NEWS & ARTICLES : RIDE, Even When You're Not

You can practice riding your horse all the time, and greatly improve the results of your actual time in the saddle.

Professional Tina Hutton shows flawless form at posting trot aboard "Junior". Even though he is an old rope horse, Junior shows good movement because of Tina's lovely riding.

What do good riders have in common?  They probably spend more actual hours in the saddle than most, but unconsciously they probably practice riding off their horses, too.

You can enhance your riding skills by practicing riding principles even when you are doing every day things.  Here are some examples:

• Use an exercise ball at your desk instead of a regular chair to sit on.  You’ll find immediate improvement in your core muscles that allow you to ride properly.  You’ll probably find better balance, symmetry, and fewer aches and pains overall.  You can bounce, rotate your pelvis, swing your seat forward-backward-left-right-up-down to simulate riding while you’re hard at work at your desk.

• Practice balance exercises all the time, and check for left/right equality.  If you are one sided, it’s a guarantee that your horse will be too.  Example: while standing in line at the store or bank, shift your weight from left to right.  See if you have a preference, and work to make it equally easy.  Practice standing balanced, weighting both feet equally.  Use your non-dominant hand more frequently and become more ambidextrous.  At stairways, notice which foot is the push off foot, and which one you prefer to step up with first.  Change it.   Sit balanced as you drive, especially during turns.  Practice never leaning, only balancing. Imagine all the possibilities when it comes to your personal balance!

• Use “soft eyes” everywhere.  Watch how you use your eyes when you drive, when you work, and when you are doing other things.  Practice softening your eyes and taking in more of the world around you.  Breathe deeply as you do this exercise, and see how many details become apparent that previously went unnoticed.  Practice paying attention, without getting “hard eyes”.

• Practice soft touches.  Do you grip your steering wheel when you drive, or grab strongly onto things such as a pencil?  If you do, you probably are doing the same thing on the reins when you ride.  Most people have no idea that their hands feel harsh to their horses’ mouths when they ride, and they have to learn how to feel for the horse softly, so the horse can feel them softly in return.  This one thing can really change your riding, and create different results with your horse.  Learning to feel through the hand requires relaxation in the entire arm.  Use dynamic tension in your muscles to maintain stability and control without rigidity.  Use flexible strength everywhere in your body while riding, or you’ll ride with a brace and your horse will brace back.

• Get on an exercise and stretching program, and stay on it.  We expect our horses to travel straight and balanced, and constantly be strong and supple.  If we are not the same ourselves, certainly our horses can do no better.  Your horse is a reflection of you – he will be only as good as you are.  There are some yoga, pilates and other fitness programs that can enhance the way you ride.  Some of these teachers are equestrians themselves, so have insight into your unique needs as a rider.

• Visualization techniques can also help you achieve more.  Make non-riding time beneficial to your riding!  You don’t have to feel like it’s a waste any more.

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