Wendy Murdoch gave Tri-State members an excellent clinic at Ride On Ranch, March 10th. She showed an enthusiastic group of riders and auditors a different way to position their bodies for more natural and balanced riding.
Before the afternoon mounted sessions, Wendy worked with the group over various balance foot pads. But first she explained the anatomy of the human hip, and the group practiced walking and learning where and how our hips, joints, and hip bones function.
Wendy Murdoch has three rules:
- Tell me if something hurts
- The horse gets a vote
- Your knees should be forward and down
Contrary to what most equestrians spend a life time learning, Murdoch presents alternatives that might feel awkward at first, but the results were very visible — the horses got their vote. Check the video on Smug Mug. Check out Wendy’s training books, videos and aids and consider trying to learn how to lengthen your legs and allow your knees to stretch forward and down, naturally. The Murdoch Method.
Three groups of riders tried a variety of aids, including sitting on small balls that raised 
up the rider to help them get in the desired natural position for optimal stillness and strength. Seems the horses really liked the effect of the balls as well.
