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3 Simple Tips to Ride in Balance with Your Horse

By: Jane Savoie

To ride your horse in good balance when you're working on the flat, be sure to keep a good plumb line with your shoulders directly over your hips and over your heels.

In this article, I'll give you three quick tips to help you sit upright.

1. Many riders lean behind the vertical (especially in trot extensions!) because they think they're driving their horses more forward.

The problem with leaning back in sitting trot, however, is that you end up pushing your horse's back down, and he becomes hollow and disconnected.

So if you tend to lean back, here's a quick tip to give you some muscle memory for keeping your upper body straight with your shoulders over your hips.

While you're standing on the ground, lean back and ask a friend to put the palm of her hand between your shoulder blades. Ask her to gently push your upper body forward until your shoulders are above your hips.

Repeat this several times. Close your eyes as you're being pushed forward so you can really memorize the feeling of bringing your upper body over your hips.

Then when you're riding your horse, pretend your friend is gently pushing your upper body forward so you can sit up straight.

2. Now let's look at the opposite scenario which is leaning too far forward. For this exercise, focus on your hip angles. If you're leaning in front of the vertical, your hip angles are closed.

So while you're sitting on your horse in the halt or walk, lean about 10 inches behind the vertical. Then sit upright so your shoulders are directly over your hips.

Do this several times. As you lean back, focus on how your hip angles open. You can even close your eyes to really concentrate on how it feels to open your hips.

Then when you're riding, if you start to tip too far forward, imagine leaning back. The exercise you've done at the halt and walk gives you the muscle memory to find the happy medium and sit up straight.

3. You can also do an exercise similar to the one you did to prevent you from leaning too far back.

Ask your friend to do one of two things. She can stand behind you and put a hand on each shoulder. Then she should gently pull your upper body back toward her.

Alternatively, you can also have her stand in front of you and gently pushing your shoulders back.

Decide which exercise works better for you. Do it several times for real. And then visualize the feeling of moving your upper body back so your shoulders are over your hips.

Visualization works because your mind can't tell the difference between a skill you practice on your horse, and a skill you're just doing in your imagination. Both are just as "real" to your subconscious mind.

Article Source: http://www.newarticledaily.com

Jane Savoie was the reserve rider for the US Olympic Dressage Team in 1992. She has coached at 3 Olympics in Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens. Jane has written 6 books on training and sports psychology. For more info, go to: www.janesavoie.com or www.dressagementor.com

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