So by now we’ve finally figured out the importance of saddle fit when it comes to the quality of our horse’s movement and general well-being. Now it’s time to raise the bar in how we as riders influence our horse’s movement (and contribute to lameness issues). In the act of riding we’re looking for suppleness and relaxed movement in the horse, and yet time and again we see riders whose bodies are stiff and unforgiving. How can we expect ANY level of suppleness if we ourselves are tense and unyielding in our bodies?
We need to be able to move with our horses. This can be difficult with a horse with a big stride and especially so if our saddles don’t fit our horses (or ourselves) properly. But if we’re riding with our muscles tight, our horses will be unable to provide us with the cadent stride we ask of them. Test it out: On your next ride, go down the long side of your arena at the trot with your body as relaxed as possible. On the next long side, tighten your muscles and brace with your legs. Do you notice your horse’s footfalls sound LOUDER when you’re tight? Imagine the extra concussion that happens each time your horse’s feet land on the ground.
Understanding the consequences of this extra concussion as a result of rider tension is key to learning how to relax. You can’t force relaxation. Believe me, I’ve tried. Learning how to relax as a rider is something that you do when you’re not even at the barn. It takes practice, and time, and a level of self-acceptance that some days seems impossible to attain. I’ve finally learned that if I’m in a stressed-out or otherwise irritable state-of-mind, my horse and I are both better off if I refrain from riding. I’ll feed her carrots and maybe give her a spa day, because every time I tacked up and rode when I was in a sour mood I hated the ride, and I never could quite relax into it. My mare, sensing my tension, inevitably acts up, or is super stiff, or decides that the mounting block has suddenly sprouted fangs and is bent on attacking her. If I ride from a state of relaxation, my mare is relaxed. She moves freely, willingly, and yes, her footfalls are quieter.
Any bracing on the part of the rider will cause bracing in the horse. They are our mirrors, so if we do with our bodies what we want our horses to do with theirs, we will automatically notice a rounder, more relaxed horse. As riders we often tend to grip with our legs and hollow out our backs. If your back is hollow, the horse’s back will follow suit. It’s also worth pointing out that riding with tension often leads to (or exacerbates) lower back pain in the rider, and can quite possibly cause neck and shoulder pain as well. Our best protection for our backs and our horses’ backs is to ride from a state of relaxation.
We need to flow as riders if we want our horses to move with floating, cadent strides. This can only be achieved if we become balanced in a neutral position that allows us to be in the saddle without bracing. Riding with our seat bones ever so slightly forward from where we may have been taught to sit, and allowing our legs to move with the horse (as opposed to being perfectly still) is a great way to encourage roundness and suppleness in the horse. Making sure we are not sitting behind the vertical will also encourage the horse to lift its back and move forward willingly. At the risk of sounding a little “out there,” we need to become as one with the horse as possible.
A GREAT article on how to achieve the balance and freedom of movement that every rider craves can be found in a November/December issue of Topline Inc. Magazine. You can access that article here. Books or audio on relaxation are helpful as well (in all walks of life, not just in the barn). Breathing exercises will soften muscles and help overcome performance anxiety (perfect for pre-show jitters). But perhaps the best thing to keep in mind is how much your horse will appreciate it if you’re relaxed when you’re riding, and how much more you’ll enjoy being in the saddle.
