Centered in the Saddle

I had a lesson on Stryder recently while his leaser, who usually rides in my lesson, was on vacation. (Lucky duck!)

It turned out to be an enlightening lesson. I mean, they all are, but this one especially. I have become used to horses that require a more active ride, which means I don’t have a lot of finesse. Stryder is a horse that likes a quiet ride with lots of finesse. When I ride a horse like him, or Duke, I have to do less.

I immediately thought of this fantastic scene from one of my favorite movies:

“The less you do, the more you do!”

Obviously I have to do something. That includes keeping my abs/back/core firm and less loosey-goosey. It also includes “giving my boobs a little hug” with my upper arms. Yes, that is a direct quote from my trainer. It helped! I was thinking about keeping my armpits still. Not really a body part I typically think about, but it helped keep my shoulders back, arms and hands quiet, and core tighter.

And it also gave me a good chuckle.