Janet Seccull and Bloomfield Vegas. Image by Simon Scully
If you ask the average non-horse person how hard horse riding is, they would probably say, ‘Can’t be that hard, you just sit there’. As riders we know this is very far from the truth. Pilates, I believe, is the missing link. It has certainly kept me in the game.
Riding is a highly coordinated neuromuscular task where we are constantly balancing and managing not only our own stability but also our horse’s. And it’s hard!
We are expected to be like ducks – very calm and still on the surface but working really hard under the water to appear like it is all happening without much effort at all. Pulling this off requires a huge amount of stability, coordination and mental calmness.
Our core centres us – it grounds us. It is key to stability while riding. Image supplied.
Stability, balance and strengthening the parts of our body that are weaker is what Pilates is all about. Without stability our arms, hands and legs are unable to work efficiently and independently. Without balance we can’t operate effectively, and we can’t possibly hope to help our horse to balance.
CORE STRENGTH
Much of it comes down to core strength. We’ve all heard of this. It’s a biggy. Our core enables us to sit still, not disturb our horse’s balance and maintain our own position while we apply virtually invisible aids. Our core centres us – it grounds us. It is key to stability while riding.
News Flash! All riders, yep, ALL riders, have a stronger side, a weaker side, a less coordinated side, perhaps a tighter hip, a more dominant hand or a shoulder or hip that drops – we all have something that we need to improve on, to teach our bodies to do or not to do. In order for us to help our horse balance, we must be in balance ourselves.
Pilates, if done correctly and with correct technique, has the ability to strengthen, balance and release tension by way of stretches and exercises which have been created to counterbalance the effect of overworking, over-shortening or under-using areas of our body. Pilates exposes and corrects imbalances. Pilates doesn’t replace riding – it assists in refining the rider.
Aside from actually being on a horse, most of us know what hard work it can be just working with horses. Over time this can negatively impact our bodies. Moving hay, sweeping laneways, lifting rugs, or doing stables, even carrying saddles and lunging can hugely affect the balance in our bodies and also lead to pain which can affect us while we ride and in everyday life.
Janet and Martiza competing at Boneo Park. Image by Angie Rickard Photography.
CHECK IN WITH YOUR BODY
We also all know that working towards our goals in this sport can sometimes be mentally challenging. It is very easy to become completely engrossed; it can become all-consuming, which can cloud our vision and create staleness. As athletes it is important to take the time to check in with our bodies, to slow down just for a moment and reset so we stay clear in our minds. Cross training is not just the physical, it’s also the mental. A calm rider is a good one.
The brilliance of Pilates is that it works hand-in-hand with our sport – it has the ability to release tension and pain, strengthen our weak side, assist with coordination and release amazing endorphins in our brains. We all want to keep riding and remain agile well into later life. Cross training is key. It helps us maintain our bodies so we can ride for longer and we can ride well! It’s a win/win, not just for us but for our horses.
Having ridden many young and difficult horses over the years, I know firsthand what an impact this sport can have on your body. I have cleaned thousands of stables, moved tonnes of hay bales and feed buckets just like many of us have. Tight hip flexors, lower back pain, foot pain, neck pain and just general stiffness can be crippling – it has to be managed so I can continue to do the sport I love.
About 15 years ago I committed to Pilates after being told by a surgeon to never ride again. I told him that just wasn’t an option. He suggested Pilates. So now I go to my happy place to check in with myself, a place I release not only my body but also my mind. It’s a good thing in so many ways. Without Pilates, there is no doubt I wouldn’t be riding or be able to physically cope with the day-to-day life of stable work.
So, get on this good thing! It’s definitely a 10!
About 15 years ago, Janet committed to Pilates after being told by a surgeon to never ride again. She told him that just wasn’t an option, and now has two horses successfully competing at FEI – including Bloomfield Vegas, pictured here competing in the CDI3* Grand Prix at EBM Dressage by the Sea in February. Image by Ashley Grant – The Blachat/Willinga Park.
Janey believes that without Pilates, there is no doubt she wouldn’t be riding or be able to physically cope with the day-to-day life of stable work. Image supplied.
“Without Pilates, there is no
doubt I wouldn’t be riding.”
5 STEPS TO BUILD BALANCE
Here are five Pilates exercises that I use regularly to release tension and put my body back into balance:
1. ELEPHANT ON THE REFORMER – A really great hamstring release which also has the ability to strengthen my core and assist with shoulder stability and hip flexibility.
2. MERMAID ON THE WUNDA CHAIR OR REFORMER – Lateral spinal mobility. A go-to when I feel tight through my torso. As riders, we often feel this as we don’t train or stretch laterally.
3. HAMSTRING STRETCHES ON THE BARREL while pointing and flexing foot – So good to help relieve lumber pain.
4. LEGS IN STRAPS ON THE REFORMER. Parallel Legs – hamstring release. Frogs – hip rotation; also working on the ever-important VMO muscle which supports our knee. Leg Circles – open up and release our hips, creating smooth femoral head movement.
5. GLUTE BRIDGES WITH ROLL DOWN (spinal articulation) – This creates flexibility in the spine while strengthening hamstrings and glutes. Relieves lumbar pain.
To try pilates at Janet’s studio in Macedon click here EQ
Related articles
Equestrian performance psychologist Deena Cooper answers a reader's sports psychology question: “I never have trouble running through a dressage test at home, but when I enter the competition arena my mind goes blank, and I struggle to remember the test. What can I do to overcome this?”
If you aren't improving between your dressage lessons, the problem probably isn't your coach, but your system.