Hello fellow equestrians!
Of course, you all know that riding your horse isn't just about sitting still â thatâs what non-riders think when weâre actually doing it well. The horse is clearly moving a lot and so we actually need to move A LOT to look like weâre sitting still in relation to the horse. Phew! So, it really is a dynamic interplay where you and your horse become one.
Even the most seasoned dressage rider who appears almost motionless, a statue of grace atop their horse is subtly adjusting, responding to every nuance of the horse's movement. Although their spine is tall and head held high, this isn't rigidity, but a fluid, effortless connection.
Body awareness and control is essential for this for sure, but this effortless movement is built on a foundation of mobility, a key ingredient for any rider looking to improve their performance.
What is Mobility, Anyway?
Itâs easy to assume flexibility and mobility are the same thing, but they're not! Flexibility is like stretching your hamstring â lengthening a muscle group. Mobility, on the other hand, is about how well your joints move around a range of motion. Think of it as your hip joint swinging freely or your ankle bending easily. However, flexibility is a component of mobility, as relative tightness of muscles on one side of a joint for example, can can inhibit range of motion and function of that joint. Mobility also involves what's going on in the joint capsule and motor control, as well as the status ofhe soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments).
A big difference in flexibility and mobility is the function it brings: flexibility is bendy, mobility is bendy AND strong! So of course your training needs to address this focus...
Why is Mobility Important for Riders?
Imagine trying to ride a bucking bronco while holding yourself rigid. Not fun, right? Mobility allows you to flow with your horse's movement, maintaining a secure and balanced seat even as your horse changes gaits, navigates challenging terrain or throws in unexpected âdanceâ moves!
Furthermore, a good range of motion in your joints, particularly your spine, hips and ankles, is crucial for maintaining balance in the saddle. This is especially important when riding on uneven ground or executing more demanding movements like lateral work or jumping.
Perhaps most importantly, mobility allows you to communicate more clearly with your horse. When you are mobile, you can:
- Use your legs more effectively: providing clear and consistent aids.
- Maintain an independent seat: Your seat can remain balanced and supportive, while your other body parts move or remain still through transitions and various moves.
- Follow your horse's movement: Your hands can follow your horse's movement with precision, allowing for light and effective contact.
What the best way to improve mobility?
Mobility training! Well duh, but what does that entail, you ask? It incorporates movement through joints at end ranges of stretch for muscles â often called âdynamic stretchesâ as opposed to static ones where you hold still (these are for flexibility training), but also some elements of strength/resistance and stability. Iâll go into more on the very important strength part of mobility in another edition - but this is why, in my FitScience EQ rider fitness programs, there are so many exericises that combine all these factors together.
For example, the dynamic stretch of taking both arms all the way overhead, cirlcing them out and back behind you can become more useful for mobility with the addition of holding a stick/ towel/ rope or long band with both hands. Then you will feel the resistance and extra stretch. Body weight can be useful for resitance as well as basic equipment.
If this all sounds familiar, then yes, practices such as yoga, Pilates and calisthenics are SUPER for mobility.
Your homework; should you choose to accept it!
If I had to give you just ONE thing that would be effective, that you can do today, and every day forth of your riding life, to improve and maintain mobility, it would be this yoga style flow. (clink the link for the video)
Itâs inspired by a sun salutation, with a twist. Itâs hitting the hammies, the lower back, upper back and chest, the front and back of hips, calves and the all-important rotation through the torso. And all this promotes mobility in the key joints riders need it most; hips, ankles and thoracic spine. (Tip: in that last photo where I'm reaching up, I'm also reaching over towards the opposite side & that really increases the stretch into that hip and the side of the torso).
You can do a full sun salutation and and add the plank and the cobra etc or extend it and add the pigeon to get more glutes if you like. And if youâre not already a bendy Gumby, you can certainly take out the bit where I drop the elbow to the ground, and simply stretch forward into a lunge with hands resting on the front leg. But any version of this to hit the key areas for riders, and for you, could be a game-changer in the saddle. Especially if itâs between doing this one simple thing, or nothing!
You can do it less than 2 minutes, but if you really want it to work, then repeat it 3 times per day or do several rounds in a 10-minute session. Take is easy at first if youâre particularly stiff, donât push it. With regular repetition, the mobility will come. The human body was built to move and it LOVES it!
BONUS TIP: How to do it every day?
Do it regularly and create the habit with a technique called 'Habit Stacking'. Add this little movement snack after something you do daily. e.g. after you brush your teeth, do your mobility flow.
I guarantee both your body and your horse will thank you. Or would that be thank me?
OK, over to you. Gumby time!
Dr Fi x
P.S. Want more?
Check out my High-Performance Equestrian Podcast, Episode 9 for more on rider mobility and the other episodes for topics on unlocking your full potential as a rider.
And don't forget, my rider fitness programs can be delivered to you in my FitScience EQ app to really get that mobility sorted - info here! :)
