Yoga and Horsemanship

What do sea turtles have to do with Yoga...
There breath is very important to them! They're pros at it!

Some of you may already know the benefits of Yoga and it's practice. You may not know however, about the benefits it can have to your riding.

Yoga is an ancient study that has many forms but there are some very basic moves that can be applied directly to riding and even be done mounted or on the ground prior to mounting.

The first principle of Yoga I want to bring attention to is the breath. It is important to pay attention to the breath at all times. This goes for everyday activity and Riding and even groundwork!

I am going to be offering some tips in the coming weeks on my blog about ways to integrate yoga into your riding practice. The first exercise I want to give you is simply to pay attention to your breath and notice things.  Notice when you are breathing normally, notice when you are breathing shallow, notice when you are holding your breath, notice how your whole body feels when you breath in. Do you notice any tense spots? Any stuck areas? Do you feel ease?

Just pay attention to all these things without judging them. It will begin to help you get into your body and in turn connect better to your horse and the things you do together. This is the first step. Then I'll add something else next time. Let me know what you find in the comments section.
Also be sure to check out our clinic in St Vincent on Waterhole Rituals, Riding and Yoga at http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/ Hope to see you there!
http://fdhorsetraining.com/