The Equicizer is a fantastic tool for English riders with benefits for competitors in disciplines such as dressage, show jumping, cross country, and pleasure. The time you spend riding your Equicizer will give you a chance to improve your seat and leg position. You can practice your two point stance and work on your lower leg without ever getting in your horse’s way! Similarly, you can perfect your reining skills by working on your elbows and hand position without affecting your horse’s mouth. The Equicizer provides an amazing environment for training your body to ride effectively.
The Equicizer can be ridden for an extended period of time in front of a mirror or an instructor (or both!) while you work on your weak areas. The benefit of this is that you are not trying to improve yourself while simultaneously teaching your equine partner. You can do one at a time and get the maximum benefit out of each workout. If you are trying to improve your overall fitness for grueling competitions like three-day eventing, hop on the Equicizer for a workout morning, noon, and night! He will never tire and you are not risking injury because you can never overwork this wooden horse! Many Equicizers have gone well over two decades before needing a any of the few replacement parts that may ever need replacing. On the other hand, if it is you finding yourself on “stall rest”, the Equicizer is a great tool to get you back in action as you rehab.
Every competitor knows that taking periodic breaks from riding for any reason can put a damper on your show season. Whether it be due to severe weather or your horse being injured, not being able to get time in the arena feels inevitable at times. Not true if you have an Equicizer in your barn or home because they are ready to go in any weather and at any time of the year! Go ahead and give your jumper a few days off after that big show and you can keep working with your Equicizer.
One notable English rider that has recognized the benefits of the Equicizer is Jane Savoie. Jane is a very recognizable name in the dressage community and has competed on the United States Equestrian team. Another Equicizer fan from the dressage arena is Ruth Hogan Poulsen, who is a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist and Freestyle Gold Bar Award-Winner. Ruth has her own Equicizer named Rocky and has made a name for herself with her unique approach to “difficult” horses. She has said of the Equicizer, “The design and the mechanical way the Equicizer works is amazing, I do not know how Frankie did it. My Equicizer ‘Rocky’ has become the best and most reliable lesson horse in my barn.”
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| Ruth and a student demonstrating on the Equicizer. |
For breed show competitors who do English Pleasure, HUS, and Equitation classes, the Equicizer allows a rider to perfect the way they ride the canter. You have to identify and correct common problems like leaning by making slighting changes in your position and posture until you are riding correct and consistent. Your instructor can manually maneuver you to show where your form is off, whereas if you were riding your equine teammate, she wouldn’t be able to assist you as you cantered around. You are not as concerned with steering or training the horse underneath you, but rather can focus entirely on how your riding can be more effective.
Stay tuned next week for a Celebrity Blog Post from one of our favorite English Equicizer riders, paralympian Sydney Collier. She is one of the leading paralympic dressage riders in North America!
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