Better body, better mind

I strongly believe that regular yoga practice will keep us riding for longer by providing a more comfortable body and enabling the mind to be more focused. Yoga develops self-awareness of our body, such as where we carry imbalances, have areas of tension and where we need to gain strength and flexibility.

By exploring through the practice of yoga and meditation, we slow down, we notice and gain tools that can help our riding and, most importantly, we connect more effectively with our horses.

When we’re more aware of ourselves, our horses notice our presence (they also know when we’re not present) and, in turn, being aware of their energy helps us establish this connection by opening a channel of communication.

By developing connection to our body we feel more and can feel and sense our horses better. Practising mindfulness and meditation helps to bring us to the present moment and that’s usually where horses are. Then the relationship with our beautiful friend can grow and become stronger. So where do we start?

Check in with yourself

Often, we’re so busy squeezing as much as we can into our days that our energy levels are raised and we feel stressed and pressured to get everything done. Our horses, on the other hand, may have been happily grazing with their friends in the field or munching hay in the stable and will, therefore, be experiencing contrasting energy.

Next time you arrive at the yard, spend a few moments checking in with yourself before you get out of your car. Ask yourself…

• where are my energy levels? Are they low or are you brimming with energy? Are you stressed or feeling flat? Do you have the feeling of needing to get lots done in the time available or can you go more slowly?
• how is my breath? Is it fast and shallow, long and deep, or are you holding your breath?
• how does my body feel? Scan your body for tension and bring awareness to your breath. By doing this, the breath starts to change, becoming smoother and steadier

A few moments of checking in like this can make all the difference to how we are when we’re with our horses and, when we have a clearer mind, we often find things go smoother and we can get all our tasks done more effectively.

Areas of tension

The most common places riders hold tension are the shoulders, lower back, hips, jaw, hands, seatbones and toes, and these are often areas we clench. As you can imagine, tension will affect the way we ride as well as the connection we have with the horse via the saddle and through the reins. By being aware and softening these areas, we’re able to really feel our horses, connect with them and receive more information from them. We can check in several times when riding, as our bodies will often go back to these ‘holding’ patterns.

Discover exercises to help you release tension and become more aware of your body in February Horse&Rider – get your copy today!