Better Balance Better Ride

Even experienced riders have a tendency to push down in the stirrups. We want to lower our center of balance as much as possible to be one with the horse. If you push down in the stirrups, clamp with your knees, or your inner thighs you will push your center of balance up into your shoulders and that makes you unstable. Release the tension you’re holding in you legs and bottom muscles to let yourself settle down into your saddle. Relaxing theses muscles and resting on your seat decreases soreness at the end of a ride and greatly improve your balance. To do that you need to turn your toes out, hug the horse’s belly with your heels, and point your toes upward. There is a difference between pushing your heels down and pointing your toes up, pushing down your heels can cause you to stand up in your stirrups, if you push your heels down as it was once taught you will again be raising your center of balance too high. To help you get through all the bumps you have to go with the flow, take them all out in your mid section and back. It takes constant thought to keep from becoming ridged and stiff. Especially when you are trying so hard to make everything right. Continually remind yourself to take a deep breath and relax those tense muscles. Keep your shoulders open, chest out, put an arch in your lower back, and allow your back and mid section to absorb the bumps. Once in a while you will need to put pressure in your stirrups just to catch yourself, but then return to the hugging and you will have a much better ride. Once you get used to leading with your hips and not your shoulders you will be more confident in what you can do in the saddle. Go Try It!