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Rider
rebalancing starts on the ground with a series of awareness exercises that draw the
student's attention to subtleties of stance. This is an information-gathering process for
rider and instructor, helping to establish the student's degree of body awareness and
ability to make and feel the tiny changes in position that have a surprisingly profound
effect on stability. The goal of this exercise is a feeling that the feet are grounded and
the person is able to stand in a comfortable, stable position. |
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"Stacey has a real gift of being able to sense how my position
and aids influence what we are seeing in the horse. She has taught me subtle ways to help
my horse carry himself or herself better. She has taught me how to use my breath to
establish a firm and effective seat and legs.
"She gave me a tremendous amount of help with a particularly sensitive mare I
was riding by helping me to better understand connection between my hands on the reins, my
seat and my legs.
"Stacey doesn't miss a thing when you are sitting in the saddle. She will try
different approaches to the same challenge until horse and rider understand and experience
success.
"I'd recommend Stacey to any level rider - beginner to advanced. She has the
knowledge and expertise to meet you and your horse wherever you're at and take you to the
next level of partnership."Juli Lynch, Ph.D
Organizatinal Psychologist
Lake Mills, Wisconsin
Dressage and endurance rider |
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Then
we take that stability to the saddle, using the same awareness and subtle adjustment to
create a feeling of groundedness in the seat. After a few simple awareness checks, riders
find the same comfortable, solid feeling sitting on the horse that they achieved on the
ground. |
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After
the seat is stable, attention turns to adding motion. First we explore how a stable seat
allows for easy leg movements that do not disturb balance - those independent leg aids
riders work so hard to achieve. Then we add the motion of the horse and explore how to
maintain the greatest possible range of motion from that stable seat position. The horse's
input becomes invaluable at this point as the rider feels how minute adjustments in body
alignment, movement and even breath can change the horse's gait and demeanor in very
obvious ways. |
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All that's left is for the
rider to practice riding in this new stable position.
Both the instructor's eye and the horse's gait and demeanor help suggest when the
student is moving freely from a solid base and when she has reverted back to
old postural habits that decrease or even stop the movement of the seat.
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