Walk - canter - walk work. Hip to hip connection. #dressagehorse #dressage #walkcanter #piruet #dancinghorses
#dressage #dancing with horses # changes # dressage show
💪 Here is a little sample of an exercise we might do in my Rider Biomechanics classes (either online or in-person.) It's one you can also do on your own to strengthen your core!
I promise you, if you do this exercises for 5 minutes 3 times a week, your SEAT will improve. You will be aware of different areas in your core, feel them better and therefore you will coordinate your movement better. Happy exercising & happy riding! 😊
➡️ Reach out to talk about dates, times & format!
#dressage #dressagecoach #biomechanics #riderbiomechanics #equestrianlife #equinelife #corestrength #strengthtraining #ridingcoach #wellingtondressage
#FBF heading into the weekend with dressage on my mind!!
#dressage #dressagecoach #dressagetrainer #equinelife #wellingtondressage #floridadressage #dressage #dressagerider
📅 Sign Up Time! Here's the Strider link to next week's rider biomechanics class for Thursday April 28 at 7:00pm on Zoom. AND here is a little sample of an exercise we might do in the class, or you can do on your own to strengthen your core!
I promise you, if you do this exercises for 5 minutes 3 times a week, your SEAT will improve. You will be aware of different areas in your core, feel them better and therefore you will coordinate your movement better. Happy exercising & happy riding! 😊
➡️ Sign up to next week's zoom class here:
https://www.striderpro.com/a/o1XghKuVjEuKV2BpjSWrXw
#dressage #dressagecoach #biomechanics #riderbiomechanics #equestrianlife #equinelife #corestrength #strengthtraining #ridingcoach #wellingtondressage
🥕 GOALS. (Part 1)
Being with horses we need to have our goals clear. At first it is about how much it all costs and how much time we need to dedicate just to spend around this animal. We learn how to take care of such a delicate creature. And we learn that for one hour we spend on the horse, we spend 2 hours in the barn, cleaning, cleaning, feeding and cleaning. 😊
Once we know how much time we can spend on the horse, we plan either we go on a trail ride, or we ride in the arena. In the arena we plan (hopefully) our training session (warm up – lesson - cool down) And therefore we see if we achieved the goal of the day or not.
After, we think about the long-term training goals and where are we going with our training. We set up our competition goals. Show schedules. National, International, medals …
We do need to see where we are going and to make a road map, other wise we will never make it “there”. And with horses, you might still not make it “there”, for one reason or another. Therefore, we are just in it for the inner lessons and the journey. Embracing this fact frees you from the pressure. The stress of our own creation, that horses absorb, but do not understand.
But!!! Despite our plans and goals, if we need to be in the barn with the horse, we need to learn to take care of our own body. We need to have enough sleep; we need to be aware of what we eat. What and how much we drink. We need to give our body a chance to function well, so we can take care of our loved horses and to give them a chance to show us what they can do. If I do not function well, I cannot be there for my family and my animals and my students and my friends. I simply do not have the energy, which takes away any desire.
If you choose that your time with horses is only for the healing aspect of it, it is a great enough goal. 💖
#dressage #dressagelife #horses #goals #breathe #workhard #thursdaythoughts
🐴 🙏 My new #trainingtip post is about How to find relaxation. Hint: try singing! (It means you're breathing 😊)
When we talk about relaxation in horse riding it’s a tricky subject, since you must move with the horse and therefore your body engages and follows. No matter how relaxed we would like to be, we are dealing with an animal who has opinions about many things and is always scanning for danger. So to be a leader, we also need to be alert and to be able to make decisions quickly.
To me, relaxation has several dimensions:
- physical – how the muscle is (is the horse tense or working easily?), how the breathing is?
- mental – do they seem content and ready to cooperate? Or looking for excuses, or worried?
1. Let’s start with the horse. We start to interact in the barn, and even while we are grooming, we can see how the horse is. Anxious or relaxed, soft in the muscle or tight?
Once we get on, we start to feel if he/she is breathing deeply, and can I feel his barrel with my whole leg as a soft unit? Or is my horse holding their breath and walking quick and choppy? Are they hanging on one rein and pushes into one leg walking off? If this happens they are usually protecting a hind leg. Which one?
Usually, you are asking yourself such questions in the warmup. So, you are in the first 20 of your riding session.
2. Now let’s move on to The rider. Can I feel my breath through my stomach? Or only into the upper part of my chest, or am I holding it completely? Am I able to follow with my hips? Am I soft in my leg? Can I stay soft in my shoulders? Can I keep my hands steady, closed, yet soft?
For the first 20 minutes, patience and time are your friends. Give both of you time to warm up, to get into each other’s rhythm. And a great tool to do so is …. “SINGING”!!!
Yes, sing to your horse! Preferably a happy childhood song. But if you are sad today, sing a sad song. Singing will keep your breathing, rhythm and mood in one energetic
Piaffe work
Getting used to the drone video. :))) I thought it would be interesting to see the work in hand from above... and to get the horse used to it. Thank you Israel Arriaga for the amazing experience and the videos.
