between riders, their families, and their doctors. You need tools to train yourself.
The writing of my book, “Applied Posture Riding,” developed over a few years, driven by my own experience and riders’ questions. It has become very popular worldwide, particularly among prelims and riders recovering from injury.
I love riding, I love physiotherapy, and when I combine the two, I get incredible results!
So if you are sick of being an average rider and want to be better, get started I look forward to meeting you, getting to know you, and ultimately the opportunity to work with you in the future.
My Credentials are as follows:
• Physiotherapist
• Bachelor of Applied Science Physiotherapy
• Master’s Degree in Physiotherapy
• Diploma of Nutrition
• Rider Biomechanics Assessor
• Elite Competitor (Retired) and Horse Trainer
• Special Focus on Horse Rider Training
• Pilate’s Trainer and Educator
My injury list is even longer, but here I am riding, training, and loving my horse’s pain-free and at a level I am happy with.
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