Stretching for better riding!

[sweetsalute]

If you’re anything like me, you probably don’t stretch anywhere near as much as you should. I’m lazy and by the time I’m done working out the last thing I want to do is spend time stretching.

Last year I was bemoaning that my riding sucked and I just couldn’t seem to SIT, my stirrups were several holes shorter than they used to be and just what the hell happened! I knew it wasn’t core strength, I lift weights 5 days a week. I thought about saddle fit but that all checked out.

Lo and behold…it was my hips! They were so tight, my leg was being pulled up and I physically could not sit correctly. Fast forward to now, and I suddenly realised the other day that I was sitting so much better, and felt so in tune with the horse.

So…do your stretches people! It really does make a world of difference.

[QHEventer]

Totally!! My piriformis get super tight and if I don’t stretch, I have a hard time keeping my weight down through my heels.I get tight through my lower back and hips too, which all affect my riding. I recently started doing yoga, and it’s made a world of difference in my flexibility and posture in the saddle!

[ThreeWishes]

Can you suggest some specific stretches ? I 100% agree that when I remember to stretch before I get on I ride better.

[twostinkydogs]

I am interested in specific stretches too!

[Finding_Serenity9]

I love these: https://dressageridertraining.com/article/stretches-for-dressage-riders/

It’s helped me so much (and I ride as a jumper/eventer). This website has all kinds of various stretches, etc.

[Renn_aissance]

Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube- video titled Yoga For Equestrians. Don’t mind the goofy intro, she’s being tongue in cheek. The exercises are good!

Everything else she does for hips, low back, and legs also helps me out. I try to do her videos 3x a week.

[sweetsalute]

I’ll check her out!

At the recommendation of a friend, I started out with Erin Parks Yoga on youtube. I followed a few of her hip stretch videos, and then from there put together my own routine of the exercises I felt were best targeting the areas I really needed.

The rest of my flexibility isn’t too bad, it’s just my hips! I can now sit cross legged on the ground without extreme discomfort for the first time probably since I was about 6 years old. Long ways to go but at least now they aren’t actively inhibiting me.

[wsmoak]

@Renn_aissance

Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube- video titled Yoga For Equestrians. Don’t mind the goofy intro, she’s being tongue in cheek. The exercises are good!

If you bookmark the link to start at 42 seconds in you can skip the intro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6gtrbl6RM0&t=42s

Yoga For Equestrians | Yoga With Adriene

[Mallard]

Love Adriene… so many different ones to choose from.

[quietann]

Adrienne is my favorite. I can’t even attempt to do most of her routines (and can’t do anything requiring me to support myself with hands or wrists – and no, yoga blocks won’t help in my case)… but there’s always something of hers I can do.

[sweetsalute]

I can’t say my “yoga” poses look much like the instructors in videos either…but as long as it’s getting the intended muscles I figure it’s working! I’ve definitely improved…super flexible I will never be.

[TheDBYC]

All you need for yoga is a flexible mind