Pilates for Horseback Riders
Horseback riders, no matter what level they are at, can improve their riding positions. Correctly sitting in the saddle, and using our muscles effectively helps the horse and the rider deal with communication errors, and pain issues. Some instructors and riders have overcome these struggles through pilates designed for horseback riders. These exercises are designed to help effectively use muscles, be fluid in the saddle, and isolate different parts of the body so you don't miscommunicate with the horse. Whether it be at home, at work, or even on a horse, pilates specifically for horseback riders can greatly increase your riding skill level.
Many riders suffer from not being fluid in the saddle, which cause communication errors from being rigid. Horses have a way to sense when riders are nervous, tense, or relaxed. This sense is direction through the rider's arms, through the reins, into the bit inside the horse's mouth. To become more fluid, one must relax the pelvis and have a more independent body. Also by being stiff or rigid in the saddle, riders are putting themselves in danger, because their balance gets thrown off because of bad posture. To be able to balance on a ball for a Pilate exercise is a step toward learning how to balance on a horse and becoming more fluid in the saddle.
Pilates can also help to isolate muscle movements to improve one's posture and become more independent in the saddle. Instead of spending bunches of hours and piles of money on lessons to improve on isolating muscle movements, one can do exercises that help one with their coordination. For example, in a canter transition one might need to have a leg farther back but still squeezing the horse's sides, but without coordination in the legs, both legs with move causing communication errors with the horse.
Using muscles effectively is more of an effect of being fluid in the saddle and isolating muscle movements, but it can be improved even more through Pilate exercises. A rider can be more effective with communicating with the horse and giving clear instructions, through being aware of their body and keeping everything in control. The Pilate exercises help a rider practice their position and strengthen the muscles so they are not working as hard in the saddle. Also by using muscles effectively, one will not become as exhausted as quickly, allowing them to spend more time in the saddle.
By becoming aware of your entire body and what it is doing at any given time helps the rider to use the right muscles at the correct time and hold a better position all the time. Also by doing Pilate exercises, one's core stability becomes much better, a key to become a great rider. Pilates save money for horseback riders and improve your riding faster than taking lessons as often as possible, and should become part of one's training program so that one's riding will be at its prime for shows, or even to allow one to be safe in the saddle during recreational horseback riding.
Many riders suffer from not being fluid in the saddle, which cause communication errors from being rigid. Horses have a way to sense when riders are nervous, tense, or relaxed. This sense is direction through the rider's arms, through the reins, into the bit inside the horse's mouth. To become more fluid, one must relax the pelvis and have a more independent body. Also by being stiff or rigid in the saddle, riders are putting themselves in danger, because their balance gets thrown off because of bad posture. To be able to balance on a ball for a Pilate exercise is a step toward learning how to balance on a horse and becoming more fluid in the saddle.
Pilates can also help to isolate muscle movements to improve one's posture and become more independent in the saddle. Instead of spending bunches of hours and piles of money on lessons to improve on isolating muscle movements, one can do exercises that help one with their coordination. For example, in a canter transition one might need to have a leg farther back but still squeezing the horse's sides, but without coordination in the legs, both legs with move causing communication errors with the horse.
Using muscles effectively is more of an effect of being fluid in the saddle and isolating muscle movements, but it can be improved even more through Pilate exercises. A rider can be more effective with communicating with the horse and giving clear instructions, through being aware of their body and keeping everything in control. The Pilate exercises help a rider practice their position and strengthen the muscles so they are not working as hard in the saddle. Also by using muscles effectively, one will not become as exhausted as quickly, allowing them to spend more time in the saddle.
By becoming aware of your entire body and what it is doing at any given time helps the rider to use the right muscles at the correct time and hold a better position all the time. Also by doing Pilate exercises, one's core stability becomes much better, a key to become a great rider. Pilates save money for horseback riders and improve your riding faster than taking lessons as often as possible, and should become part of one's training program so that one's riding will be at its prime for shows, or even to allow one to be safe in the saddle during recreational horseback riding.
