Strides for Success

Author: Lorna Leeson

  • Feeling Tired 20 Minutes into a Ride? Here’s What to Do…

    Feeling Tired 20 Minutes into a Ride? Here’s What to Do…

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    That feeling. When you had the best of intentions about what a ride was going to be like for you and your horse. Only to realise, 15 to 20 minutes into the ride, that you are ‘beat’!  Your legs are just not doing what you want them to do. Your head and shoulders feel like they weigh a tonne and self-carriage on your part is just exhausting! And as for coordination and concentration; nope and nope!

    If you are noticing a pattern where you’re feeling physically ‘done’ 20 or so minutes into each of your riding sessions with your horse, you need to begin working on changing that for you and your horse.

    Physical fitness is an essential part of improving as a rider. You don’t have to be as fit as a flea, but there is a certain level of physical abilities that are essential if you are to improve as a rider – and as a trainer for your horse.

    The good news is that there are a few simple key areas you can focus on in your next ride so that when you hit that point where you’re feeling tired, you will have a few ‘go to’ exercises and practices to help you squeeze out a few more minutes of goodness in your training!

    Quality Over Quantity

    Before we go any further, I want to reiterate that I do not believe in ‘Clock-In Riding’.  Clock-in riding is when you set a goal of a specific amount of time that you and your horse will work together for a ride. 30 minutes or 45 minutes are popular ones.  My big question is WHY?! If you and your horse have achieved something great at the 23-minute mark, is it essential that you continue on for another 7 minutes to ‘reach your goal’? No, absolutely not!

    Instead of setting goals about the amount of time you will spend in the saddle, rather set an intention for what you would like to work towards or achieve while riding. 

    More often than not, continuing on after you’ve achieved the thing you set out to work on will only result in actually lowering the quality of the training session! Shift your mindset so that you begin to focus on and then celebrate the quality of the work, rather than the quantity of the work.

    The tips I’m sharing with you today are ideas to help you go a little further ‘if’ you still NEED to go a little further in that particular training session. They are not for you to use to hit an arbitory ‘time goal’… Okay? Okay :)

    Use Your Walk Intentionally

    The walk is always a great place to catch your breath.  However, spending 10 or so minutes of each riding session aimlessly wandering around an arena trying to stop yourself from ‘blowing’ too hard is not time well spent.  So my advice is to begin becoming intentional with your walk.

    You can measure the walk in lots of different ways; the rhythm, the length of the stride, your horses frame, your ability to follow with your seat without doing funky dance moves with your shoulders are just a few to mention…

    I’m going to suggest focusing on the length of stride and your horse’s frame as a great ‘allows us to regroup and also continue to remain focused on the work’ exercise for when you’re feeling tired. Work on transitioning from a more ‘medium’ walk; it does not have to be medium in the truest meaning of the word, you can also use the word ‘gathered’ walk or ‘put together’ walk. To moving into more of a ‘free walk on a long rein’.  These two different ‘types’ of walk have the potential to show a massive difference in how your horse is working and using his body.

    And when you are working on improving the quality of both of the walks and creating smoother transitions between, your body is allowed to rest and prepare for the next more challenging exercise you choose to ride.

    Position, Position, Position

    One of the most noticeable symptoms when a rider is feeling tired is how drastic their overall position and posture changes! Your position and posture are essential to ride well. And when you begin to notice that your energy is fading, you MUST check both.

    When tiredness is creeping into to the rider’s body, the horse will also usually begin travelling a little differently. Many times the horse becomes heavy in front.  Hanging on the bit…  And because the rider is feeling ‘beat’, they often just brace against the horse.  This usually results in any wins that might have happened during the ride being wiped out!

    If you feel like your horse is becoming heaver on your hand, check your position first. Are you supplying him with something to hang on (your arms and shoulders)? Rather than using your aids to ask him to begin carrying himself again?

    Allowing your horse to hang on your arms and shoulders will not help either of you long term. And if your legs and seat are feeling too tired to ‘ask’ him to make a change, bring it back to walk and try there. Allowing yourself to continue on with a bad position or posture will only lead to far worse habits further down the line! So be careful!

    Transitions & Half Halt

    These are another great way to lighten your horse up in front and put less physical pressure on your upper body. When you are feeling tired, riding good-quality transitions can be a challenge. So make it easier by riding these transitions in the walk.  Work between walk and halt.  And then walk and trot.  You can add intentional and well-ridden transitions between being ‘straight’ and riding through a bend, curve, or corner.

    Riding transitions that include the walk allows your body to ‘keep up’, even when it’s feeling tired.  And allows you time to rest a while still continuing with the training so not to break the focus. 

    However, remember that you will need to have first checked over and ‘tweaked’ any position or posture issues.  I like walking serpentines here.  They include so many different elements and are just as beneficial in the walk for rider and horse.  Use the centre line (the point where you cross it each time) as the point for your transitions.  Maybe halt on the centre line.  Or trot the loops and then 3 strides of walk as you straighten out while crossing the centre line.

    Of course, before and after all of your intentional transitions you will sprinkle a couple or more half halts. This will help you to remain connected and help your position and posture. 

    10m Circles in Walk

    My final suggestion for when you’re feeling physically tired while in the saddle is 10m circles in walk.  I like to ride these before I begin ‘working’ again in trot or canter. And, of course, I say 10m but this can also be 12m and 15m depending on you and your horse’s training level.

    10m circles in the walk work well to reestablish the connection between horse and rider after a little break to catch your breath. Especially if you are then going to trot or canter. 

    You may find that after the walk and especially when you’re feeling tired, the trot and canter can become a little ‘flat’ or ‘front heavy’. Neither of which you will want. So the smaller focused circles in the walk with the intention of ‘gathering’ things up again, can really help you both to re-focus.

    Stop Feeling Tired…

    Again, all of the above suggestions are made for you to try when you are really focusing on quality over quantity in your riding. Not just to help you ‘push on through’ for another 20 minutes in the saddle! At the end of the day, it will be up to you to increase your physical abilities so that you tire less or later in the ride. Obviously, riding itself will really help with this. But there are also other things you can do…

          • Prioritize enough good-quality sleep
          • Watch what you eat – especially what foods cause inflammation in your body
          • Stay hydrated throughout the day – not just after you ride
          • Increase your suppleness – yoga
          • Improve your stamina and fitness with cardio – walking and hiking are great
          • Create more control over your body and aids – strength training and workouts

    There will be days when your body is just ‘bushed’ at a certain point in the ride. Start listening to your body and know when you need a short ‘rest’ to recover, or you need to end the session and dismount! There is no shame in feeling tired.  And very often ‘pushing on through’ will only cause more issues down the line for you and your horse.

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    And in the meantime, work on improving your overall strength, fitness, and stamina as a rider. The all-new and free 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge is a great place for you to do this.  It is walking and yoga-based (no workouts), so it will ease you into becoming a better version of yourself in the saddle gently. You can sign up HERE or by visiting https://equestrianfitnesschallenge.com/24 
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    Remember, there’s so much you can do to improve your riding, especially your energy levels.  Don’t just accept feeling tired as being the end of your training session.  Begin to work with your body so that you and your horse can go further in your training together.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Help for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Improving Your Effectiveness as a Rider

    Improving Your Effectiveness as a Rider

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    This article was originally published on stridesforsuccess.com in January 2022 by Lorna Leeson

    How many hours do you devote to training your horse each week?  Have you ever considered that you might just be the ‘team member’ that needs more work…?  That you might just be the ‘cap’ on your horse’s progress in his training and his development?

    Regardless of how much training your horse has,  eventually your effectiveness as a rider will determine what your horse can actually do with all that training…

    This week, I want you to begin thinking about, planning, and taking action on your own development. Your own conditioning, training, fitness, nutrition, social time, rest, and all of the things that you meticulously plan for your horse. 

    Why Do You Ride?

    I think to answer this, we first have to get clear on why we are riding our horse, to begin with… Most, if not all, riders are in the saddle because they have a certain outcome in their head that they want to achieve. This could be a feeling, such as relaxation or enjoyment. It could be a certain task, like getting a clear round or qualifying for something.

    Whatever the reason, it is worth remembering that you are taking time from your life to try and produce that outcome each time you mount up.

    Unfortunately, many riders often fall short of reaching the desired feeling, goal, or outcome. And, many times, this can be due to their horse not actually understanding what the outcome is that they are working towards. A lack of communication between horse and rider.

    What is ‘Effectiveness as a Rider’?

    When you know what you want to experience, it then becomes your responsibility to effectively communicate this to yoru horse. We do this, as riders, using our aids. And it is always a combination of aids.

    Your thoughts, legs, hands, body language, voice, position, seat, weight… And these are just some of your ‘natural’ aids.

    You also have a whole toolkit of artificial aids you can use to communicate with your horse. The saddle, bridle, arena, spurs, whip, lunge lines, lead ropes, etc. Most riders use a combination of natural and artificial aids in order to get their message across to the horse.

    The challenge becomes when they lack control over their own actions. This results in sloppy, haphazard, attempts at communication that muddies the message being communicated.

    When Communication Goes Awry…

    It is important to remember that, for the most part, whenever you get a result with your horse that is different to what you initially had in mind, the message probably became muddled. A simple case of you asking for one thing, but your horse hearing another, different, request.

    Retraining can play a big role in closing gaps between the expectations of riders and horses, however training is equally as important

    And training is not just for the horse. You, the rider, must also learn how to ask with more intention, focus, and clarity. It is easy to say that the horse is ‘stupid’ or ‘doesn’t understand’. However, the truth is often that the rider not clearly asking the question…

    There is a common misconception in horse riding that you ‘control’ your horse. You don’t – and never will. You merely influence…

    Your responsibility is to become better at influencing your horse using the aids that are available to you, natural and, when required, artificial.

    Developing Self Control

    The good news is that you can develop more positive influence if you work on improving your control over your body. How it moves. The range of motion you have with it. Your physical and mental stamina…

    Coordination is developed over time through a mix of developing physical strength, focused and intentional thinking, and building emotional confidence.

    I feel that saying ‘I’m not very coordinated’ is the easy way out for many riders. Lack of coordination, in most cases, simply means a lack of dedicated training; physical, mental, and emotional.  Improving effectiveness as a rider requires consistently upgrading yourself and your skills.

    I feel that, in order to truly begin experiencing the outcome you desire every time you get into the saddle, there’s work to be done on the ground as well.

    Taking Responsibility as a Rider

    If you are currently getting less-than-perfect results with your horse, then this work is for you. I think that it’s fair to say this is true of all riders. There will always be ‘more’ that we can do regarding developing our skills as an equestrian.

    Taking the time to develop yourself as a rider will allow you to begin responding rather than reacting when in the saddle.

    It will allow you to use your different aids in a way that is easily understood by your horse. Your mindset will become resilient, positively expectant, and open to new ideas and ways of doing things…

    All of these things will help you to have better conversations with your horse as you consistently improve your effectiveness as a rider.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    Let’s walk together for 21 days and have a chat about how you can do much more than you think you can as a rider and an equestrian… I am so excited to bring you along on this journey for the 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge

    More Help for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Not Feeling Like a Typical Equestrian?

    Not Feeling Like a Typical Equestrian?

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    What does the typical equestrian look like? Apparently not like a lot of the typical equestrians that I know!  Let me explain; recently I asked riders to let me know what challenges they were having in their riding, in the hopes I could potentially help.  And I received so many replies from riders all over the world. Great right?

    Except for the line of text that so many of those emails contained…  “I’m not a typical equestrian”. And because of this, the rider feeling unworthy of having their question answered… 

    Now, there were of course different versions of this; “I’m not your average rider” or “I’m much older than other riders”.  And it was the tone of all of these similar statements that really got my attention.  To me, it seemed as though because they didn’t see themselves as a ‘typical equestrian’, their question was not worthy of being answered.  Why is it that so many riders feel like this?

    Not a Typical Equestrian…

    I think many riders simply feel like they don’t ‘belong’. Or that they’re not ‘horsey enough’, as though there was some standard measure for this.   Perhaps of who we continue to see represent a typical equestrian in advertizing.

    If I take myself, for example, I’m definitely over 28.  I am not extremely wealthy. And I certainly don’t board at an exclusive barn! My ‘Riding Outfit Of The Day’ is not always colour-coded, never mind matching or complimenting the colours my horse is wearing! And, quite honestly, I don’t spend an hour each morning getting my make-up on, my hair set, and my outfit ‘just right’ to go and do what has to be done at the yard with the horses…

    For the most part, I clean a good deal of my own stables and tack – which is something many equestrians I know do as well  (and I know quite a few…)  

    Equestrian’s I Know Are…

    And I think that there is an issue.  The ‘typical equestrians’ that we are being fed so much of in mainstream media do NONE of these things.  They don’t mix and make their horses feed, they don’t ‘hay’ their horse.  Honestly, have you ever seen an equestrian ‘influencer’ covered in horse sh*t or hay? No, not ever! This brings me to my final point, they rarely ever seem to muck out, skip out, or clean up…  In fact, it’s only done if they are promoting a special gizmo or gadget for that day… #ad :)

    I think the feeling of being unworthy to take up ‘equestrian space’ with their questions, thoughts, and opinions that so many riders feel is due to ‘us’ still not being represented in print and online. 

    Why don’t we see more vertically challenged (like myself) equestrians? Or riders with multicolored, grey, braided, brassy blonde (darn sun!), dark, or curly hair…?  There are the equestrians that I know and love who have generous waists and thighs and are proud of their bodies.  Many have strong hands with maybe a callous or 5 (hands up here again!).  Skin that is many shades darker than pale lily-white. Or skin that maybe once was lily-white, but has seen a lot of sun.  Most of it while either on the back of a horse or fixing a fence…

    But let’s ask the question; what is an equestrian?  It’s a person who enjoys building a relationship with a horse, or lot’s of horses – period. 

    Whether that’s on the ground or in the saddle if you love the idea of going deeper with your horse, congratulations!  You’re an equestrian :)

    Your Questions & Thoughts are Valid

    I would love to see a change in riders regarding how ‘worthy’ their questions, thoughts, and opinions are.  It seems to me that there are so many riders out there that are choosing to stay quiet.  And they do this because they don’t feel like their schedules, riding style, or lifestyle ‘matches’ what a typical equestrian ‘should’ look like.

    If you love horses and you’re interested in improving the clarity of the communication between you and your horse (or horses in general), your questions, thoughts, and opinions are needed in the equestrian world.

    It’s through diversity of thought, different (sometimes difficult) conversations, and a level of open-mindedness that equestrian sports and lifestyles can grow and expand. 

    So if right now you don’t feel comfortable ‘taking up space’ inside of those conversations, you have important mindset work to begin doing for both yourself, your horse, and all of the legions of other not-so-typical equestrians who have not even begun their journey yet.

    Start ‘Feeling’ Like a Typical Equestrian

    I think the key to making lasting change for all riders is to recognize and celebrate that if you are interested in horses and want to develop your relationship with a horse… You’re a typical equestrian! And because I know this is you, congratulations! I say this tongue-in-cheek because we both know that, deep down, you already are fully aware of this. So own it.

    Equestrians care about the relationship between themselves and their horse. They look for ways to better that bond and develop their skills. Even if they are in mismatched clothes and smell like a manure pile!

    The key is the desire to improve how you show up for you and your horse. Having that desire and then taking actions that align with that desire is the key to ‘being’ an equestrian.  And the good news is that there countless ways you can do this…

          • Educate yourself more about your riding
          • Understand more about your horse and how he does things
          • Be intentional with each interaction
          • Set some ‘do-able’ goals and a plan to work towards them
          • Realize that you and your horse are a team – meaning training is 50:50

    Immerse Yourself in ‘Being’ an Equestrian

    So, you are now 100% certain that you are a bonafide equestrian.  However, ‘knowing’ something and ‘being’ something are often two different things. And this is where I encourage you to start your immersion into how you can begin feeling more like a ‘typical equestrian’.

    My first suggestion for you is to spend a little intentional time each day learning, or doing something ‘equestrian related’.  Read a book or listen to a podcast – I highly recommend the Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians ;).   Brush your horse’s tail or clean some of your tack – both while listening to a podcast ;).

    Do what feels good for you and really become intentional about yourself and your feelings. By immersing yourself more and more each day in ‘horsey things’ you are going to begin to feel more ‘horsey’.  It is a simple truth.

          1. Sign up for the 2024 all-new Equestrian Fitness Challenge (it’s based on walking not workouts)
          2. Request to join the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community and join in the chats
          3. Do one thing every day that grows your knowledge as an equestrian
          4. Spend 15 minutes every day doing something ‘horse’ related

    Trust me, after a couple of weeks of surrounding yourself with intentional ‘horsey’ input, you will begin to feel like what we already know to be true; that you are a 100% typical equestrian.

    And then, practice voicing your questions, your opinions, your thoughts, and getting involved in our sport.  Your input is greatly needed and might just change the trajectory of someone else’s ‘horsey’ journey.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    Let’s walk together for 21 days and have a chat about how you can do much more than you think you can as a rider and an equestrian… I am so excited to bring you along on this journey for the 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge

    More Help for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • A Groundpole Exercise for Riding in a Smaller Space

    A Groundpole Exercise for Riding in a Smaller Space

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    It is easy to become ‘stuck’, both physically and mentally, when riding in a smaller space.  As riders, we tend to ‘slow things down’ to the point where we lose forwardness.  Forwardness, both physical and mental, is essential to riding anything well…

    This episode of the Daily Strides Podcast comes from the 1st lesson of 5 on the topic and is focused on how you can use groundpoles in a smaller space. 

    There is an accompanying layout diagram for this episode that you can download for free HERE

    And if you’re interested in getting the rest of the lessons, you can get them today by joining Daily Strides Premium, my private podcast that delivers audio horse riding lessons straight to your phone every month. You can find all the details HERE

    In the 5 audio horse riding lessons, I will show you how you can use both groundpoles and raised poles in a smaller arena to help cultivate and maintain forwardness in your riding.  You will be surprised exactly how much you can fit into a small space!

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    Let’s walk together for 21 days and have a chat about how you can do much more than you think you can as a rider and an equestrian… I am so excited to bring you along on this journey for the100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time!100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    Have a super day
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Resources for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Developing Independent Aids in Your Riding

    Developing Independent Aids in Your Riding

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    Ask any rider what they want to make happen when it comes to their riding aids and, hopefully, creating truly independent aids will be high up there on that list.  Because, let’s face it, your aids can only be as clear and useful in direct relation to how independent they are. But saying you want independent aids and working towards developing independent aids are two very different things.
    Especially when, as a whole, your aids are almost always used in conjunction with each other – not independently on their own…
    And yet, for each aid to become a useful member of your team of aids, I believe that you should first isolate each one and develop it intentionally and individually. Having one ‘strong’ independent aid when the rest are flapping about won’t be enough to create clear conversations with your horse.
    Each aid must be strengthened in its own right and then be allowed to contribute to the overall team effort.

    Intentionally Isolating Your Aids

    How well can you use your left leg without moving your right leg at the same time? Or for you, perhaps it’s your inside hand that, when actively engaged in communicating with your horse, causes an involuntary movement from your inside leg?
    When we can’t easily move one body part without unconsciously moving another, there is no way that our aids can be truly classed as independent.
    And yet, this can be quite a challenge for most riders initially – until they begin developing each aid in its own right and then putting them together. I prefer starting riders off with their more obvious aids first.  Their hands and legs. I bring their attention to previously unconscious and unintentional linked movements between these aids.  And whether you are just getting started on your riding journey, or you’ve been at this for a while, it can be eyeopening once these related movements – and their overall influence on the horse – are pointed out.

    Obvious Versus Subtle Aids

    As a rider, your aids can be loosely grouped into two different categories.  Subtle and Obvious.  As mentioned, your obvious aids are the ones that anyone can see and pick up on if they were watching you ride.  Bigger movements happening in your limbs are the obvious ones.  But so could your voice and position if not carefully applied.
    Your ‘obvious aids’ are usually the ones you rely on most when starting your riding journey.  So it makes sense that you work on creating independence in them first as a rider.
    Your subtle aids will then, over time, begin to take on a bigger role in your and your horse’s communication and conversation. These have more to do with your weight, your seat, and your thoughts. The things that are not as easily picked up on by an observer or cannot be seen at all.
    Your subtle aids will create the secret conversation between you and your horse and require true, independent aids to make a reality.

    Start with Obvious Aids First

    Next time you’re in the saddle, ask your horse to walk a 15m circle in the walk.  Spend a few strides making sure that you are in the correct position up there in the saddle.  Check your lines (‘head shoulder hip heel’ line and also the ‘elbow, wrist, thumb, rein, bit’ line).
    Then check that you have your obvious aids in the right place to create a channel or flow for your horse’s body and energy. 
    When on that circle, use your aids to ask for appropriate bend and flexion through your horse’s body while asking your horse to continue to move forward.  So, for example, your outside leg will be slightly behind or further back than your inside leg.
    Once you are correctly positioned, begin experimenting with using a single aid without it having an effect on your other aids. 
    Can you slide (or swing) your outside leg back without moving your hands or tilting/twisting your upper body?  What about gently squeezing the outside rein without lifting or gripping with your inside leg?  Or are you able to ask for ‘over’ using your inside leg without shoving with your seat?  How about asking for a canter using your legs and seat without tipping forward through your upper body?

    Then Work on Subtle Aids

    Why? This question runs through most riders’ heads when they are told to wait before developing their more subtle aids.  And I get it… The subtle ones are the ‘fancy’ ones. They are the aids that everyone speaks about. So why the wait?  Diving into developing independent ‘subtle aids is a complete waste of your time until those more obvious ones are under your control!
    The rest of your body must first learn to be ‘quiet’ in the saddle, so that your horse can really ‘hear’ your more subtle aids, such as your seat, weight aids, breath, etc. 
    You can of course begin training yourself to be in the best position to use these aids from Day 1 in your riding. So ensure that your seat, position, and posture are good. But to truly be fair to your horse, it’s best to have everything else under control and like I said, quiet.

    Your Independent Aids

    My final piece of advice for you developing your independent aids is to develop your physical fitness… And not just in the saddle.  When you are fitter and have more stamina, you will naturally have more control over your body.  And I find that when riders take the time and work on this OUT OF THE SADDLE, it really benefits them in the saddle.
    When you gain more control over your own body, and then understand your aids, you will naturally increase your ability to communicate effectively with your horse…
    And this is why I am rebooting the Equestrian Fitness Challenge for 2024.  Make sure you are on the list to get this year’s brand new challenge sent straight to your inbox by signing up HERE. This year we are focusing on walking… Yep, walking and expanding our knowledge, enthusiasm, and confidence in our abilities as a rider.
    Visit https://equestrianfitnesschallenge.com/24 to get the brand-new challenge!
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    Let’s walk together for 21 days and have a chat about how you can do much more than you think you can as a rider and an equestrian… I am so excited to bring you along on this journey for the 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    Have a super day
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Resources for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

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  • Breaking the Habit of Poor Posture in Your Riding

    Breaking the Habit of Poor Posture in Your Riding

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    Whether you realize it or not, incorrect or bad posture is hurting your riding. And your horse’s way of going. And this habit will usually continue unchecked for sometimes years.  I don’t believe that riders ever initially set out to ride in a way that will negatively impact things. Usually what happens is that riding a certain way either produces a certain outcome or solves a particular challenge at some point… And then turns into a habit!

    But, what happens if you get stuck there?  Stuck with thinking the thoughts that cause you to use or carry your body a certain way…  Usually never good things!

    There are lots of reasons why you might have developed less than great posture when in the saddle.  Luckily, there are also lots of ways you can begin to both identify what’s going on – and how to begin remedying it in your riding.

    Symptoms of Poor Posture in Riding

    If you have started to ‘slip’ a little where posture is concerned in your riding, there will be signs!  Definite and obvious signs.  This is good because when you know what to look for, it makes it easier to begin to make those small tweaks that can make all the difference for you and your horse.

    Lack of Balance in the Saddle:

    It stands to reason that if you are struggling to carry yourself in the saddle, your balance will be affected.  You may feel yourself tipping or tilting.  This can be to the front, so tipping forward… Or it can be tipping backward, which then feels like you are being left behind.  You may also notice this around bends, corners, or circles as a sideways tilt or collapse.

    Whatever way you are tipping or tilting, you will also most likely notice that your horse will struggle with this as well.  Your lack of balance can really negatively impact your horses own balance. 

    He may speed up (especially through transitions or bends/corners).  Or he may slow down.  He can also fall in or fall out to try and compensate for your tilting to the side.  Finally, if you are regularly tilting back, he may being to hollow through his back to avoid any associated discomfort…

    Tension and Stiffness

    Poor posture will inevitably create issues with tension, and maybe stiffness in certain areas of your body.  And of course, your horse’s body if allowed to go uncorrected for any length of time. Many riders notice this in their shoulders, lower back, or hips.  However, this can also show up across your chest, your elbows, knees, and even calves.

    Last week I spoke about ‘opening up’ and practicing expansion as a rider.  This can really be helpful for this, especially if you focus on your posture as well. And, keep in mind that incorrect tension can go both ways; excessive tension OR a lack of tension… Both can lead to poor posture in your riding and block or prevent your horse from moving and working forward.

    Closed Down or Shut Down Position

    Otherwise known as the hamster effect we least expect…! This is the reason I actually wanted to really address this topic today; too many riders are resembling hamsters while in the saddle! So what do I mean by this?   Well, if you are crumpled, contracted, hunched over, closing your shoulders and chest, riding with your hands touching each other, gripping with your knees, and overall ‘rolled up’, you are riding like a hamster!

    Often this starts as a defense mechanism – although it only makes things worse, so it’s incredibly ineffective!  Maybe there was a time when you felt fear or anxiety when riding.

    The natural thing to do is ‘play small’, roll into a ball, and wait it out.  Except, when we are riding, this is ineffective – and often downright dangerous.  Again, I am going to point you to last week’s episode on Opening Up and Practicing Expansion in the Saddle.

    Ineffective Aids and Communication

    If poor posture is something you’ve been struggling with, you are also most likely having communication issues with your horse.  Responsiveness, or the lack thereof, is something that is most likely showing up.  Coupled with your horse understanding your aids. Unfortunately, this often then increases the initial problem of poor posture and tension issues as the rider ‘doubles down’ on ‘making’ their horse do whatever it is they are trying to communicate… Frustration can run high; for both horse and rider… Not an ideal situation.

    Back and Muscle Discomfort

    Did you realize that your lack of posture can actually be contributing to muscle fatigue in your riding?  When you are not setting your body up to use itself in the best way, it gets tired – very quickly!  And then continual poor posture can even result in back pain or injuries over time. This will 100% take away from how much you enjoy your time in the saddle – and can even cause you to eventually stop riding!

    Unable to Effectively Use Your Core

    We all know how important your core is when it comes to riding.  It really does impact EVERYTHING.  Good and correct posture requires core strength and engagement. And, without this, you will find it difficult to be independent through your seat and aids.  This can lead to confusion between you and your horse – and can actually set you up for a fall or an accident in the long run.

    Improving Your Poor Posture

    Okay, so there are so many ways this can show up and none of them are beneficial when it comes to improving your skills as a rider or training and developing your horse. So, let’s work on actually improving your posture in the saddle.  Investing time here will both enhance your riding experience and help you more effectively train your horse.

    Body Awareness

    Again, we chatted about this last week HERE.  When you begin to become more aware of your body’s alignment and position while riding, you will begin to feel and notice when things are not ‘right’. This is also where practicing exercises off the horse can help.  Especially those that promote body awareness, such as yoga or Pilates.  And they have the added bonus of strengthening your core muscles and improving your flexibility.

    The 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge will help you with this.  This year’s challenge includes a daily yoga practice from Emma-Jane Leeson (yep, my sister), a qualified yoga teacher.  And an equestrian just like you :) Make sure you get signed up for the 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge HERE

    Riding Lessons with Focus on Posture

    Get help when you need it most by investing in lessons with a proven instructor or trainer who can assess your posture and provide corrective feedback. I realize that this can be a challenge for many riders, especially when time/schedules and location are an issue.  If this is the case, think about video reviews or live virtual online lessons.  Both of these are available for riders inside of Connection; My Online Membership for Equestrians.

    Regular riding lessons with a focus on proper alignment in the moment and balance can significantly improve your posture over time.

    Using Mirrors or Video

    I know, in an ideal world, we would all have mirrors strategically placed around the arena.  If you do have, make use of them by paying attention to your posture and alignment.  If you don’t; use video.  You can either invest in something like a PIVO – use THIS LINK to get $20 off your purchase (this is an affiliate link and we will receive a commission on your purchase but it won’t affect how much you pay).

    Being able to watch back over your work will allow you to begin to see where things are falling out of alignment, and where you can make improvements. 

    Of course, you can also use the PIVO (affiliate link) to have virtual lessons in real-time online with a coach or trainer (again, this is part of the Connection Membership with me)

    Increasing Fitness & Stamina

    Do you walk? Walking is one of the easiest and most effective ways of moving your body and improving your overall well-being and fitness.  I LOVE walking.  Whether it’s on the road, on the trail, hiking, or just out to the fields to collect or turn out the horses. It helps to keep my body toned, and move my hips, and it is hands down amazing for my mental health and well-being.

    If you would like to walk a little more and see where it takes you and your riding; the 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge is ALL about walking.  Join me for 21 days as we take a daily walk together and chat about all things riding and training horses related :) It’s 100% free and it has the potential to transform your riding. CLICK HERE
    to sign up

     

    Mindfulness & Connection Techniques

    Recently, I ran an in-person program on my farm here in South Africa all about connection and energy techniques on the ground with your horse.  The results were amazing.  The difference then in the rider’s and horses’ performance when being ridden afterward was mindblowing.

    Just a simple practice of grounding before working with your horse can be transformational for both of you.  Couple this with the power of intention…

    I have packaged up this full program into a short email course that you can use with your horse.  The Connection Partnership Program Mini-Course lays out all of the techniques in step-by-step audio episodes.  And all delivered via your email.  You can get more details HERE

    Improving Your Poor Posture

    Phew, that was a lot.  I would love for you to take just one of these resources this week and begin working on it to help change any habits you may have in the saddle.  Remember, improving your overall posture and alignment in the saddle will not only help you but also have a positive impact on your horse as well.

    And, over time, improving your posture will result in better communication, clearer aids, and increased understanding between you and your horse when working together.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    List of Resources for This Episode:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach