Rider Biomechanics

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

EquiMotion was founded by Sarah Davenport who has more than 35 years' experience working with horses in a wide range of disciplines including dressage, eventing, competitive endurance riding and years spent as an arab racehorse trainer. Having run her own successful equine therapy business for many years, a serious neck injury meant that this was no longer a viable full-time option for Sarah.

As an equine therapist, Sarah often observed what a big part the rider's posture played in both the horse's way of going and in some of the problem areas she was treating, and similarly, how problems in the horse were creating problems, and often pain, for the rider. Being able to correct these for both horse and rider, and therefore greatly improve the riding experience for both, became one of the favourite parts of her job - and so EquiMotion was born.

Horses can only work to their true potential when the rider is balanced, with their weight evenly distributed. If a horse favours one rein over the other, leg yields beautifully to the left but not to the right, just can’t seem to find the correct canter lead, or has a trot that’s almost impossible to sit to, chances are good that it’s the way the rider’s body moves, or more often, does not move, that is contributing to the problem.

Sarah has an uncanny ability to spot even the most subtle misalignments, and using a host of different techniques, can help the rider identify and permanently correct the underlying cause so that the horse can move more freely underneath the rider. Even small changes can transform a horse’s way of going and as an added bonus, clients will often find that pain they’ve lived with for years also disappears.

Every rider is different, so no two EquiMotion sessions are ever the same. Sarah is constantly looking for new and different ways to help riders at all levels get the most out of their time in the saddle, and is highly trained in a diverse range of methods, making her uniquely placed to customise a programme perfectly tailored to each individual rider.

A session at EquiMotion might include any of the following:

A little about Sarah

With a long list of injuries herself, Sarah took her extensive knowledge of equine anatomy and biomechanics and started to develop an equally extensive knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics, with a particular focus on their role in riding. Knowing the benefits of Pilates for riders, Sarah trained as a Level 3 Mat Pilates Instructor and is also a qualified Equipilates™ Biomechanics Trainer.

At the same time, Sarah began to investigate the use of "Franklin Balls" in riding. January 2019 saw EquiMotion host the first true equestrian Franklin Ball clinic in the UK. The response to this clinic from riders was significant, the postural improvement in one session, dramatic. In February 2019, Sarah travelled to New York to attend the first Franklin Method Equestrian training with Eric Franklin, keen to learn how and why these little balls made such a big difference. Sarah returned to the UK as the first (at the time, only) Franklin Method Equestrian trainer in the UK. Sarah remains at the forefront of Franklin Method Equestrian training and is currently one of just three Level One Equestrian Educators in the world.

As EquiMotion grew, a common theme began to emerge. Most of the riders Sarah was seeing, had some form of injury, often incurred many years previously, that appeared to be a significant contributory factor to the problems clients were encountering in their riding. Determined to help her clients overcome these injuries, Sarah travelled to Lisbon to qualify as an AiM (Anatomy in Motion) Practitioner. The impact these programmes had on her own injuries was profound, and Sarah is now able to incorporate this work in her work at EquiMotion.