So you desperately want to get back in the saddle on the regular again. And you definitely feel excited. But you’re also feeling more than a little overwhelmed! The big looming question is “What do I do on that first ride?!” Stop panicking because today, I will guide you through exactly what to do on that first ride… Step by step with your horse. Remember, whether it’s been months or years, your body and mind need time to adjust.
For your first few rides back, I want you to focus on increasing your awareness, rather than questioning if you’re ‘doing it right. Awareness over perfection!
Today, as we ride together, you will make some small but mighty shifts in how you sit, move, and connect with your horse. These strategic adjustments will make all the difference in rebuilding your confidence and comfort. And they will also help to keep your mind from wandering too much!
So, obviously, this can be listened to while you are riding. But you can also listen before you mount up and then use what you learn to make your first or next ride really count in your journey back to regular riding.
Settling Into the Saddle: Find Your Balance
Once you are mounted up, and before you start making changes, let’s take a moment to pause. Take a deep breath and simply notice what’s happening in your body. Can you feel an excess tension creeping into specific areas?
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- Seat & Weight Distribution – Do you feel ‘even Steven’ in the saddle, or is one side heavier?
- Legs – Are your legs resting naturally or gripping? Let them drape softly like curtains
- Hands & Reins – Are you holding tension in your fingers? Keep your contact elastic, imagine holding a sponge and wanting to keep some water in the sponge!
- Breathing – Are you breathing deeply, or are you holding your breath? Talking or singing to your horse can really help here…
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“Your first ride back isn’t about fixing—it’s about noticing. So often you will bring old habits back to the saddle with you. This is the perfect opportunity to make lasting changes to those!”
Moving With Your Horse: Feel the Rhythm
From here, ask your horse to begin to walk forward. Use these initial first few steps to first of all congratulate yourself for mounting up! And then, begin to scan your body. Your only job right now is to become aware of how you feel. As your horse walks, tune in to their movement. Are you following the motion or blocking it? Are you syncing or sinking the whole ship?!
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- Your Seat and Lower Back – Is your seat moving freely with your horse, or are you stiff and blocking the movement? Let your horse move your hips and seat. Think of a bicycle peddling backward.
- Upper Body & Chest– Are you collapsing through your upper body? Or are you focusing on the feeling of ‘standing’ rather than ‘sitting’ through your upper body while in the saddle?
- Shoulders & Arms Are your shoulders creeping up towards your ears?! Are your elbows sticking out in front of you (like a sleepwalker!)? Do you have enough (or too much) bend in your elbows?
- Balance & Symmetry – Are you centered, or are you more to one side or the other? How does the weight feel in your stirrups? And your knees; are they symmetrical? How about your hands…?
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“Your body is constantly giving signals to your horse—make sure they’re the right ones. Too much or too little tension in your body can have a massive impact on your horses way of going”
The goal is to move with your horse, not against him. It’s like dancing. You want your horse to ‘lead’ you at this point in your riding. Don’t shove, or resist. Just relax, find neutral, and allow your body to be led. When you do, your horse will feel more relaxed and willing. It will feel like the energy is flowing. Rather than riding with the handbrake on!
Small Adjustments for a Big Difference
Once you’ve become more aware of what you’re doing in the saddle, you can begin to make small adjustments to how you are riding and interacting with your horse. I am going to suggest beginning with evening out tension levels throughout your body, correcting your posture, and aligning your position to where is best for the application of your aids. When you’re in the right place, it makes ‘talking’ to your horse so much easier!
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- Head, Shoulder, Hip, Heel Line – If I could magically click my fingers causing your horse to disappear, would you land on your feet? Or would you end up on your face or your bum?! This line is IMPORTANT!
- Elbow, Wrist, Thumb, Rein, Bit Line – Have you got a lovely straight line from your elbow to your horse’s mouth? Or do you have a V or a lightning bolt going on?! Your hand, wrist, and lower arm are extensions of the rein – no bends or angles, please!
- Symmetry & Weight Distribution – Are you sitting on your seat bones? And are each of your seat bones an equal distance from the middle of the saddle? Adjust your seat bones so that they point directly below you (click your fingers rule), and that there is an equal amount of your body on both sides of the saddle. If you do feel off-center, try shifting your weight slightly to rebalance yourself
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“The smallest adjustments often create the biggest improvements. And by starting off with making sure the basics are right, you are creating a strong foundation to build from in future rides…”
Awareness of Your Horse & Your Habits
As you make these changes, check in with your horse. Is he responding differently? How about relaxation; how are the tension levels in his body? And responsiveness? When you’re in the right place, he has a much better chance of understanding what you’re trying to say.
The more aware you become, the more effective your riding will be. And the stronger your basics are, the more quickly and effectively you can build your skills as a rider.
It is always worth remembering that a lot of the ‘bad habits’ we cultivate as riders are actually symptoms of something else going on. Try to focus on ‘tweaking’ the cause, rather than drive yourself mad trying to treat the symptom! It won’t go away completely until you address the cause!
Cooling Down & Reflection
As you finish your ride, take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself:
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- What did I notice about my position and balance?
- Where did I feel excessive tension?
- How well did I carry myself – especially my hands and my upper body?
- Where did I feel the most connected to my horse through our movements together?
- What small changes made the biggest difference?
- Are there any habits from before that have followed me back into the saddle again?
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“Every ride is a chance to learn something new about yourself and your horse… It’s your level of self awareness that allows you to make each ride an opportunity to improve”
And, if you’re feeling up to it, you can try all of this again, but at the trot. I’m going to suggest listening to this episode again and applying the same awareness to your rising trot. Think of the basics, position, posture, weight distribution, and your ‘lines’.
What’s Next? Choose Your Focus…
Okay, so the first ride is done and dusted. However, now you need to build a little momentum. Choose one of the three following suggestions to work on for your next ride so that you can keep improving and truly make the most of this opportunity to be back in the saddle again.
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- Learn to Begin Controlling Your Seat – Neutral, Go, and Whoa are all real ways you can influence your horse using your seat. I have an episode on this topic HERE
- Applying the Click Your Fingers Rule – Those lines are really important for both keeping you in the saddle and also how well your horse can listen to and understand your aids. I have got an episode on this HERE
- Developing Your Riding Fitness – Maybe you felt that you lacked the suppleness to move with your horse… If so, I strongly suggest diving into walking and yoga-based free 21-day Equestrian Fitness Challenge HERE
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Finally, I would love to hear from you… Which one of the above exercises felt the most impactful for you in your ride today? Pop over to the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community on Facebook and let me know! I’d love to hear about your experience.
“Progress isn’t about doing everything at once – it’s about improving one small thing at a time.”
And if you’re looking for more ways to make the most of your time with your horse, grab my free 80+ Ideas to Do with Your Horse in 15 Minutes or Less by CLICKING HERE
Everything is neatly divided into categories for you to choose from depending on your vision, intention, or focus for your riding.
Happy Riding
Lorna
More Episodes on This Topic
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- Following & Allowing In Your Riding
- Applying the Click Your Fingers Rule to Your Position While Riding
- Free Walking & Yoga Equestrian Fitness Challenge
- Getting Back in the Saddle:- Overcoming Metal Blocks and Old Identities
- Enjoyment Versus Perfection; Release the Pressure
- Making Horse Riding a Priority in Your Life Again
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Online Training to Help Your Riding
Connect with Lorna online:-
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- Connect in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailystridespodcast
- Connect in the Virtual Stable Lounge Private Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499737810323191
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