Yoga on Horseback

One of the yoga teachers at the studio where I take yoga is a marvel at explaining how to move your muscles in the different poses to get maximum benefit.  I've been thinking about her explanation of mountain pose, in particular, as it relates to riding.  I started thinking about yoga and riding after reading Shannon's blog on the subject.  Read her excellent blog here.  I especially liked her suggestion about breathing into your legs at canter to keep them from creeping up.

When I rode Jackson today, I thought about all of this.  In particular, I thought about riding in mountain pose.  This is a pose that looks easy, since it is just standing upright.  But, when done correctly, it's not so easy.  The goal is to stand perfectly straight with ears, shoulders, hips, feet lined up.  Sound familiar dressage riders?  Then, you make sure you have equal weight in the four corners of your feet (inner & outer ball of the foot, inner and outer heel).  You want your calf muscles working towards your shins; your thigh muscles spinning back, your sacrum dropped, your pelvis neutral.  And everything sinking down, rooting you to the earth.  At the same time, you reach up through your side waist, release your shoulder blades so they aren't scrunched up, open your collarbone and feel like the top of your head is reaching for the sky.  Got it?  Good.  Now, try it on your horse. 

Jackson was awesome today.  I can't help but think that it was because he had a balanced yogi on his back.  It felt awesome.

Today was warm and sunny again, around 65 degrees.   We have rain in the forecast starting Tuesday night, with a chance of snow Friday and Saturday.  Is that weird or what!!

Tonight we celebrated Valentine's Day.  We don't go out, we don't exchange gifts, we stay home and I cook something outrageously expensive and we drink champagne.   This was dinner:

Salad with pears, mango and pecans

 

Shrimp, crab and lobster tail. 

And WAY too many of these!!