By Jenny Rolfe

How often do you hear riders given the advice to get to the gym or strengthen their legs?

I used to take this very seriously and as well as riding I would swim, cycle and run for miles.

This can all be beneficial for us to ride with more core stability supported by stronger muscles and ligaments. However over many years I have found an even more important dimension for me which has involved a depth of self awareness on both a physical and emotional level.

Our body is controlled by our mind process.  For instance the left side of the brain is responsible for the function of the right side of the body. We are blessed with the ability for self instruction and ‘doing’ with the more technical side of our brain. Also we have a more empathic and creative side which looks more deeply into our senses of feel and lightness.

We have the ability to become extremely skilled with our technical knowledge but also we are made to feel a deeper sense of creativity.

As a rider we search for this balance from within.

When we can learn to use the creative part of our brain we rise above only our technical skills.

Deeper conscious breathing supports more fluid body movement and coordination. You know how tension can cause tightness and stilted movements so when we can re visit our natural skills to support our body and our emotions, with deeper focus within breathing, we can open a door where much less, may become much more.

There is yet a further dimension when we offer aids to our horse. SO WHAT ARE AIDS? These are small asks, requests which we instigate to bring about more harmony and connection with the horse. We are asking him to listen and respond to us.

Aids become our way of communicating when we are sitting in the saddle.

Think of it this way! Do you have a friend who seems always to be on your wave length. She tunes in to your fun and lightness and you both share an unspoken depth of understanding. She not only listens to your words but understands the inflections behind them. You feel on the same wave length where lengthy explanations are not necessary.

You both ‘get it’ the mutual vibe of understanding is there.

I believe we can help to gain this precious empathy whilst working with the horse from the ground.

We can use our body language, breathing, voice and field of energy exchange to transmit our intention and also listen and observe the responses from the horse.

It may take only minutes or days or weeks to gain a response where the horse is so receptive to our language that he will walk, trot, canter and halt from only our changes within our breathing. This depth of connection can be transmitted to work under saddle. The horse already understands the energy we seek from the training from the ground so all we do is to transmit this connection into our riding.

This way of training demands from us much focus and awareness but it brings with it an emotional connection between both horse and rider. The more superficial aids of legs, arms and hands may be used in the same way we might operate a machine, ride a bicycle or drive a car.

The most potent connection for us is to also share our feelings within a coherent energy field created by breathing, bringing together synchrony within balance and movement.

 

 

RIDING with our BREATH-ENERGY

 

Preparation is the key to building our self awareness.  With this in mind I have developed a  TOP TO TOE for the rider:

Begin with a basic position which will enhance stability, balance and poise. These techniques are similar to the ancient wisdoms of the east, such as Chi Gong and Tai Chi.

Stand quietly and cultivate the feeling of breathing, into the space around you.  Now take a slow deep outward sigh and begin your focus on steady breathing, beginning within your core.

Expand your abdomen with your inhalation. Breathe into your body-  as if filling up a glass with water – from the core upwards.

Then exhale deeply down through your upper body and spine, releasing through your core.

Your feet should be parallel, about shoulder width apart –have a feeling of connecting through your legs and feet, into the core of the earth – ‘feeling truly grounded’.

Relax down through your legs,  into released knees and ankles as if you are ski-ing down a bumpy slope .

Grow taller and cultivate the feeling that your head is balanced in lightness, floating above the shoulders, as a balloon above your body.

Soften the muscles around your eyes.

Relax the facial muscles and release the jaw.  Allow the back of your neck to lengthen gently. Relax your jaw and soften your lips.

Keep a relaxed feel in your sternum whilst breathing. Expand the chest, not by tightening the sternum and hollowing your back, but widen through the shoulder blades and ribcage , breathing wide and full, into your spine.

Take a deep outward sigh and allow the breath to ripple through your torso down into your core and through your legs and feet.

You should start to feel more relaxed and grounded. Focus on your body awareness from your head down through to your toes.

 

TOP TO TOE- QUICK TIPS FOR THE RIDER

Sigh deeply- to relax whole body

Lengthen your neck –relax the jaw

Begin breathing from the core

Expand and lengthen upper body

Tune into core-mobility

Relax arms and hands

Allow weight down into knees

‘carpet slipper’ feet

INITIAL aid is from your core.

Listen to your horse

SMILE and enjoy each moment

 

 

WORK UNDER SADDLE

Once in the saddle, take a few moments to check your posture from ‘Top to toe. ’

Take a very deep outward sigh, rippling down your upper torso into your core to release any tension. This will relax your body releasing tension through your muscles and joints.  Allow the next inward breath, just to happen, in a natural way. Remember when you give a deep sigh it is just a gentle release and grounding of energy, down through your body. This is a different feel to the outward breath which directs the stronger energy, from the core towards the horse, which will instigate his movement.

BREATHE INTO WALK

When you feel calm and focused top to toe, take up an allowing contact with the reins, then inhale followed by a more vigorous outward breathe. The exhalation will ripple down your spine releasing your core which encourages the horse to move forwards. This movement for the rider is similar to sitting on a swing and pushing it forwards and upwards, but it is much more subtle.

If your horse does not respond, use your legs once and if needed back up with a tap of the whip on your own leg.  Very quickly the horse will tune into this sequence of aids and respond from your breath alone. When the horse is walking forwards, continue breathing naturally and rhythmically with every stride. Imagine you are jogging and supporting your running with steady inhalation and exhalation.

 

BREATHE INTO THE HALT

When asking the horse to halt, your deeper inhalation will lengthen and strengthen your spine, creating stability and acting as a half halt. As the horse responds, increase the inward breath, close your fingers on the reins and ask him to halt. Once the horse is standing still, release the pressure of your fingers on the reins, so he can stand immobile in a good self- carriage. Gain his focus with your steady core-breathing. He should be calm and still, yet ready to move on your next deeper, energizing exhalation.

This is similar to the cat who is immobile, but has the inner energy, waiting to pounce!  If the horse is allowed to stand, with only a light contact with the reins, his forward movement will be in lightness and not bearing down.

 

TRANSITIONS – FROM WALK to TROT

Prepare by walking forwards with a good energetic rhythm. Before you trot forwards ensure the horse is relaxed into a steady contact created from the propulsion of the hind limbs, enhanced by his attentive calm mind. Try to breathe steadily and naturally with awareness of expanding your core on the inward breath and releasing gently through your core, on exhalation. Take a deeper inward breath to prepare to trot. This will re-balance and further engage the movement and gain his attention for a change in gait. Allow a deeper breath outwards and feel the energy ripple down through your spine, this will release the core and mobilise the seat. If the horse does not respond then use your legs, just once and re-enforce with a tap of the whip, if needed.

Focus on regular natural breathing and use the deeper outward breath to instigate more energy. Tap once with your legs if the horse is not attentive to your energising breath. The horse will soon tune into your breathing alone which will enable your legs just to hang in a relaxed way down either side of the horse’s rib cage. In this way your natural balance will not be continually disrupted.

If your horse tries to pull and get too strong in your hand, re-balance with a focus on a deep inward breath and if necessary close your fingers on the reins. Your intense inward breath will expand and strengthen your seat and core. This will give stability to the horse who will feel this momentary resistance to his forward movement. He will then re-balance and with a more allowing contact from your hand and fingers, you can encourage him to move forward with lightness.

When you take the deeper inward core breath, it not only lengthens and strengthens your spine but you will feel the tightness through your upper leg and thigh.

The horse is extremely sensitive to any change of balance or restriction from the rider. The feeling of restraint which is a momentary check from the rider, will probably be sufficient to steady the horse.

The horse will quickly listen to core breathing as the first aid when asking for any change, whether in pace or direction.  Techniques of breathing will energise a lazy horse or equally calm an anxious horse. Breathing awareness will enhance communication between horse and rider. This will open up a path towards harmony and lightness.

So just to recap:

Build your awareness TOP TO TOE

Prepare your horse with ground work-   gain his connection with your energy field

When you offer a deeper breath connection- expect your horse to respond – support quickly with leg aids ONCE or tap a whip on your own leg!

The sensitive horse soon responds to your breathing-this is your nervous system connecting with his own.

Jenny Rolfe

Books-  ‘ Ride from the Heart’

       ‘ Breathe life into Your Riding’

     ‘A Spiritual Path for the Classical Rider’ (coming soon)

Library of Training Videos– to support the training in this article – and much more on   www.naturallyclassical.com

FACEBOOK Group – Naturally Classical