Many times
our horses seem off, a tick lame, or you 'just can't put your finger on it' but
he not himself. It may be hard to believe, but some of what your horse is
feeling could actually be caused by YOU, his rider!
When you
step into the saddle, you change the way your horse moves. Your balance, the pressure you exert on his
body and his mouth through the bit, the way your body reacts when he accelerates
or stops – all of these require his body to react and adjust as well.
How can we
minimize the affect on our horse?
- Ride with your
core. All of our instructors have
made this point more than once, I’m sure.
But, it’s true and very important.
It’s your core that helps you to stay balanced, secure and vertical
in the saddle, allowing your horse to move freely underneath you with
little interference.
- Strengthen your
weak side. It's been documented in
studies that our dominant side (right or left handed) will reflect a
strong shoulder but weak opposing hip. This imbalance can result in
lower back fatigue and strains for you, but it can also affect your
horse. Your dominant hand can be
exerting close to 40% more pressure on his mouth, making him travel uneven,
which can make him sore as well.
- Square up your
spine. You have to ride centered on
your horse. Listing to one side,
riding with a heavy leg on the right or left, or having a crooked neck can
all effect his way of travel.
- Improve your
cardiovascular health. Riding
balanced and centered also requires you to be relaxed, so you need to be
able to recover quickly from physical
exertion or psychological stress.
- Keep your body fit. Staying balanced in the saddle while maximizing
your ability to execute planned movements, as well as to react to any
surprises, requires a good muscle to fat ratio and loose, limber limbs. Eat a balanced diet and stretch often.
You and your
horse are a team. You’re both
athletes. And you both need to be fit, healthy
and relaxed to have the best chance of achieving your goals. So before you swing your leg over the saddle,
stretch out those muscles, tighten up that core and exhale all your
inhibitions! Let's ride!
