Guest post by Jen Symms (Pegasus Physiotherapy)
Sometimes the best insights come from the people who use our simulators every day. Hearing real-world perspectives helps us see to uncover new ideas too. Jen's guest blog brings exactly that: an outside viewpoint that adds depth, honesty and a unique take on our software - in particular, she talks about how our saddle sensors capture data on the rider's position in the saddle - and what this should or should not look like.
Saddle sensors, as seen on the Racewood interactive simulators, are a brilliant way of making the invisible visible. They show how a rider’s weight moves across the saddle (and more importantly on the horse’s back), giving us objective data about seat, symmetry, and balance. But it’s important to remember that there are two parts to the picture:
Static balance – where the red dot sits when the rider is at rest. Is it central? Is it aligned with the 12–6 line? This gives us an initial idea of symmetry and posture.
Dynamic balance – what the rider does when the horse moves. This is far more important. Do they follow the gait rhythm? Is their weight equal left to right? Or are they achieving “balance” asymmetrically through gripping, twisting, or dropping one side?
You can have a perfect, smooth curve on the screen, but when you actually watch the rider, you may see they are making many micro-adjustments to create that pattern. More experienced riders understand that they need to move with the horse and will use subtle shifts and strategies to keep equal weight on both seat bones. That’s why sensor data should always be combined with observation: the trace shows what, but only watching the rider reveals how.
Static vs. dynamic balance
The red dot (a feature of the software that shows the rider's position in the saddle) at halt is more useful than many riders and coaches realise. A stationary red dot shows whether the rider is sitting centrally, but it also reveals how well they can stabilise the pelvis while isolating other body parts.
- Can they apply a leg aid without tipping forward or shifting to one side?
- Can they rotate or adjust the pelvis without the dot drifting?
- Can they sit with and without reins while keeping the dot in the same position?
If a rider cannot control the red dot when static, they will almost certainly struggle once the pelvis also has to move dynamically with the horse. At halt, the red dot is especially valuable for helping a rider understand how their pelvic movements affect the horse’s back and balance. It allows us to quantify how well they can tilt forward/back, side to side, or rotate symmetrically.
This is particularly important on simulators, where riders often struggle to “ride” the mechanical horse in the same way they would a real one. The simulator requires precise aids- pressing the correct sensor “buttons” or shifting weight just enough- to trigger a leg yield, for example. On a real horse, the rider might get away with less accuracy because the horse interprets their intent. The simulator is not so forgiving; it demands precision. That makes it an excellent tool for testing whether riders can stabilise and isolate movements before adding motion.
Once the horse (or simulator) moves, the question becomes: can the rider still keep balance equal while following the gait? Or does their red dot creep forward, sideways, or jaggedly as the horse moves and they start to add in aids?
Rider movement is necessary to look still
Each gait has its own unique pattern of weight shift, and skilled riders adapt their pelvis to match.
Walk
At walk, the horse’s back and ribcage roll side to side, while the hindlimbs also push the rider’s pelvis gently forward. On sensors, this creates a lateral left–right pattern, with a forward–back element that produces the classic figure of 8 or infinity sign. On simulators, where propulsion is absent, the side-to-side is exaggerated.
Trot
At trot, because diagonals strike together, there is less side-to-side roll. The trace is smaller but still rhythmical. Rising trot produces clear unloading and reloading phases; sitting trot shows steadier oscillations. Sensors are particularly useful here to show how well the rider reloads the saddle in the sitting phase rather than “hovering” or slamming back down.
Canter
In canter, weight stays more central, matching the rolling three-beat rhythm. But the pelvis still needs to follow each hindlimb’s thrust. If a rider struggles more on one rein than the other, canter on the simulator often highlights the biggest asymmetries, with the red dot drifting most noticeably.
Research shows experienced riders often control this forward movement of the horse in all gaits with a slight backward tilt of the pelvis, while novices tend to be pushed into a forward tilt- so assessing the vertical movement of the red dot can also be really helpful in assessing forward and back movement in different gaits.
Light seat and rising trot
Saddle sensors also give valuable insights outside of sitting work.
Light seat: Here, the rider deliberately takes weight off the back of the saddle into the stirrups. The red dot should move closer to the stirrup bars - this is correct. But if the rider is unbalanced, the dot often creeps too far forward. This helps coaches assess whether the rider is tipping forward, bracing in the stirrups, or struggling to stabilise through the core. Used with mirrors, this feedback can build a more secure light seat.
Rising trot: The trace shows whether the rider reloads the saddle smoothly in the sitting phase. Skilled riders lower with control, producing a consistent, even pressure peak. Novices often hover above the saddle or drop heavily back in, which shows clearly on the trace.
Why a still red dot is not the goal
If the red dot hardly moves, it usually means the rider is gripping or bracing to “stay still.” This creates stiffness in the rider and blocks the horse’s back. Research confirms that elite riders show smooth, rhythmical pressure changes that match the gait, while novices produce jagged, erratic, or overly flat traces.
The goal is not to freeze the pelvis, but to develop dynamic balance: equal weight left and right, stride by stride.
What the red dot can (and can’t) tell us
Saddle sensors provide data, but they don’t tell the whole story.
A smooth curve may suggest good following, but might mask excessive micro-adjustments.
A jagged line or uneven peaks point to asymmetry, stiffness, or lack of control.
A consistently off-centre dot may indicate crookedness, mobility restriction, or saddle fit issues.
Front–back placement varies with build and saddle, but ideally should remain close to the middle or the 12–6 line. Too far forward = ahead of the horse’s centre of gravity; too far back = loading a weaker region of the spine.
Where the red dot sits vertically will depend on the saddle design, the rider’s body weight and proportions, and how weight is distributed in the saddle. So if the dot is not perfectly in the bullseye, that is not necessarily wrong- the key is that the rider is sitting centrally and in good alignment.
This is why the rider must always be observed alongside the trace. The sensors show what is happening, but the coach determines why.
Novice vs. expert riders
Studies on both horses and simulators show clear differences between novice and expert riders:
Novices often aim for stillness, resulting in stiffness, blocking, or jagged pressure patterns. Some try to pre-empt the horse’s movement rather than following it.
Experts accept movement and adapt stride by stride, producing smooth, symmetrical traces.
Simulator studies show that experienced riders display more refined trunk–pelvis coordination strategies, while novices rely on unstable or stiff movement patterns.
Auto-training and progress tracking
One of the great benefits of saddle sensors is their role in the software's auto-training program. Riders can use them to track progress over time:
Is the red dot more centred after weeks of practice?
Are left–right oscillations becoming more equal?
Is rising trot seat loading more controlled?
Is light seat balance more consistent without creeping forward?
This allows riders to train with feedback between lessons. The key is interpretation: the data is a guide, but the coach helps make sense of it and links it back to rider biomechanics etc.
Why this matters
If a rider cannot follow the horse’s basic movement at walk and trot, they will struggle to apply deliberate, precise weight aids in more advanced work. Saddle sensors provide clear, objective feedback to highlight these fundamentals, helping both rider and coach understand what is really happening.
The message is simple: don’t chase a motionless red dot. Use the data to build awareness, refine coordination, and track progress. True harmony looks like fluid, symmetrical, gait-matched movement- not stillness. Pegasus Physiotherapy.
References
Byström, A., et al. (2009). Kinematics of saddle and rider in collected and extended trot. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Byström, A., et al. (2015). Influence of rider on horse locomotion. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.
Byström, A., et al. (2019). Horse–rider interaction in passage. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
Clark, A., et al. (2022). Experienced vs. novice riders on a riding simulator: trunk kinematics and saddle forces in rising trot. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
De Cocq, P., et al. (2009). Vertical forces on the horse’s back in sitting and rising trot. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Lagarde, J., et al. (2005). Coordination dynamics of the horse–rider system. Journal of Motor Behavior.
MacKechnie-Guire, R. (Centaur Biomechanics). Research on rider asymmetry, saddle pressure, and horse locomotion.
Peham, C., et al. (2010). Forces acting on the horse’s back and rider seat in different trot positions. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Uldahl, M., et al. (2021). Off-horse pelvic mobility relates to riding harmony. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
Wilkins, R., et al. (2020). Static pelvic posture vs. dynamic pelvic tilt in riding simulators. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
Wilkins, R., et al. (2022). Trunk–pelvis movement strategies on a riding simulator. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
Saddle sensors, as seen on the Racewood interactive simulators, are a brilliant way of making the invisible visible. They show how a rider’s weight moves across the saddle (and more importantly on the horse’s back), giving us objective data about seat, symmetry, and balance. But it’s important to remember that there are two parts to the picture:
Static balance – where the red dot sits when the rider is at rest. Is it central? Is it aligned with the 12–6 line? This gives us an initial idea of symmetry and posture.
Dynamic balance – what the rider does when the horse moves. This is far more important. Do they follow the gait rhythm? Is their weight equal left to right? Or are they achieving “balance” asymmetrically through gripping, twisting, or dropping one side?
You can have a perfect, smooth curve on the screen, but when you actually watch the rider, you may see they are making many micro-adjustments to create that pattern. More experienced riders understand that they need to move with the horse and will use subtle shifts and strategies to keep equal weight on both seat bones. That’s why sensor data should always be combined with observation: the trace shows what, but only watching the rider reveals how.
Static vs. dynamic balance
The red dot (a feature of the software that shows the rider's position in the saddle) at halt is more useful than many riders and coaches realise. A stationary red dot shows whether the rider is sitting centrally, but it also reveals how well they can stabilise the pelvis while isolating other body parts.
- Can they apply a leg aid without tipping forward or shifting to one side?
- Can they rotate or adjust the pelvis without the dot drifting?
- Can they sit with and without reins while keeping the dot in the same position?
If a rider cannot control the red dot when static, they will almost certainly struggle once the pelvis also has to move dynamically with the horse. At halt, the red dot is especially valuable for helping a rider understand how their pelvic movements affect the horse’s back and balance. It allows us to quantify how well they can tilt forward/back, side to side, or rotate symmetrically.
This is particularly important on simulators, where riders often struggle to “ride” the mechanical horse in the same way they would a real one. The simulator requires precise aids- pressing the correct sensor “buttons” or shifting weight just enough- to trigger a leg yield, for example. On a real horse, the rider might get away with less accuracy because the horse interprets their intent. The simulator is not so forgiving; it demands precision. That makes it an excellent tool for testing whether riders can stabilise and isolate movements before adding motion.
Once the horse (or simulator) moves, the question becomes: can the rider still keep balance equal while following the gait? Or does their red dot creep forward, sideways, or jaggedly as the horse moves and they start to add in aids?
Rider movement is necessary to look still
Each gait has its own unique pattern of weight shift, and skilled riders adapt their pelvis to match.
Walk
At walk, the horse’s back and ribcage roll side to side, while the hindlimbs also push the rider’s pelvis gently forward. On sensors, this creates a lateral left–right pattern, with a forward–back element that produces the classic figure of 8 or infinity sign. On simulators, where propulsion is absent, the side-to-side is exaggerated.
Trot
At trot, because diagonals strike together, there is less side-to-side roll. The trace is smaller but still rhythmical. Rising trot produces clear unloading and reloading phases; sitting trot shows steadier oscillations. Sensors are particularly useful here to show how well the rider reloads the saddle in the sitting phase rather than “hovering” or slamming back down.
Canter
In canter, weight stays more central, matching the rolling three-beat rhythm. But the pelvis still needs to follow each hindlimb’s thrust. If a rider struggles more on one rein than the other, canter on the simulator often highlights the biggest asymmetries, with the red dot drifting most noticeably.
Research shows experienced riders often control this forward movement of the horse in all gaits with a slight backward tilt of the pelvis, while novices tend to be pushed into a forward tilt- so assessing the vertical movement of the red dot can also be really helpful in assessing forward and back movement in different gaits.
Light seat and rising trot
Saddle sensors also give valuable insights outside of sitting work.
Light seat: Here, the rider deliberately takes weight off the back of the saddle into the stirrups. The red dot should move closer to the stirrup bars - this is correct. But if the rider is unbalanced, the dot often creeps too far forward. This helps coaches assess whether the rider is tipping forward, bracing in the stirrups, or struggling to stabilise through the core. Used with mirrors, this feedback can build a more secure light seat.
Rising trot: The trace shows whether the rider reloads the saddle smoothly in the sitting phase. Skilled riders lower with control, producing a consistent, even pressure peak. Novices often hover above the saddle or drop heavily back in, which shows clearly on the trace.
Why a still red dot is not the goal
If the red dot hardly moves, it usually means the rider is gripping or bracing to “stay still.” This creates stiffness in the rider and blocks the horse’s back. Research confirms that elite riders show smooth, rhythmical pressure changes that match the gait, while novices produce jagged, erratic, or overly flat traces.
The goal is not to freeze the pelvis, but to develop dynamic balance: equal weight left and right, stride by stride.
What the red dot can (and can’t) tell us
Saddle sensors provide data, but they don’t tell the whole story.
A smooth curve may suggest good following, but might mask excessive micro-adjustments.
A jagged line or uneven peaks point to asymmetry, stiffness, or lack of control.
A consistently off-centre dot may indicate crookedness, mobility restriction, or saddle fit issues.
Front–back placement varies with build and saddle, but ideally should remain close to the middle or the 12–6 line. Too far forward = ahead of the horse’s centre of gravity; too far back = loading a weaker region of the spine.
Where the red dot sits vertically will depend on the saddle design, the rider’s body weight and proportions, and how weight is distributed in the saddle. So if the dot is not perfectly in the bullseye, that is not necessarily wrong- the key is that the rider is sitting centrally and in good alignment.
This is why the rider must always be observed alongside the trace. The sensors show what is happening, but the coach determines why.
Novice vs. expert riders
Studies on both horses and simulators show clear differences between novice and expert riders:
Novices often aim for stillness, resulting in stiffness, blocking, or jagged pressure patterns. Some try to pre-empt the horse’s movement rather than following it.
Experts accept movement and adapt stride by stride, producing smooth, symmetrical traces.
Simulator studies show that experienced riders display more refined trunk–pelvis coordination strategies, while novices rely on unstable or stiff movement patterns.
Auto-training and progress tracking
One of the great benefits of saddle sensors is their role in the software's auto-training program. Riders can use them to track progress over time:
Is the red dot more centred after weeks of practice?
Are left–right oscillations becoming more equal?
Is rising trot seat loading more controlled?
Is light seat balance more consistent without creeping forward?
This allows riders to train with feedback between lessons. The key is interpretation: the data is a guide, but the coach helps make sense of it and links it back to rider biomechanics etc.
Why this matters
If a rider cannot follow the horse’s basic movement at walk and trot, they will struggle to apply deliberate, precise weight aids in more advanced work. Saddle sensors provide clear, objective feedback to highlight these fundamentals, helping both rider and coach understand what is really happening.
The message is simple: don’t chase a motionless red dot. Use the data to build awareness, refine coordination, and track progress. True harmony looks like fluid, symmetrical, gait-matched movement- not stillness. Pegasus Physiotherapy.
References
Byström, A., et al. (2009). Kinematics of saddle and rider in collected and extended trot. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Byström, A., et al. (2015). Influence of rider on horse locomotion. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.
Byström, A., et al. (2019). Horse–rider interaction in passage. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
Clark, A., et al. (2022). Experienced vs. novice riders on a riding simulator: trunk kinematics and saddle forces in rising trot. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
De Cocq, P., et al. (2009). Vertical forces on the horse’s back in sitting and rising trot. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Lagarde, J., et al. (2005). Coordination dynamics of the horse–rider system. Journal of Motor Behavior.
MacKechnie-Guire, R. (Centaur Biomechanics). Research on rider asymmetry, saddle pressure, and horse locomotion.
Peham, C., et al. (2010). Forces acting on the horse’s back and rider seat in different trot positions. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Uldahl, M., et al. (2021). Off-horse pelvic mobility relates to riding harmony. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
Wilkins, R., et al. (2020). Static pelvic posture vs. dynamic pelvic tilt in riding simulators. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
Wilkins, R., et al. (2022). Trunk–pelvis movement strategies on a riding simulator. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
