Struggling with my shoulders when riding - suggestions please

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

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My worst fault in riding is my shoulders - especially on lessons as the more i try the more I end up with my shoulders up round my ears and become really tense - does anyone have any suggestions on how to overcome this? - oh and if i relax my shoulders I drop the contact agggghhhhh
 
No expert but I find if I sing it helps me to relax and my riding becomes more natural and in tune with the horse. Also make sure you look straight ahead and not at your horses ears and relax your back.

If you are having a lesson then not so easy to sing! But my instructor makes me talk to her a lot during the lesson so I dont seize up and become too focussed on her instructions alone.

As I said I am no expert.....but it helps me.
 
Hmmm, not sure how you've managed to connect your shoulders & your contact? Maybe you need to be more aware of your elbows? (the bit inbetween, LOL!). Try to think of opening your chest - make it as broad as possible - so think of dropping your shoulders & opening them back, but not with force, just in terms of good posture - think tall & proud. Then keep the bend in your elbows, but soft & elastic.

Try riding a circle (or even better, have a lunge lesson) & let your arms (one by one, reins in other hand), drop down to your side & let your arm bounce in time to the horse - really let it bounce so the tension is out of the shoulder & it's loose.

Also, do circular stretches with your shoulders (think airplane with or without the whole arm) - do this when you first get on & then every so often if you're aware of the tension creeping in.
 
Have you been videoed riding? Personally I find it incredibly helpful. My worst fault is being round shouldered. I actually thought that on my new up in front WB I was sitting up. Wrong! Saw video and it really highlighted my weaknesses and even better made me do something about it!
 
i was once told to imagine holding a can of coke inbetween my shoulder blades.. it helped me drop and bring back my shoulders..
 
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My worst fault in riding is my shoulders - especially on lessons as the more i try the more I end up with my shoulders up round my ears and become really tense - does anyone have any suggestions on how to overcome this? - oh and if i relax my shoulders I drop the contact agggghhhhh

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Do you suffer with sore shoudlers too? I still having a little problems with mine not as bad now as Ive been having my back crackd a lot!! The bloke couldnt belive on how tight my neck and shoulders were I even had a massage couple of days before seeing this chap. He didnt say much after that!! Ive been going twice a month and now im feeling so much feeler! I use oills and heat pads on my neck and shoudlers and have have taken up piattles withe very intesting results!! Hope you mange to relax on this try not to work yourself up too much!
 
Agree with SalE I found for a long time, that thinking elbows and lifting my hands made my shoulders drop I was too straight in the arm otherwise.

I have also used a sportababc 'shoulders back' which has helped a bit.
 
The first thing is to breath!!! Try singing as that helps you breath regularly and helps you to relax, or sighing or panting. If I'm riding something stressy and whizzy I often do really big sighs, it calms you and the horse and lowers your shoulders. Talking to the horse or the instructor has a similar effect even if it is nonsense.

In terms of lowering your shoulders and not forgetting your contact think not about your shoulders but your elbows. Think heavy elbows, your elbows are really heavy and you have to keep them by your waist, your lower arm controls the contact, your upper arm does nothing because your elbows are weighting it in place.

Try not to focus on your shoulders as this will make you worse, think about your elbows (I find when my shoulders tense my elbows are often where you see it first, normally by flapping them over a jump
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) and think about lifting your diaphram/boobs and elongating your stomach.
 
Try putting a riding stick/whip accross your lower back and in front of your elbows...it kind of pins your arms/elbows back to where they should be and you end up with a straight back and shoulders.....I do this now and again...and if you are feeling particulary brave and don't mind looking daft hold a short stick between your hands as well....this gets you an even contact.

I tried it....I was amazed how much better my horse went when I was in the correct position, goes to show how out of position you can creep when you don't really concentrate......
 
I agree with focussing on your elbows! If you keep your elbows in the right place it's very hard to hunch your sholders.
I concentrate on keeping my elbows bent (so that the elbow joint is next to my ribs). This has 2 benefits: It makes me keep my core stable (because I seem to tighten my stomach a little to make it 'meet' my elbows) and it keeps a more constant elastic contact. It should also prevent you hunching your sholders.
 
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