Does anyone else forget to ...

RolyPolyPony

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... breathe when riding?!

I had a lesson yesterday and started to get out of breath when going fster than walk! (usually when hacking share horse, i can trot along and canter for ages without getting at all out of breath!!) The instructor then said she notcied that i don't breathe properly! (i obviously find it hard to concentrate on doing more thaone thing!!)

Just out of interest really, does anyone else have this problem or am i the only one unable to multi-task when riding!!
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I'm so used to riding a really forward going horse. had a lesson on one that makes you work, so i was concentrating on keeping her going forwards i forgot that i still had to breathe
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Yep. Do it all the time. Also bunch up my shoulders as I am concentrating so hard on not making a mistake and then go and make one anyway!

When I am in the school riding alone I relax and everything seems so much easier.

DOH!
 
I forget to breath too and have to consciously remind myself. I second the singing recommendation - it definitely works for me, although not so popular with those who have to listen to it!!
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when I'm competing, I often don't seem to breathe while I do my round, I chain smoke with nerves all day, then don't breathe while I jump, result, me blue with hiccups getting carted in lap of honour!!!
 
Our old instructor reckoned this was a common problem and could regularly be heard shouting breathe at her clients!!!

She recommended singing, it also helps with rythm, sing the ugly duckling when trotting and nellie the elephant when cantering and you'll be breathing and keeping time!
 
Yup, me too. Regularly get yelled at for this in jump lessons. RI points out that the rider shouldn't be more out of breath than the horse!
 
Yes, in walk - I really have to concentrate.
My horse used to get really tense in the walk parts of a test. I was so terrified of him going lateral that I must have started to not breathe during walk. Then once I had a class with my then trainer who looked at me and said: "You do know, don't you, that he gets tense because you stop breathing?" I had no idea (and don't know how he noticed!) - but since then I concentrate really hard and always breathe and any tension in the walk has magically disappeared. It's a fascinating experiment actually, if you have a sensitive enough horse - try to hold your breath while working in walk (not on a loose rein obviously...when you're actually working, doing some movements etc) and see what happens!
 
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