| Sometimes figuring it all out just gets in the way, big | | | | ankles, all along the vertebrae of your spine, in the way |
| time! | | | | your head balances on your spine, the way your eyes |
| 1) Feel and sense yourself, don't think. | | | | move (or don't), or in the way your shoulders hang or |
| 2) ALLOW yourself to be in a more balanced position, | | | | stiffen up. Imagine your spine as a long spring--one end |
| don't try to force yourself into a position you think is | | | | easily connected to the other--with no kinks. If you turn |
| correct. | | | | in one direction and twist the spring a little tighter from |
| 3) Experience small changes by allowing and sensing, | | | | one end the whole spring winds. Sense the changes in |
| gradually you will be more in the middle of your horse | | | | your feet as you slowly turn just a few centimeters to |
| more of the time. | | | | the right or left. |
| 4) Picture in your mind's eye a moment when you felt | | | | On your horse: Spend some time at the beginning of |
| very balanced and in unity with your horse. Allow your | | | | each ride walking with feel out of stirrups and eyes |
| body to come back to this place and enjoy the feeling | | | | closed and find your two evenly weighted seat bones. |
| of unity. | | | | Imagine your flexible spine from tailbone to head and all |
| Try these exercises while sensing yourself, allowing | | | | of the ribs attached and the sternum in front. Sense |
| the sensations to come, not judging but just being | | | | the way your horse moves your pelvic bowl and then |
| curious and receptive to your own body: | | | | each of the 24 vertebrae up to your head. Then |
| On a flat chair or bench or a physio-ball: Play with | | | | imagine this flexible column being long,heavy at the |
| changes of balance and posture by making small | | | | base and light at the top--the tail bone sinking while the |
| movements while sitting on a chair or on a big physio | | | | 7th cervical at the base of your neck and the collar |
| ball. Sit on the ball and slowly shift your balance and | | | | bones and 1st ribs all float upward. Your ribs are able |
| posture by making small, repetitive movements. You | | | | to expand in all directions and your lungs easily fill with |
| can round your back a tiny bit, arch it, look down or up. | | | | air. Your neck is free to move on top of your |
| turn right or left, or put more weight on one seat bone | | | | lengthened spine, your head is perfectly balanced upon |
| and then the other. Do each movement half a dozen | | | | your supple, supporting neck. Your hands easily hold |
| times and experiment with each small movement and | | | | the reins with no tension. |
| your ability to sense yourself , not by thinking and | | | | Then open your eyes and do some walk-trot-walk-trot |
| forcing but by making small movements and noticing | | | | (only a few steps of each) retaining the feeling of a |
| the changes. As you pay attention to each shift in the | | | | supple, supported, balanced you moving in concert with |
| way you are sitting notice changes in your feet and | | | | your horse. |