Exercises to improve rider stiffness?

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avthechav

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Avs canter transitions are fairly dire but I have been working (ish) on them and as a result they are much better particulary on the left rein. I think that I have now got to a point where it is my stiffness on the right rein that is stopping us from progressing, everything is so much easier and relaxed on the left...if only I would just go round one way in a dressage test!

Has anyone got any exercises mounted or on the ground to improve my suppleness? (In addition to just being disciplined and working on stiff rein as well as easy rein!) Thanks :-)
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I find visualisation better for me than exercises. I had points of tension in my shoulders which spread across my back between my shoulder blades in moments of tension (mainly competition)
I imgine my shoulders so relaxed that my arms are dropping off the points of my shoulders. this has made my contact much softer and we have improved considerably.

Mary Wanless and Sally Swift are very good at visualisation, as is Neuro Linguistic Programming - seeing and practising a feeling/moment before it happens.
 
I have similar problems to yours which I attribute to advancing age ...

I have been doing Pilates once a week for a year now, and repeating some of the exercises at home and this has mae an improvement. But, before and after every ride I find it makes a big difference if I do stretches.


However, exercises which are useful to me may not be to you. You say you are stiff but where? Shoulders, back, legs all of those. You need to be sure your posture is correct and to get awareness of which bits are right or wrong I recommend Pilates or similar. Only then will you know how we can help you. Alternatively, a couple of sessions with a physio might help.
 
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