before riding do you..

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ldlp111

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do any stretches or exercises? Also do you do any other form of exercise to help with your flexibilty during riding like yoga or pilates?

thanks :)
 
Stretch? Me? You must be kidding! I reckon the chase around the field to catch the boys is warm up enough!

I did used to go to Pilates classes, which I would thoroughly recommend to help with riding position. I would still go, except that I have had to cut out all "extras" due to finances. One day, I do intend taking it up again. It made a noticeable difference to my posture both in and out of the saddle.
 
I do a few hamstring stretches before I jump or school. When I had the chiropracter to see my horse and I she suggested that would help the both of us. Dont really bother with the yoga or pilates...just sends me to sleep I'm afraid lol
 
i stretch my back and arms and legs whilst on the horse if i'm schooling to losten myself a bit - esp my hips as they are not great :o
but not for normal hacking or canter work
 
At the moment I'm mucking out 14 before I ride so I'm pretty well warmed up :) I do carry out a relaxation/stretching routine once I am on a horse, alongside the same routine for the horse - I find that's the best way to warm up my riding muscles, rather than anything on the ground :)
 
I always always stretch my calf muscles before riding - it makes keeping my heels down much easier. To do it, I usually do a few raises and lowerings on a step on the balls of my feet, and also a stretch with both feet facing forward, one about 2ft in front of the other, keeping the back leg straight and bending the front knee.

I do yoga twice a week and generally, it's good for flexibility and core strength which are advantageous for riding. I always get the DOMS (those post-exercise aches) in my hips and groin muscles after riding so I've starting doing yoga positions before I go to the yard to stretch them (pigeon on both sides, and also a crouch where I'm on one knee, the front leg has the foot down, and I lower my body down as much as I can). I'm not sure if the pre-riding yoga helps though - only tried it once last week and fell and concussed myself mid-lesson! lol.
 
Faro said:
Stretch? Me? You must be kidding! I reckon the chase around the field to catch the boys is warm up enough!
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Haha, you just took the words straight out of my mouth! My boys fine at coming in any time but his beloved old lady manages to persuade him galloping round the field with her (she's 32!) is much more fun :rolleyes::p:D
 
No I don't, never occurred to me!
I guess while the horse is warming up I am also warming up if that makes sense.
I do do pilates, run and do some resistance training and find all of this helps my general fitness, core strength and balance which in turn helps my riding. But that's not the only reason I do it - I am a personal trainer :D
 
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