Page 4 - CR NEWS Summer 2020

By Dorothy Crosby
BUILDING BLOCKS
Building Blocks align your body and give you true and consistent balance over your horse’s center of gravity, allowing you to stay secure while following his movements smoothly and comfortably.
4
By Annika Schulman
Shoulder Release
Shoulder tension is common in riders, especially women. One of my favorite non-contact releases is fairly simple and transfers the responsibility for holding up the shoulders from the rider to her correct body part.
After a brief discussion of what the rib cage is for (most riders say "to protect your guts" and have no idea it supports their shoulder girdle), I have them tap both sides of their rib cage (photo 1) to create body awareness and physically locate where it is. Then, I have them shrug their shoulders up toward their ears and hold for a few seconds. This helps eliminate some muscle tension (photo 2). Lastly, roll the shoulders back and slowly lower them down, feeling the shoulder blades "slide" over the rib cage (photo 3). When the rider "lets go" of their shoulders and arms, their shoulder girdle is holding up their shoulders and the responsibility has been transferred.
Photo 1: Patting the ribs Photo 2: Shrugging the shoulders. Photo 3: Releasing the shoulders.
This can be repeated several times or not; some gentle reminders to "shrug your shoulders" throughout the ride help reinforce this periodically, as needed. n
Dorothy Crosby is a Level III Centered Riding Clinician living in Stoddard, New Hampshire.
Leg Exercise (Mounted at Walk)
Leg exercise while walking your horse mounted:
First, take one foot out of the stirrup, bend your knee and hold your foot by the ankle with your hand (both reins in the other hand). Let your knee sink towards the ground and let the front of your thigh stretch. Check that you stay centered and your lower back is in neutral position. Do this first to one leg, then to the other, keeping one foot in the stirrup as you do this stretch.
Then take both feet out of the stirrups and let your legs hang free. Lift the front of your foot and in your mind, direct your heels toward the horse’s hind hooves, so that your hip joints open. Check that you stay centered and your lower back is in neutral position.
Last of all, relax your legs, let them hang free without the stirrups, and feel the swing in your hips and legs from your horses walk.
Put your feet back in the stirrups, and enjoy your long and relaxed legs!n Annika Schulman is a Level III Centered Riding Clinician living in Helsinki, Finland.