Picture someone you know who you would call an “effortless rider”…
It may be someone in your barn, a rider you’ve seen at shows or events, or even someone you’ve watched in a video.
What does that rider look like, how do they move? How does their horse move?
Now think about your own riding… wouldn’t it be a dream come true to feel more like this effortless rider?
Picture yourself riding in this effortless way… confident, in rhythm with your horse…
Maybe cantering across an open field, walking down a wooded trail, performing a flawless leg yield, or smoothly jumping a course of fences.
You may have experienced glimpses of this feeling – moving easily in balance with the horse. It’s a remarkable feeling, and a big part of what makes riding so special.
But so often we lose sight of this feeling. We get confused by the never ending and often conflicting streams of advice and corrections that we get.
“Sit up straighter, heels down, bring your shoulders back, put your leg back, put your leg forward, lift your reins, lower your reins…”
We end up spending our riding time struggling to find the “right” position. The feeling of ease becomes more and more elusive as we strain to hold proper riding posture.
In lessons, we try to do what our instructor asks, but it seems like it’s never enough. Or we fix our position only to go right back to where we were on our next ride.
It’s frustrating! Why can’t I get this? Will I ever be any good at riding? Maybe I just need to get stronger, try harder, ride a different horse…