Strides for Success

Tag: tension

  • Are You Bracing when Working with Your Horse?

    Are You Bracing when Working with Your Horse?

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    As riders, we tend to get to a point in our riding where we would much prefer it if our horse did not anticipate the upcoming movement or question. This is usually because it causes a lack of suppleness; physically and mentally. However, as riders, we are actually doing the same thing more than a lot of us are willing to admit!

    Have you ever found yourself expecting something to go wrong before it even happens? Well, whether you realise it or not, in that moment, you’re probably bracing!

    In this post, I want to explore the idea of bracing vs. embracing (rather than just relaxation), and how it is having a huge undercurrent on all of the training and work you’re doing with your horse. I also want to argue for embracing the moment and how this could be the single biggest shift you can make in your training this year.

    What Is Bracing?

    Bracing is a contraction.  It’s that tightening, restricting, protective posture we automatically shift into when we expect impact. And so often, we do this without even realising it!  Physically, it might look and feel like a clenched jaw, tight shoulders, locked elbows, gripping with your thighs and knees (turning into a clothes peg on your horse’s back!), or holding your breath.

    But bracing isn’t just physical. It also shows up mentally and emotionally, especially when you expect the worst, worry about the consequences or results, and try to control EVERYTHING! 

    It’s a fear or anxiety-based response that is so often linked to a past experience that didn’t go well. This past experience might not even be to do with horses. However, your mind and body ‘braced’ and this worked in that situation. So, you now believe that “this keeps me safe.”

    But when bracing becomes your default response to uncertainty, challenges, or a specific situation, it stops helping and starts hurting your progress.

    Why Bracing Becomes a Problem

    So aside from expecting the worst, there are other issues with bracing when working with your horse. Lack of feel, softness, and connection are the three big challenges! And when you work with your horse, whether on the ground or in the saddle, these qualities are essential to develop and improve.

    Your horse reads your body language like a book. Which means that when you ‘brace’, your horse feels it. And because many horses are masters at mirroring, they’ll often respond with tension or resistance.

    Which is often the key reason that the ‘worst thing’ you were has the potential to begin playing out! And remember, not because of your horse, but more to do with the energy you brought to the moment! Your bracing ends up becoming a self-fulfilled prophecy!

    This can play out in so many different areas of groundwork and riding. Upward transitions are often a great example of this. A rider asks for trot or canter, but as soon as the horse responds with energy, the rider braces! It’s like saying ‘go’, but then immediately changing your mind and shouting ‘no’! They tighten the reins, lock their back.  And the horse says, “Hold on… Didn’t you just ask me to go?”

    Confusion sets in, tension rises and the rider becomes frustrated. All while, over time, the horse becomes resistant.

    What Bracing Blocks

    Okay, so let’s be honest – bracing is literally you avoiding some sort of a perceived collision or interaction with someone or something. It is you ‘backing off’ whatever it is you think is coming. So when you brace, you block all of the good things that are necessary to ride ‘through’ something. Things like:-

          • Energy
          • Flow
          • Connection
          • Rhythm
          • Suppleness
          • Trust

    This is why bracing becomes a bigger problem over time, especially when your horse learns to anticipate your bracing. When your horse begins to expect that response from you. Horses are really good pattern-readers. This is how we work with them by setting expectations.

    Except when your horse begins to expect a block every time you ask a specific question…  He is soon not going to respond the way you want but rather the way you ‘expect’. 

    So, if everytime when you’re out on a hack, another horse whinny’s in the distance, and you clamp the reins, your horse begins to learn that this ‘hardness’ is your response to this. Obviously, this is a reaction from you. But your horse sees it as a response.  Soon, you’ll find that you’re not just riding the horse; you’re riding the pattern you’ve both unknowingly created.

    What’s the Opposite of Bracing?

    Now, most instructors will say “relaxing.”. And I myself have also said this for years. “Try to relax a little more as you ask for the transition into canter” is something I know I have repeated on many occasions! And yes, relaxation is important. But it’s not the real opposite of bracing.

    The true opposite of bracing is embracing. To actively remain open, stay present and curious, and to remain connected. To be self-aware enough to go with the movement and the moment. 

    Think about the last time you physically embraced someone or something. Maybe it was a hug, a smile, a decision to walk through the door instead of run! You weren’t trying to control it, but rather allowing the moment to unfold.  That’s the energy we need to bring into our riding and interactions with our horses.

    Embracing When Riding

    So, instead of gripping with your legs, you soften your calves, knees, and thighs, which allows the energy to flow and the movement to work forward. Instead of locking down your elbows, you allow your hands to follow your horse’s movement.  Rather than white-knuckling the lead rope because another horse is showing off in the field nearby, you breathe and say, “It’s okay. We see it. But we’re still here.”

    Embracing doesn’t mean you like everything that happens.  It means you’re willing to meet what’s happening and respond with awareness and curiosity, rather than anxiety and fear. 

    For many riders, this habit of bracing often shows up before they even get into the saddle!  Maybe you’ve noticed that when you’re walking out to the field thinking, “this is going to be a 45-minute chase”. You’re preparing for the worst, and because of this you’re probably not really giving off ‘I’m fun to be with’ vibes!

    Maybe you’re tacking up already anxious about how the ride will go, or you’re holding your breath while mounting, literally waiting for something to go wrong. Your horse feels this. All of it. Your energy matters before the work begins. It sets the tone.

    Start Embracing Instead of Bracing

    This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being aware. So, next time you ride, pay closer attention to your actions, thoughts, and feelings. Actively begin noticing where you are potentially bracing. Is it while preparing for or during transitions? Maybe it’s when you’re leading? Or, as I mentioned, it could be as early as when you’re out catching your horse?

    Once you notice it, breathe. A deep breath is often enough to begin shifting your response. Then soften one part of your body. Your hands, jaw, hips, shoulders, elbows, fingers, knees… Then become curious.

    Ask yourself, “What would happen if I embraced this instead of bracing against it?”. And then simply begin to practice this every ride and every interaction you have with your horse.

    You can even put it into practice in your day-to-day life. Maybe it’s something someone says, or a report on the radio that you hear. I think if you are bracing, it is probably not only happening on your horse. Begin looking for opportunities to practice everywhere, and see each opportunity as a chance to choose differently.

    Is Bracing Ever Okay?

    Look, there will always be moments when bracing is the exact right response for that particular situation. It might keep you safe in a sticky situation. Or it might help you stay on board during a particularly hairy moment! And that is more than okay.

    However, for the most part and especially in your everyday riding, the habit of bracing will more than likely work to keep you stuck as a rider and an equestrian.  So why not make this a mini-project for yourself? To shift your awareness and your energy when working with your horse. To learn to embrace.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Want Support While You Do This?

    Inside Connection, are dedicated to working on the 5 essentials, the keys to refining all the training elements we just talked about.  It’s exactly where your progress begins again.

    If this episode made you squirm a little, and wonder “…is she talking about me…?”, then Connection is exactly where you need to be!  Join us for the Half Halt Training at:- https://stridesforsuccess.com/join

    Online Training & Coaching

    The Your Signature Ride Challenge

    Here’s the idea: you use only your seat and leg aids to “write” your name in the arena. Sounds simple, right? But what it really does is sharpen your awareness of timing and clarity.  You’ll learn when your aids actually make a difference.  And you’ll have fun doing it.  All while creating a pattern that’s uniquely yours!

    You can sign up by CLICKING HERE

    It’s free to join, and every rider who participates gets access to a guided audio lesson to help them through the challenge. Plus, you’ll have a chance to win 3 months inside Connection (a $66 value)

    Restart & Reschool

    And if you would like a little more 1-to-1 coaching, explore Restart & Reschool Private Coaching. It is perfect if you’re starting your practice – or if you’re looking to turn your existing practice into something ‘real’ for you and your horse. I’ll guide you step by step on the way! You’ll not only get the full ‘OTTB; From Racetrack to Ready Program’, but also fornightly private lessons with me to move you forward in your riding.

    We can work on anything you would like; from groundwork, to lunging, to riding, to jumping… With the virtual private lessons, we can do all of these things – and more.  If you would like to find out me, you can let me know a little more about you HERE and I will then reach back out and we can chat!

    This is the support, training, and accountability you’ve been missing to finally follow through and start seeing progress. No fluff. No overwhelm. And as flexible as you need for your lifestyle. 

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Developing More Patience as a Rider

    Developing More Patience as a Rider

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1275-Developing-More-Patience-as-a-Rider.mp3″ title=”Developing More Patience as a Rider” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Increase your patience with yourself and your horse…” hashtag=”horseriding #patience” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]
    A lack of patience is something that many riders feel shame about. I was one of those riders for many years, so I know full well how it feels. The initial frustration, the following swift judgment or potential explosion, and then the guilt that happens afterward. Let’s be honest, coming out the other side from losing your patience is rarely a good place to be!
    And yet, for years I simply believed that I was not a patient person. Like it was something that you are either born with – or not
    Now, I do think that some people have naturally more tolerance and more patience than others. However, I also now believe that patience can be developed – in all riders. It is simply a matter of believing you can, and then committing to doing the work required.

    Developing More Patience is Work

    I say this because let’s be honest, it probably won’t be easy initially. If you’re a rider who struggles with patience, there’s a good chance that there is a pretty well-formed habit or reaction that occurs each time you feel impatient! This is different for all riders.
    Lack of patience can show up as anything from excess tension through the jaw, right the way to becoming physically aggressive with your horse or those around you
    I think many riders also lack patience with themselves. When I’m working with riders in the arena, I often see this play out. The rider is ‘trying’ to do something. And they are trying and trying… Each attempt is with more tension through the body – which usually results in the rider moving further away from where they need to be in order to ‘ask the question’ with clarity.
    As you work on developing more patience, keep in mind that it’s really worthwhile developing it for both yourself and your horse
    And that this will take both time, consistency, and accepting that there will be a lot of speed wobbles along the way. Times where you don’t respond as you would like. But, unfortunately, find yourself playing out the old, learned, reaction or habit… It’s going to happen, accepting it before you begin the journey will make things much more enjoyable for you :)

    1 . Have You Set Clear Boundaries?

    So, before we begin working on your patience levels, I think that it’s worth noting what you are currently allowing. And what you’re not. These are your boundaries. So often, it is a lack of numerous boundaries that eventually leads to the rider losing patience.
    Remember, if you have not specifically communicated with your horse about what’s allowed and what’s not… It is essentially your own fault when things don’t go as you would like
    Another issue I often see is a rider who has not established firm and supportive boundaries on the ground. The horse will keep overstepping the mark while being groomed and tacked up, resulting in the rider’s patience becoming ‘worn down’ before they ever even make it into the saddle.
    Part of developing more patience as a rider is knowing what you want and what you don’t. What’s acceptable and what’s not? Then let your horse know – and enforcing where necessary

    2 . Set Clearly Defined Goals

    Once you know what you want, you can now begin to shape or mold each interaction with your horse to work towards that. Meaning you will now have a clear picture of ‘where we are right now’ in relation to ‘where we want to be’. This gives you both acceptable ‘wiggle room’.
    Knowing the differences between ‘here’ and ‘there’ will clearly define what is still acceptable as far as training, manners, skills, etc. are concerned. This gives you space – and removes pressure
    So, for example, if your goal is to canter a 20m circle on the left rein, but you are both still struggling to pick up the left lead on the transition into the canter. A good ‘expectation’ for your next ride would be to begin developing flexion to the left. Even if it’s only in the walk for now. By doing this, you will have taken the pressure off; allowing space for more patience with that process.
    Or if your horse is currently walking in circles and pushing you around when grooming and tacking up, your end goal might be that he stands still. However, in your next interaction with each other, you will decide ahead of time what your response will be to correct him each time he pushes you around or over. Implement this first… And you will soon be working towards the real goal, standing still. And, this way, your horse will also be more likely to work with you as he will respect you a little more.

    3 . Become More Self Aware

    This was a key step to developing more patience for me. I simply began to notice myself more. Initially, I was only able to do this after the fact. So after I had ‘lost my patience’. But over time, I was able to do it mid ‘patience losing’! And now, thank goodness, I can catch myself right at the thought that triggers the whole avalanche!
    Where ever you can, simply stop focusing on your horse, and really – REALLY – feel what’s going on in your body. Where is there excessive tension lurking; and how does it physically feel?
    And then just sit with it. It can feel REALLY mentally uncomfortable to notice and then simply allow the feeling of excess tension in the body. However, this will actually result in it dissipating. Meaning you can get back to ‘true calm’ much more quickly – and without doing or saying anything you may regret.
    When we ignore the feeling of excess tension in our bodies or pretend it’s not there, we simply mask it for a while. However, it will usually pop up again, with even more ‘vuma’ soon after
    Another way I have found to be really effective in becoming ‘self-aware’ is to imagine that I am being videoed. And thinking about, at that moment, what I look like in that video. It almost instantly causes me to ‘drop’ the tension and relax. It also causes my mind to think about something else. To move away from the initial thought that was triggering the lack of patience.

    4 . Remind Yourself Of Why You’re Doing It

    So, in the spirit of honesty, sometimes implementing self-awareness is not enough to reverse the feelings and thoughts inside of your body and your mind. Sometimes, you may feel ‘justified’ in reacting the way you either are, did or want to. And this is where I find giving myself a reality check works well.
    Simply answer the following question; “why did I decide to do this in the first place?” Usually, the answer is ‘to have fun’ or ‘feel good’. Then, ask a second question, ” How can I begin to turn this current situation into that?”
    Again, it’s at this point I often just laugh at myself! Laughing is a great way to allow the excess tension to work its way out, and cause no harm (emotional or physical) to yourself or those around you! Realizing that you are busy with a reaction that in no way aligns with your purpose for being there is usually pretty sobering. A great wake-up call.
    Another way I find really useful to turn the situation around is to ask “How is my horse/the rider/my instructor possibly feeling right now? Are they confused, tired, frustrated, or fearful… If so, how can I help change that to something more positive?”
    When you can intentionally put yourself into the other person’s (or your horses’) shoes, the different perspective is often enough to change the energy of the situation

    5 . Be Willing To Fail – A Lot!

    Finally, when you are on the road and committed to developing more patience as a rider, there will be speed wobbles. Lots of them! You’ll have days where your physical feelings will get in the way. Tiredness and hunger are two of the big ones for many riders! You’ll also have days where you will feel pushed for time. And then there are the days when other people will have an influence over how you’re showing up and feeling.
    The key to consistently growing and developing your patience is to catch yourself, as close as possible, to the original thought that triggers it all. Some days you’ll have more success than others
    One of the biggest challenges we have as riders (humans) is gaining authority over our own minds. Being able to notice thoughts, and not emotionally respond or react to them is the first step.
    Being able to cultivate thoughts that produce more desirable feelings and outcomes is the next step, and this will take time and commitment
    Remember, no matter how many times you find yourself on the other side of another ‘lost my patience speed wobble’, remind yourself that’s all it was. A momentary speed wobble.
    Then pick yourself up, apologize to whoever may have been affected, and continue trying. Some days it might be better to call it a day, for that day. And there’s also no shame in that either.
    In the beginning, it can feel almost impossible, but over time, trust me, it becomes so much easier.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna
  • Using Transitions to Improve Your Posture

    Using Transitions to Improve Your Posture

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    For many riders, posture is something that they rarely think a whole lot about. It’s a basic that you ‘set and forget’. Meaning, you figure out what it is and how it feels, and then you are diligent in putting it onto autopilot. Which then frees you up to focus on other things. And this works well; until it doesn’t…
    Transitions, particularly between gaits, have this special ability to shine a spotlight on any weaknesses either horse or rider has, and riders posture is often the focus of this attention
    However, transitions by their very nature can also be a really useful tool to help riders overcome any posture challenges. They require you to engage and carry yourself. And they also continually question you by requiring balance throughout the movement.
    Here are a few ideas to help you make the most of using transitions to improve your posture…

    Know What You Want Before the Transition

    It seems so obvious but getting clear on exactly what you want to achieve beforehand will help.  This means moving out of ‘autopilot’ and becoming present with regards to how you are using your body in the original gait. How does it feel through your shoulders and chest when you are carrying yourself?  And your seat?  What are your hands doing?
    In order to improve something that you already have a habit of doing, you must first become self-aware. Use your time in the gait before the transition to assess your posture and correct any problems. 
    By becoming more self-aware, you will often notice where those bad habits are beginning to slip into your everyday riding.  Maybe it’s a collapse of a shoulder through a bend or corner.  Or perhaps a tendency to become heavy through your seat as you half halt.  Whatever you notice, fix it inside of the gait first, before then moving on to working on it through the transitions themselves.

    Practice in Walk and Halt

    What if someone said that before you could trot, canter, or do any of the ‘fun things’ you love to do on a horse again, you first had to perfect your ability to walk?  Many riders don’t think of the walk as being something that needs work, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.  This is why I think investing time in your walk will help both you and your horse in the long run.
    When you first begin actually using transitions to improve your posture work between walking and halting.  Focus on being as consistent as you can within these two gaits, and only then, begin introducing trot to the mix. 
    Notice how well you can maintain both your posture, your position, and your positive tension throughout your body.  All of the above will influence the horse through the transition, and help determine if the transition is a success or a little less than inspiring!

    Positive Tension in Your Body

    This is a key part of transitions.  The energy needed to ride a transition is different from what’s being done both before and after the transition itself.  And it can often be a struggle to find the correct level of tension – relaxation – through it.
    There is also the responsibility of smoothing out the tension levels so that what came before blends with the transition and then smoothly continues into the new gait. 
    Riders who carry excess tension in their bodies through the transitions tend to lose their posture.  They either become ‘contracted’ through certain parts of the body – for example, the arms and shoulders – or they ‘lean’. This will look like their shoulders are either in front of or behind their hips.
    One of your goals as a rider, through all transitions, is the ability to find the correct level of tension and then blend that with what’s before and after the transition itself – and then help your horse to do the same. 

    Remain Aligned Through Your Body

    Once you’re clear on what you want, you can now begin to practice this through different transitions.  Pay attention to the alignment of your body.  If you find, at any point, that you have lost that basic alignment, pause a second and try to figure out why…
    Keep in mind that sometimes poor posture is a symptom of something else going on, perhaps position related. Find the root cause, and correct that first. 
    This will often result in your posture being more consistent, without you having to actually ‘fix’ anything regarding your posture. Self-carriage is a big part of posture, so if in doubt, lift yourself.  Carry through your body, open your chest, and elongate or lengthen down through to the heel.

    Using Transitions to Improve Your Posture

    As I’ve mentioned, transitions are a great way to really highlight what’s going on in your body when you ride. By taking the time to really notice what you’re doing, you can often fast-track your progress in other areas.
    Keep in mind, if your posture is letting you down through each transition, you are spending precious strides in each new gait trying to ‘fix’ that and re-establish what was lost. 
    Making ‘good posture’ a goal for you and your horse over the coming weeks and months will allow you both the space, literally, to begin implementing new things in your riding.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna