01/11/2023
It’s that time of year again! 🍂
🍂 No Stirrups November 🍂
If you are taking part, here are some tips to help you:
1️⃣ Relax and breathe - don’t brace or tense as then you will find it hard to follow your horse’s movement. Relax your shoulders and neck, and think about breathing into your belly so your diaphragm works to its full capacity. Remember your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together in a synchronised manner to control your breathing. This has a massive effect on your seat.
2️⃣ Start small - 5 minutes of walk at the start or end of each ride. This allows you and your horse to build up tolerance and progress together - without putting undue pressure on your horse’s back.
3️⃣ Allow your legs to hang down loosely, don’t grip. Remember this is about letting your seat follow your horse’s movement. Think about having the weight of your upper body and trunk through your seat, and then let the weight of your legs hang down loosely.
4️⃣ Allow your pelvis and hips to follow the movement of the horse - think of tiny little feet attached to your seat bones 👣 As the horses right hind leg moves forward so should your tiny little foot on the right side, and then the left.
5️⃣ Warm up before you get in the saddle. A short targeted warm up that moves your pelvis and hips through all three planes of movement will allow you to follow your horse’s movement more easily in the saddle.
6️⃣ Targeted resistance based exercises to improve strength and control around your pelvis and hips done OFF the horse will improve your position, symmetry, comfort and performance in the saddle.
🌟 I designed the Activate Your Seat exercise programme, done against the resistance of the bungi, to target all the muscles of the rider’s seat improving strength, suppleness, symmetry and balance in the saddle 🌟
🍂 Are you joining in on the ?
🏇Two sets of level 1 exercises to warm up before you ride and then 5 minutes of no stirrups walk at the start and end of each ride. If you don’t already have a bungi I’ll post some warm up exercises tomorrow as well so come and join us.
🙋♀️ What are your no stirrup tips?
Maeve
