Yesterday I had one of the best rides in a lesson in a very long time - and the best part is, I was able to recreate it today! Saumur felt just awesome, soft, supple, relaxed - motoring along happily. And all that despite being cooped up inside due to freezing rain. When he feels like this, everything seems easy. Our turns on the center line were much more precise, which allowed us to stay straight on the center line all the way from C to A, no wiggling.
My big 'Aha' Moment came in the canter. For the first time I was keeping my thighs relaxed and that in turn gave Saumur confidence that all was well. I was thinking of the "Happy Baby Pose" from my Yoga class (you lay on your back, feet in the air and bent, with the hands holding the feet and then you rock on your back). Yes, it sounds pretty strange and I wouldn't want any uninitiated person see me like that. But it sure opens up those hip joints!
I've been going regularily to Yoga classes for a month now and despite my apprehension at first I have to say it really helps me relax and it does help me with my riding. All that stretching and bending... I really never thought Yoga would be something I could get into (I'm rather tightly wound, to put it nicely) and my mind never shuts up. Guess it's what I needed. The interesting thing is that the person that gave me the idea is an old rodeo cowboy with a body that has seen its share of bad falls and broken bones. When I asked him how he kept fit to still get on horses he said one word: Yoga!
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