Strides for Success

Tag: Autopilot

  • Using Your Thoughts to Put Better Habits on Autopilot in Your Riding

    How often have you felt overwhelmed about remembering and doing all of the things when it comes to your riding? Perhaps you find yourself looking at more experienced riders and wondering “How do they do it?”. Maybe you feel at a loss because “As soon as I start with something different, it all falls apart.”.  Or for you it could just be “I just can’t remember to do all of the things at the same time!!!”. This is a very real part of the riding journey for all riders. It’s a phase you have to go through if you want to improve and succeed as a ‘rider’.

    Take a deep breath, because you’re definitely not alone. In fact, feeling overwhelmed, especially when you’re still learning all of the things is a natural part of the riding journey. Every single rider—yes, even those more experienced riders you admire—has faced these exact frustrations.

    One of the key differences between struggling riders and those who appear effortlessly successful comes down to one key thing: putting better habits on autopilot – and your thoughts can help you do just that…

    Why Thoughts Matters (Not Just in the Saddle!)

    Here’s the truth: your thoughts and how you think about your riding significantly influences how you ride. Your thoughts produce your emotions, which result in the actions you take.  And over time, those actions become habits! Which means putting better habits on autopilot is mental as much as it’s physical.

    And improving your thoughts isn’t simply about positive thinking; it’s about your automatic responses and mental habits, especially when things don’t go exactly as planned.

    Unfortunately, when you become stressed or feel overwhelmed while riding, your brain will naturally resort back to autopilot – which means that if you have not set up good ‘mental’ habits, the result is probably not what you want.

    If your habits in general are not actively helping you through these stressful situations, things will begin to go sideways – fast! However, when you begin to intentionally create helpful mental habits, put better habits on autopilot, chances are that you’ll be much more successful in handling the challenges that come up. Both mentally and physically.

    And, here’s something to get excited about, you don’t have to wait until you’re sitting on your horse to start! You can begin creating and developing better, more useful mental habits today – any time and any where.

    Consistency: Your Thought’s Friend

    Becoming a rider who feels confident in your own abilities to positively influence your horse, no matter the situation, requires practice. Regular, consistent practice of the right things.

    It’s only by doing this over and over again that you will begin seeing what perhaps initially felt difficult to practice, become easier – and over time become automatic. 

    Think about it this way: confident, successful riders don’t spend their entire ride thinking about their posture, their aids, or their balance. They have already devoted time to putting better habits on autopilot because they practiced the right things consistently until they became second nature.

    This simple fact then frees up their attention to focus on other things – usually how to become a more positive influence on their horse and developing how well they are working together. 

    Putting Better Habits on Autopilot – Now

    Ready to start changing your riding experience? Here’s a straightforward exercise to help you begin developing better mental habits:

    1. Identify a Trigger:

      Start by identifying one thing that consistently triggers a less-than-ideal reaction in your riding. It could be your horse speeding up, asking for a transition into canter, working over ground poles, your balance shifting unexpectedly, or even negative self-talk like “I’ll never get this right.”

    2. Visualize the Situation Clearly:

      Once you have identified one single thing to work on, imagine you’re watching a video of yourself riding.  Think Start your ‘video’ from a point where everything is going well. Then, let the “video” play until it reaches the moment when things start to go sideways. Watch closely. What exactly is happening?

    3. Slow Down the Replay:

      Replay your video again, but this time, slow everything down. Notice what physically changes right before things go wrong. Maybe you tense your shoulders, lean forward, hold your breath, or even start gripping with your knees.  The key here is to really get clear on exactly what you’re doing that causes things to go ‘sideways’.

    4. Think of Alternatives:

      Now, and this is important, intentionally think of different ways you could respond, use, or move your body in that situation. If you usually tense up, imagine yourself taking a deep breath, expanding through your body and then letting the tension release with it as you breath out.

      Maybe you know that just before transitions, you have a tendency to lean forward. This time, rather think about lengthening and elongating through your body. Imagine yourself sitting tall and balanced. You might even draw inspiration from another rider who handles similar situations confidently.

    5. Replace and Replay: Putting the Better Habits on Autopilot! 

      Now, once you have an alternative that works, begin replaying your mental video over again. But this time you’re replacing whatever it is that you usually do with a new, intentional response. I’m going to be honest, this can be difficult initially – take it slowly. One step at a time.

    Once you have it ‘created’ in your head, try to replay it a few times until it begins to feel ‘real’. This is where you are beginning to believe that it’s possible. And your mind must believe it if your body is to make it happen. 

    Struggle with Visualization?

    If visualization is challenging, don’t worry! There are other ways of making this happen.

        1. Write down the steps; like a story. What is now happening and then what you want to happen. The key is to add as much detail in here as possible.  Reread it over to yourself numerous times.
        2. Talk through the situation. I have found that talking to my horse helps here. Especially when I’m in the ‘thick of it’. I simply tell my horse what I usually do – in great detail. And then I begin telling them about what I’m going to do differently and change this time. I also include how this will play out or result in a different outcome for both of us. This has the added benefit of keeping you breathing as well!
        3. Watch an actual video of yourself doing the thing that you want to change. Then watch a video of another rider handing the same situation in a much more effective and positive way. Over time, from paying close attention to what the other rider is doing to get the better result, you will begin to change your actions as well.

    “But it ‘Feels’ Uncomfortable!” Good :)

    Here’s something crucial to remember: it’s okay to feel mentally uncomfortable as you go through this process. Honestly highlighting the parts of your riding that you’d rather keep hidden is not going to be easy or feel good! Mentally you might find yourself squirming! Embarrassed or frustrated are also common feelings to experience.

    However, that discomfort is just temporary—it won’t last forever. And it’s mental – not physical. What is exciting to realize is that feeling this way is a great indicator that you’re actually making progress!

    Hiding or burying all of the things that are holding you back as a rider is wasting your time – as well as your horses and your instructors! Be brave and face up to the things. Every rider has these things. Once you can see them for what they are – habits that are no longer serving you – you can let all of that shame or annoyance about them fade away.

    You’re simply choosing to replace outdated habits with ones that actually serve you at this point in your riding. 

    Your Action Step for Today

    Pick one trigger today and run it through this process. Commit just 10 minutes to intentionally practicing your new better habit to put on autopilot. Set a timer if it helps. The goal is to do this consistently, making these responses second nature and putting your mindset firmly on autopilot.

    Anything that you physically do that has a bit of a repetitive rhythm or sequence to it can really help this to stick for you.

    I find driving or walking to be great times to do this type of work. So too is mucking out, grooming, ironing, folding clothes, gardening… The options are endless. The question is, are you willing to do the work?

    Take the Next Step—Join the Waitlist!

    Ready to truly transform your riding experience? Make sure you pop your name onto the waitlist for the upcoming Returning to Riding Program. This is where you get to identify what’s going on with your riding (both what’s working and what’s not) and then begin working on ways to improve.

    The program is there to help you transform from being a passenger in the saddle, to showing up as a confident, consistent rider who can begin working on how to positively influence your horse.

    When you sign up for the waitlist, you’ll be the first to receive details about my exclusive new live webinar, designed to give you actionable insights and inspiration you can start using immediately. Join the Returning to Riding Waitlist HERE

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Episodes on This Topic

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • The Click Your Fingers Rule: Putting Your Position on Autopilot in Your Riding

    Imagine if there was something you could actively ‘do’ every moment you’re in the saddle that would almost guarantee that you’re in the ‘right place at the right time’.  There is. It involves abiding by the ‘Click Your Fingers Rule’ regarding your position. And look, I get it: talking about your position is not fun or exciting. But it is 100% one of the BEST ways to improve your skills as a rider.

    When you are in the right place at the right time to effectively and clearly communicate with your horse, it stands to reason that the overall connection and quality of the work will improve. 

    Your position is so important, and applying the Click Your Fingers Rule will help you develop true balance and independence in the saddle. It’s one of the key elements that allows a rider to transition from being a passenger to truly riding their horse.

    What is the Click Your Fingers Rule?

    Well, imagine we (you and I) were in the arena together. You are working on something specific with your horse: walking, trotting, cantering, or even working through grids and over fences. It doesn’t really matter what you are doing. The key point is that you’re riding alone, and I then apply this ‘rule’ to your riding.

    Imagine that I’m with you in the arena and I ‘click my fingers’, whisper ‘abrakedabra’, and your horse vanishes! Gone. Disappears. What we want to focus on is how you land… You ALWAYS want to land on your feet. Always. 

    Now, clearly, I cannot make your horse vanish on demand! However, I hope that by imagining this happening, you will understand how the ‘rule’ works. And when you imagine that your horse is suddenly no longer there, the question becomes ‘where and how would you land?’

    If the answer is on your face or on your bum, it simply means that you are depending on your horse for balance and support rather than being responsible for your own stability in the saddle. And this, if you want to improve as a rider, needs to change.

    Who Are You Depending on for Balance?

    When we start riding, we tend to rely a lot on our horses for balance. Thank goodness for all the school horses and ponies in the world with their endless patience! But in order for your riding to progress, this is something that you have to begin accepting responsibility for.

    You must become responsible for your own balance and stability in the saddle. Applying the ‘Click Your Fingers Rule’ to your riding will help you achieve that by reminding you to correct your alignment – and eventually put it onto autopilot. 

    When you can create your own balance and stability when you ride, you can then begin developing your independent aids. Independent aids lead to clearer communication with your horse. They also lead to an independent seat. The Click Your Fingers Rule will help you start working towards all of these things in your riding.

    Applying the Rule

    There are two simple ‘checks’ you can do every time you’re in the saddle to begin effectively applying this rule to your position and your riding. The first is to make sure that you are indeed sitting correctly in the saddle.  Use your seat bones for guidance. Are they directly underneath you, pointing straight down?

    Many upper body issues and lower leg issues are actually due to incorrect seat issues. If this basic principle is wrong or missing, the ripple effect in your riding is massive. 

    The second ‘check’ applies to the ‘lines’ of your position. Particularly the line that should run through your head, shoulder, hip, and heel. If these elements of your body are aligned, you are usually ‘carrying’ yourself, which means that you are, for the most part, assuming responsibility for your own balance.

    Becoming more aware of, and then regularly applying the Click Your Fingers Rule will allow you to correct your basic position. And after a while, this will become ‘normal’ for you. It will be on autopilot! 

    When To Apply the Rule to Your Position?

    The simple answer is ‘all the time’. Yes, really! Regardless of what you are doing, you should be able to support and balance yourself if your horse were to vanish suddenly or disappear. This means that your basic alignment should be present if you’re walking, trotting, cantering, or even galloping! If you are schooling on the flat, up or down hills, or over fences. It is all the same. If the horse were to vanish at any given point, anywhere in your ride, you should land on your feet.

    You are responsible for your own balance. And when you can apply this most of the time to your riding, you will allow your horse the freedom to begin becoming stronger in his work as well.

    Applying This to Your Position & Riding

    I’ve already mentioned checking your seat. Is it truly ‘underneath‘ you? From here, focus on keeping your legs under you at all times. Often, riders will struggle with a swinging lower leg. A lot of the time, this actually is a symptom of something going on in the seat. So, correct your seat first.

    And if your lower leg is spending too much time at your horse’s shoulders or elbows, if your horse were to vanish, you would land on your backside! Similarly, if your lower leg is swinging too far back towards the flank, you’d land on your face. The rule ALWAYS applies!

    In all of the examples you can think of when it comes to applying the ‘click your fingers’ rule, a strong supple core are absolutely essential. If you find that you’re struggling to maintain your positon or posture, maybe you can focus your efforts here. 

    Making the Transition in Your Riding

    By being consistent with testing yourself using the Click Your Fingers Rule, you bring awareness to your basic position. With time, this will result in you doing what you actually want all of the time without thinking about it. That is autopilot. And when you reach autopilot, you can then focus your attention elsewhere.

    This is where you really begin to make the transition to being a true ‘rider’ in the saddle, rather than a passenger. Now, you can start to pay attention to improving how you and your horse are working together.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Episodes on This Topic

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Are You ‘Sitting There’? How To Know if You’re Stuck in Passenger Mode!

    You hop into the saddle, ready for a great ride. But before you know it, you’ve spent most of the session adjusting your hands, correcting your position, and just ‘fixing’ yourself. All while your horse just plods along! Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not alone…

    Ask yourself this: Where is the majority of your attention or focus when you ride? Think back to the very last schooling session with your horse with you in the saddle. Maybe you had a lesson, or perhaps it was just you and your horse working together alone. Who did you focus more on: you and your position, aids, tension, etc., or your horse and how well he was working?

    There comes a point for most riders when they realize that they spend more time focusing on themselves in each training session. Fixing, correcting, reminding themselves to do or be a certain way…

    This is the ‘passenger’ phase of your horse-riding journey. And while all riders must initially go through it, the challenge comes when they unknowingly get stuck there! It’s when you’re focusing so much of your energy in ‘fixing’ yourself that you’re not actually riding the horse! You’re simply ‘sitting there’.

    So, if you’ve been feeling like 80% of your time in the saddle is spent ‘fixing’ and correcting yourself – this article and episode will help you to begin making the shift from passenger to rider.

    Signs You’re Stuck in Passenger Mode

    So there are a few ways you can begin to identify this in your riding. The first and most obvious one is becoming aware of how you spend your time when you’re riding…

      • You spend most of your time in the saddle ‘fixing’ or adjusting your hands, seat, or legs – instead of focusing on your horse’s way of going
      • You actually feel like a passenger the majority of the time in the saddle – your horse is leading you, rather than the other way around, or working together as a team
      • Corners, bends, circles, or transitions seem to happen TO you – rather than because of how you set things up and asked for them!
      • You spend a lot of time trying to find your balance – instead of using your weight aids to positively influence your horse’s way of going

    The ‘Stuck in Passenger Mode’ Test

    Think back over the past 5 rides you’ve had where you wanted to work on something and achieve something with your horse. Where did your focus go for the majority of those rides? If you worked with an instructor or a trainer, what did they spend most of the time working on? You or your horse? And if they had to keep ‘fixing’ or correcting you to work on your horse – the answer is ‘you :)

    Another way to think about this is by assessing your basics in the saddle. If the majority of your time is spent correcting, fixing, stabilizing, or any of the other ‘ings’ your basics, then you are in passenger mode.

    And keep in mind that is not a ‘bad’ thing. Once you realize that this is a very real part of the journey of becoming a more skilled rider, you can start to actively work on transitioning out of it!

    The basics that you will find yourself focusing on are:-

        • Your Position
        • Your Posture
        • Your Aids
        • Bending (and creating a channel with your aids)

    Passenger Versus Rider

    Of course, when you’re stuck in passenger mode, you might wonder, ‘What else is there to actually focus on?’  And the answer is, ‘Oh, lots!’. ‘Riders’ are not spending their time worrying about and ‘fixing’ their position. Or their aids, or posture, etc. They are not obsessing over carrying their hands or keeping their heels down.

    The difference between passengers and riders is that riders are thinking about the best way to communicate and support their horses to get the desired outcome. 

    If they don’t spend the majority of their ride or training session worrying about their position. They are wondering if the horse understands what they are trying to explain. And if they think that maybe there’s a little confusion going on, they are thinking about how to clarify that. How to USE their position or aids to get the most out of their work with their horse. Not just keeping the horse between themselves and the ground!

    Passengers focus most of their energy on fixing their position or aids. Riders don’t have to think about their position; they focus on understanding how the horse is interpreting what they are trying to say…

    Transitioning from Passenger to Rider

    So the first part of creating this transition for yourself is to actually become aware that something has to change! And, hopefully, after reading this post or listening to this episode, you’re already there! The next part will be a little more time-consuming. This is because working through this transition in your riding skills requires putting your basics onto autopilot…

    ‘Riders’ don’t have to worry about their position or aids because they have already invested the time in putting the right basics onto autopilot – they just happen by themselves now and no longer need constant management

    That is a key part of the process to move away from being stuck in passenger mode and move into ‘rider’ mode. Putting the ‘right’ things onto autopilot. This is why riding instructors the world over go on and on about a good position. About good posture and self-carriage. Or can be heard shouting ‘heels down’ all of the time! These things matter.

    If you are in passenger mode now, you can begin carefully curating what you want to put onto autopilot so that you get the best possible results for you and your horse further down the road. 

    Flipping the 80/20 in Your Riding

    So, if right now, you are spending 80% of your time focused on ‘fixing’ or ‘correcting’ your basics (position, posture, aids, and bending), this is leaving only 20% of your time to focus on your horse. This needs to flip if you want to get unstuck and begin actually ‘training’ your horse the way you want.

    Moving away from being stuck in passenger mode requires you to become more aware of what you are doing so that the 80% of time you’re spending focused on ‘you’ now pays off in the long run.

    You want to turn each ride into the opposite of the ‘Passenger 80/20’:-

      • 20% self-awareness → A little time invested intentionally adjusting your alignment, position, aids…
      • 80% riding your horse → So that you can focus on supporting your horse to do his best work

    If 80% of your ride is spent fixing yourself, you’re not riding – you’re just sitting there, often stuck in passenger mode

    Where Should You Begin?

    This will vary for every single rider. Often, it can be worth getting an expert opinion on this initially if you’re unsure. I say this because you might begin to fixate on a specific thing, let’s say a swinging lower leg. When really that is merely a symptom of a forked seat. If you don’t have the knowledge or experience to identify a symptom and a cause, investing in a riding lesson with a knowledgeable instructor will be worth it’s weight in gold.

    Once you’ve figured out the root cause, start there. Spend 3 to 5 minutes at the beginning of every ride intentionally correcting this. Then, build checkpoints throughout your ride to check in on how you’re doing. 

    You will have to correct a lot initially. This is absolutely normal and to be expected. And this is often the work many riders are not willing to do! Again, this is also why riding instructors keep repeating the same things over and over. They are doing the ‘checking in’ for the riders!

    Only when you’ve been consistently doing the correct thing for a length of time will that then become a habit. Your body and brain will put it on ‘autopilot’. And this is what frees you up to focus on something else.

    Putting Your Basics on Autopilot

    If you want to move out of being stuck in passenger mode and begin transitioning into being a ‘rider’ for your horse, I can help. I truly believe that spending 9 to 12 weeks focusing on this is long enough to create a transformation in your riding.

    I can help you do this by putting the correct things onto autopilot in your riding, inside of the Returning to Riding Program. You can find more details over at https://returningtoriding.com

    The Returning to Riding Program is designed to move you out of the passenger seat and into confident, intentional riding. Join us and start riding with purpose!

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Episodes on This Topic

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Back to Riding? Improve Your Seat, Hands & Balance on Day 1

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdcn.co/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1356_Back-To-Riding-Improve_Seat-Hands_and-Balance-on_Day1.mp3″ title=”Back to Riding? Improve Your Balance, Seat, and Aids on Day 1″ social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    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?

        • 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…

    “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?!

        • 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…?

    “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!

        • 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

    “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:

        • 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?

    “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.

        1. 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
        2. 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
        3. 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

    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

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Declutter Your Riding and Watch What Happens…

    Declutter Your Riding and Watch What Happens…

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1276_Decluttering_Your_Riding_And_Watch_What_Happens.mp3″ title=”Declutter Your Riding and Watch What Happens” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”30 minute exercise that can transform your riding…” hashtag=”equestrian #horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    I bet that you still remember the day you made your first ‘big’ equestrian-related purchase.  Whether that was a helmet, a saddle, a horse, or a property, it’s a special time for all riders.  And of course, all of the ‘big ones’ that come after that are equally as memorable.

    The same applies to your riding.  That feeling when you ‘finally’ understood the canter and how to move with your horse – rather than bouncing against!  Or the first clear round you and your horse worked together to achieve.

    Big moments that, just like physical things, usually lead you on the path to your next ‘big thing’.

    And as riders, we also tend to collect a whole lorry load of smaller things as well.  The amounts of which tend to correlate to the amount of time we’ve considered ourselves as ‘riders’.  The daily essentials that, over time, we find we have 7 or 8 of each one (hands up who has a whole cupboard of brushes in the tack room!).

    Clearing Out the Clutter

    This is why, I believe, a good clear-out is essential for your progress as a rider. So many of the things you have collected over the years are probably not in regular use anymore.  And sure, some of them are things you only need every now and again, but are handy or essential when you need them.

    However, other things are simply sitting there taking up space. They are part of a past version of you as a rider and no longer complement the version of the rider you are today

    This can be certain equipment or training aids.  It can also show up in the form of healthcare, supplements, lotions, or ointments.  How often have you purchased something, usually on the recommendation of someone else, only to find that you really don’t enjoy using it?

    Often the reason we don’t throw things out or give things away is that we paid ‘good money’ for them…  Yet, if these things are reminding you of bad purchases every time you arrive at the barn, they’re not really helping you to enjoy your time with your horse, are they?

    Creating Space for New Things

    Of course, once the clutter has been cleared, you will begin to see all of the space you’ve created.  And because there are only things that you actually love and use there, you get to feel more aligned with your ‘stuff’ as well.  This often helps us to feel more comfortable while with our horses.

    With the space that you have created, begin to ask yourself what the current version of you as a rider would have there. And what would ‘future you’ begin to look for?

    By asking yourself these questions you will automatically begin to future-pace yourself a little.  This is not just inspiring at the moment, but also a continual reminder that you are growing as a rider.  It will help you to create more confidence in yourself as well because you can clearly see how far you have already come.

    Applying This to Your Riding

    Just like the physical things you accumulate along the way as a rider, you also will collect mental clutter.  And riding habits.  Lots and lots of habits! These habits are everywhere; how you groom, tack up, mount up, warm up, ride, cool down, untack, pack things away, etc.

    Habits are things that you’ve learned and then, whether intentionally or not, put onto autopilot in your day-to-day riding and interactions with your horse. 

    For the most part, they usually serve you well… Until they don’t! And this can be where many riders find themselves stuck or plateaued when it comes to making progress.  They are doing all of the things, riding all of the time, but just not getting anywhere.

    It is amazing how often riders discover that by changing one simple thing they are doing, often on autopilot, they immediately get unstuck and begin to grow again in their skills and mindset. 

    Declutter Your Riding Aids & Methods

    I’m always wary of people who are unwilling to consider different methods and ways of doing things. I think one of the hallmarks of a great rider and trainer is to always be of the mindset that you have so much more to learn.  And that this knowledge can show up in the most random of places!

    Having had The Daily Strides Podcast for 10 years this year, I am pretty confident that some of the things I’ve said are things I no longer align with 100% now.  

    And this will also be true for you in your riding.  How you stopped a horse the very first time you got onto a horse and how you halt today are, I’m hoping, two very different things. And so, the same applies to everything else.  How you use your aids.  The combination, timing, weight, pressure, etc.  What you know about how your horse moves.  And your actual beliefs about yourself, your abilities, and those of your horse as well.

    The only way you will continue to progress as a rider is to regularly allow yourself to be very present with what you’re doing on autopilot… And tweak, change, replace, stop, or start where necessary.

    The old adage of ‘what got you here won’t get you there’ applies to this.  So it’s well worth taking the time this week to dive into your equipment and your riding and begin making space for the next best version of you as an equestrian.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More on This Topic

    More Training & Support

  • Putting 1 Basic on Autopilot in Your Riding This Month

    Putting 1 Basic on Autopilot in Your Riding This Month

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dailystridespodcast/1201_Putting_One_Thing_onto_Autopilot_in_Your_Riding_This_Month.mp3″ title=”Put 1 Thing onto Autopilot in Your Riding This Month” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”The key to better riding? Put all of the basics onto autopilot…” hashtag=”equestrianpodcast, #horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Have you ever wondered how some riders seem to effortlessly connect with their horse when riding?  It genuinely seems like they are doing nothing in particular, and there is clearly an ongoing conversation, or magic, happening.

    The secret to seemingly effortless riding is to begin, one by one putting a basic on autopilot – and then revisiting and upgrading them regularly

    The basics in riding are all the seemingly small, but vitally important, things that are essential to developing as a rider.  They are like the foundations.

    Choosing a ‘Basic on Autopilot’ This Month

    I think that there are a few key areas that you can begin looking at putting onto autopilot in your riding.  Now, obviously, each of these topics is pretty sizeable and has many different facets to them; there are no ‘quick wins’ and ‘one solution fit all’ here.

          1. Following & Allowing with Your Seat
          2. Your Position & Posture
          3. Your Basic Aids
          4. Bending & Turning
          5. Trotting (transitions and what you do while trotting)
          6. Cantering (transitions and what you do while cantering)

    If you look at any rider who is having a great, connected conversation with their horse, they are not worrying about any of these things… They are not continuously ‘fixing’ their position.  Or trying to turn their horse.  They are certainly not still trying to figure out basic trotting and canter.

    Start with Your Seat

    Now, I realize that your seat, as an aid, is a fairly advanced topic for many riders.  However, how you get to actually really being using your seat to positively influence the conversation with your horse to begin learning how to feel with it.

    Can you tell exactly what is where at any given point when you ride?  Can you ‘pause’ a point in the walk and confidently say ‘his outside back leg is on the ground now’?

    Feeling with the seat is overlooked by a lot of riders because it often feels ‘boring’.  However, it is the single thing you can start with today, regardless of what riding you are doing or where to really be improving your skills in the saddle.

    Following & Allowing

    Another key area to begin working with, using your seat for reference, is following and allowing.  Putting this particular basic onto autopilot is essential to master; because ‘forwardness’ is essential for everything in riding.

    If you are asking for ‘forward’, and you are then blocking that forwardness; well things are not going to run very smoothly! 

    I like to think of this as allowing your horse to ‘lead’ your seat.  Let him move it.  Then, once you have mastered this, you can begin working on ‘allowing’ the energy or forwardness.  So many riders are unknowingly blocking or driving with their seat – all the time!

    Allowing, simply means, that you are aware of the influence your seat has over the flow of the energy from back to front in your horse.

    What’s Your 1 ‘Basic on Autopilot’?

    I would love for you to challenge yourself to this. Devote this week (or month, if you really want the full effect) to making this your mission each time you’re in the saddle.  Keep correcting or fixing yourself.  Constantly.  Until it just becomes the thing that you do.  Either, you make a new habit by changing the status quo.  Or you allow the correction to be on autopilot.

    So, what is the 1 thing right now in your riding, that if you didn’t have to think about or correct so much, would free up time for so much more?

    Can you imagine how different things would be if you no longer had to keep on thinking about this?  If it could stop distracting you from other things, once and for all.  And if, by removing this from your ‘have to look after’, will allow you to then move to the next, and the next… Until you are the ‘effortless’ rider :)

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources on This Topic