If we take the time and pay attention we can learn about riding from many other activities and disciplines. Stop regularly and ask yourself, what does xyz teach me about riding?
I enjoy swimming. What does swimming teach me about riding?
Here are some of my thoughts:
To become more effective it is necessary to let go in the water and allow the water to support you…it is the same with riding!
If you don’t “let go” the water cannot support you and most of your effort with your limbs will be directed to just staying afloat…the same with riding!
To let go when we swim we must trust and embrace the water. To let go when we ride we must trust and embrace the horse.
If we don’t trust we cannot let go…
Watch an average adult swimming session. The swimmers are mainly only just capable of staying afloat and yet are expending huge amounts of energy and effort. Their definition of swimming is “staying afloat from A to B”. Invariably these swimmers have tight backs and necks. This restricts limb movement and necessitates rapid limb movement to stay afloat. There is a lot of wasted effort.
Often in a group of swimmers you see one swimmer who appears at ease in the water. The movement is graceful, easy and rhythmic. She looks like she can go on forever. It looks like little effort and it is little effort. The other swimmers appear not to notice the experienced swimmer and show no curiosity as to what she is doing differently.
If asked about the lone swimmer the others may remark: the swimmer is a “natural”; the swimmer has a better body structure for swimming; the swimmer has more time to practice than them. They rarely say this swimmer has understood the mechanics of swimming and has given themselves to the water.
More understanding means less effort and so more grace and beauty. Less understanding means more effort, often more force and so more injuries.
What does the lone swimmer feel like in the pool?
-She feels calm, supported and light
-Her brain is primarily feeling not thinking
-She is continually releasing unwanted tension in her muscles
-She maintains a steady rhythm. The rhythm is like a drug; a non-stop dance
-Her breathing is coordinated with the rhythm. It is deep and regular.
-She uses her out breath to let go and wait
-She is aware of her straightness and symmetry left to right and she continually realigns herself
-Nothing in her body blocks the power of her limbs. The energy from behind (the legs) goes right through the body to the tips of the fingers which direct the energy
-She feels good. She feels alive.
What are the adaptations we can take from swimming to riding?
The swimmer has learnt to change “strokes” and not get stuck in any one stroke. The changed stroke gives feedback and stretches different muscle groups. The implication of this is that we should change pace and outline when we work our horses to avoid overworking certain muscle groups.
She has learnt that backstroke requires soft knees. When she stiffens her knees her lower back tightens. She feels this and focuses on releasing the tightness in her knees. Many swimmers curl their neck and head out of the water and allow their bottom to sink. This is inefficient as the curve impedes forward progress. This can be corrected by raising the bottom and relaxing the head and neck back in the water. This really emphasises the need for a mechanically efficient shape to avoid wasted effort. This explains why we need our horse to be “straight”.
She has learnt that breast stroke is like “rowing”. There is a moment of suspension where we are carried forward by our momentum. Back stroke is like a paddle boat there is no moment of suspension.
She has learnt that swimming in circles is difficult and a figure of eight is very difficult on the change. Swimming in a circle requires the use of mainly the outside arm and inside leg just like riding!
She has learnt that swimming in one place (ie treading water) is easy when relaxed but difficult with effort. A huge effort is always required to move on again if tension has crept in. This must be rather like piaffe for the horse.
She has learnt to warm-up slowly and gradually put in more effort to reach full potential.
She has learnt to cool-down slowly and keep warm after the swim. She eats and drinks afterwards. It is the same for our horse.
She has learnt to experiment and try new techniques. What if I stretch more through my shoulders? What if I really keep my fingers together and arms aligned?
She has learnt from her experiences.
I think that swimming helps us to appreciate what it is like to be a horse being trained for dressage. It also helps us to appreciate the qualities of a good rider/trainer. Swimming builds fitness, suppleness and core strength for riding. It is a symmetrical activity and so helps to build evenness so vital for riding well. Done correctly it helps to loosen the lower back. I would strongly recommend swimming to all riders.
In contrast, my brother rides motorcycle trials. The aim is to make it through a section, a marked route which could be outdoors (natural) or indoors (man-made). A stop receives 5 penalties. Using one foot as a support receives 1 penalty. 2 penalties are received for using two feet at the same time or one foot twice. More than two “dabs” but with no loss of forward progression gets a maximum of 3 penalties.
Time and again I am struck by the similarities between riding a horse effectively and riding a trials bike effectively. The top riders have immense core strength. They are incredibly aware of balance – the consequences of a lack of it are so much greater for the trials rider than the dressage rider. The horse can be clever and protect itself and its rider – a bike knows none of these things!
Whilst the trials rider does not sit on a saddle the principles of good posture are evident – shoulder-hip-heel alignment. To rise to the top of the sport the trials rider unites with the bike and develops great “feel”. The rider needs to choose a good route through the section. This involves selecting the right gear, the right mix of energy (throttle control), energy control (clutch control) and brakes to ensure the bike stays forwards, straight and in balance! Easy? No. Although a bike is built straight it is still possible to lose straightness in movement when the front wheel becomes misaligned with the path of the rear wheel. As a result the engine loses its ability to drive the bike forwards.
The difference between the bike and the horse is that the new bike comes out of the factory built for trials – the rider can only damage it. No amount of good bike riding will improve the bike. On the contrary the horse is built relatively weakly and with good training we aim to improve his strength and ability to do things.
Well ridden, the trials bike is able to execute the same range of movements as the well ridden horse including jumps (onto and off great heights), airs above the ground, pirouettes on rear and front wheels. It strikes me that the throttle, like the rider’s leg, creates energy. The clutch, like the rider’s pelvis, controls that energy. The brake (like the rider’s hand) is used sparingly and carefully. If it is used too much for the forwards energy you lose the rear wheel. It is interesting that the trials rider learns these things quickly. He has no-one else to blame (stupid horse!) And it hurts a lot more when he gets it wrong!
The trials rider is also acutely aware of the evenness of his weight, side to side. If he leans too much one way the bike is very unforgiving (unlike the stupid horse eh?). I think all riders would benefit from watching or even trying motorbike trials.
What other hobbies/activities do you have?
What do they teach you about riding?
Many riders are obsessive about horses. Horses are their lifestyle. Horses don’t leave much time for other interests. I would like to encourage you to take up more activities. Complementary activities such as pilates, swimming, yoga, martial arts will help with your riding.
If you don’t have time to fit in other activities observe your partner, friends and family in their activities. Ask yourself, what can I learn that I can apply in my riding? This has two great advantages. First of all riding as a sport is relatively closed minded and this means there is little scope for innovation. Second, if we tie up too much of our self worth in riding what happens when we are unable to do it? Taking part in other activities builds resilience.
Things to remember
Know yourself.
Take responsibility! Don’t give power away (eg to trainers, saddlers etc).
Choose consciously. Never react! Stop, breathe deeply, think through the options, make a wiser choice!
Never stop learning. Learn how to be more effective in your learning.
Open and free your mind. Ask more questions.
Seek knowledge. Be discerning: Use Systems Thinking to sort the wheat from the chaff. Choose what makes sense. Store it and use it. Be prepared to challenge it in future.
Learn how to use books.
Understand your learning zone and work to expand it.
Do more activities, especially those complementary to riding, such as swimming and Pilates. Learn from these activities.