Core To Connect

When horseback it is important for the rider to be as athletic as their equine partner. Using their body to help realize their rides full potential &perform with precision. Using the core to connect corners and control through the lengths of the ring will help to maintain stride. Balancing through the center line of the body in turn will balance your mount, yet keep you light in your seat. Keeping space between vertebrae creates a straight spine to allow shoulders to relax back to avoid the (over) arched back. Maintaining mindfulness of the core takes the pressure off your mount’s back by not having your glutes glued to your saddle. This will enable the animal to show off their best movement as well. This also eases the leg’s need to grip as the body will find a secure place to ride from the support stirrups &the angles the knees provide. 

Perceiving your pony’s (or horse’s) pace and the length each stride will take you to reach the the right place to jump. Not from the base, not from sideways, keeping to the center of what will help him form shape over rails. Allowing the reins to not be in the way of your ride’s neck finding the right arch. Not to be behind the vertical. Not to pull the horse in air in a way that will scare him from landing the jump and progressing down the line, out of stride.

In a line, the distance between jumps is set mathematically and you must decide, depending on how you jump in, what pace and length of stride are needed to come out best. The reaction time to realize the distance and pace you are covering is ideally rapid, to ensure fluidity in the course being judged. In effect the mind must be two places, at the present pace and where in the future, obstacles may influence the behavior of a partner without verbal language skills. 

Beyond the oxer, into the corners, the core must connect the rider and the horse to command the sand. To execute the space in the manner that the rider and trainer discussed in the plan for the course will allow the duo to show their strides.