Total Body Riding

Walking Wednesday!In hippotherapy we pretty much only use walk. The three-dimensional movement of the horse delivers a unique movement experience and challenge to the child on board, who often can’t access that movement independently themselves.Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘#totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedphysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! Be mindful. Be grateful. Whether hacking or schooling, walk gives you time to notice the important things. What do you see, smell, hear and feel while you’re out on your horse? Spring is just round the corner now! And in our troubled world, take an extra moment to be grateful 💙 Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! Motor Planning refers to the ability to work out a plan of action before taking part in motor (ie physical) activity. To successfully execute school movements on our horses, we need to plan and coordinate what we are going to do with our bodies. Use your time walking around the arena to plan what it is you are going to ride and what you need to do with your body to achieve that. Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! Use walk to analyse where your seat bones are. Can you feel them? Are you in the middle, or perched forward or a bit slumped back? Are you sitting evenly on both sides? Can you feel the activity in your hip muscles around your seat bones (in your bottom!)? Is the activity the same on both sides? Working on body awareness and hip and pelvic mobility and strengthening, both on and off the horse, can really help you improve your position on your horse. Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

This month’s clinic with @_smsequestrian was “Bending and Turning”. This dedicated group of riders really analysed what we do (or perhaps what we should do!) with our bodies to help our horses to turn. We discussed what sometimes goes wrong with turning, how that looks to your instructor, and learnt some exercises and body awareness techniques both on and off the horse to improve bending and turning, helping our horses to feel more balanced and move more freely. Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! Use your walk time to breathe. And I mean really breathe. Take a long, slow deep breath into your lower back and fill your chest from the bottom up, sigh it out and allow the tension in your body to loosen. Breathe in and out in rhythm with your horse’s footfalls. We all carry unrecognised tension in our bodies and so much of it can be relieved with a regular healthy breathing technique and just simply remembering to breathe. Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! Spend some time in walk when riding. Focus on what walk “gives you” as rider. How does your horse move under you and how does their movement make your body move? What can you feel in your body as it moves with your horse? Horses’ movements make riders’ bodies move. It can be really beneficial to focus on these movements for a bit. Is it comfortable? Is it smooth? Does it feel free or do you feel any restrictions? A bit of work on some of these areas off of your horse could help you to move better on your horse. Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equineassistedpjysiotherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses

Walking Wednesday! How much time do you spend in walk when riding? As a physio working with riders who partner with horses for leisure, sport and therapy, I spend the majority of my time working with them at walk. Over the next few weeks, I plan to write a few posts on why walk is a wonderful gait 😊 Physio for riding. Riding for physio. 🐴💪🧘 #totalbodyriding #riderphysio #ridertraining #equineassistedtherapy #equinefacilitatedtherapy #hippotherapy #wiltshirehorseriding #hampshirehorses