Rider tension

Bryndu

Bryndu

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Hi all,
Hope you might be able to help with this one.

I am struggling with rider tension.....not to be confused with fear/nerves......just a total tightness from the seat upwards...I know it is tension because today I decided to totally relax everything whilst riding......golly my horse went well......however it crept back as I struggled to maintain it....I am associating it with possibly trying too hard?
So...apart from having a large G&T before I ride :) .....does anyone have any tips for not tightening all of the muscles in my torso at once?

Thanks in advance.

Bryndu
 
Well you have taken the first steps by realising it's an issue.

You could try some breathing exercises, count a steady 5 on the way in and 5 on the way out.

You could try to keep reminding yourself to let go and relax every time you cross the centre line.

If your horse is safe you could do some exercises such as arm circling and taking feet out of stirrups and circling your feet.

You could try using focus throughout your body, focus on your toes, coming up through your feet and ankles, noticing any tension all the way through your body and relax one body part at a time.

Anything to focus your attention
 
I breathe in rhythm to my trot. so a long breath covers four strides in trot for me, and then i breath out for the next four. The other thing thats brilliant is to blur your eyes slightly, and listen to the horses footfalls and rhythm, that brings you back into your body and aware of it.
 
Talk to your horse and tell them that you need to relax your torso, release tension etc. Talking will get you breathing therefore relaxing and also thinking about what you are doing. If you're not comfortable chatting away then try and just keep key words in your head like Relax, Release, Breathe etc. You could make up an acronym to say to yourself that relates to all the key areas you want to think of as you are schooling, I don't know, perhaps something like BRAT. Breath, Release, Ankles, Torso, just a word that keeps everything in your head.
 
Ah I have realised recently that I do the same thing! It’s worse when I am trying too hard or we are working on something as when I focus and concentrate I seem to tighten up more. Haven’t cracked it yet but knowing you do it is a great start to then tackle it. For me, it’s more in my seat and legs so I try to remember to wiggle them about and loosen them up, plus catch myself when we’re wrong a harder exercise and kind of shrug my whole body to,p loosen it up again. The horse also tells me so when he goes tense, I check myself!
 
Thanks Claracanter...
I do talk to the horse a lot....but thinking about it...mostly when the horse goes well....when I have clearly relaxed but not noticed!
Love the idea of an acronym :)
Bryndu
 
Thanks Bernster,
Totally agree the horse lets you know when you are tense.....that is sort of how I worked it out....and I think it defo starts in my seat too....will give the shrug a go.
Bryndu
 
Thank you to everyone who messaged with advice....

I rode today...and put every bit of advice in to practice.....

I learned that actually my tension was coming from my lower back using the start at the toes and move upwards tip....

I used the breathe in and out over the centre line...and just kept on with it.....telling my horse that I was not developing heavy breather syndrome :)...

I learned that a lot of my tension is in the canter.....so I decided to go with the Frozen lyrics therefore using music and singing and.....'Let it go'!

I ditched the tension in the small of my back and everything else fell in to place...and I had the best ride ever on my horse.....

so a big THANK YOU to you all....from me n my horse :)

Best wishes
Bryndu
 
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