How Strength Benefits Equestrians

How Strong Are You?

When you hear that question, what comes to mind?  Most likely, physical strength.  But, there is also emotional strength--how brave you are.  Other names for strength are:  strong, tough, resilient, stable, steadfast, resolute, steadiness.  And some basic definitions of strength are:  

"the quality and state of being physically strong" and "to be able to withstand great force or pressure."

Strength is important in riding and yoga.  In yoga the word for strength is "sthira".  This is also interpreted as a steady, strong foundation.  Which again, applies just as much to our horseback riding as it does to a yoga practice.

Yoga can make you stronger. It builds strength in the muscles, especially core muscles, as we use and support our own body weight in the poses.  It can also make your nervous system more resilient, help relieve pain and increase mental capacity.  Wow--sign me up!!!

As muscles gain strength, they help to stabilize the joints.  Building strength can also help to improve bone density; preserve lean muscle mass; help improve the resting metabolic rate and have an overall positive affect on mental health.  

Since yoga poses involve using the whole body, there are main muscles which each poses focuses on, but other muscle groups are also working to stabilize the body as accessory actions to the main muscle groups.  

So yoga can be a great form of functional strength training.  This type of training builds strength in the whole body so you can easily perform daily activities in the real world.  And that real world activity for equestrians is our riding.  

In my experience, the stronger that you physically feel, the more confident you will feel in the saddle.  I have had a few injuries over the last few years that have kept me out of the saddle for an extended period of time.  When I came back, I wasn't physically as strong and not as brave either.  

Working on building my strength with my yoga practice gave me the physical and emotional confidence, to get back in the saddle.  

When we ride, we do need to have a balance between strength and flexibility.  Our strength comes mainly from a strong and stable core.  We have to be able to not grip with the legs or lock our arms, so that we can move with the horse.  Sometimes we do need that momentary leg strength while we are riding, but we also need to be able to be soft with the leg and the hand and use our core for our main stability and strength without gripping.

One of the Yoga Sutras speaks to the balance of these efforts: 

Sutra 2.46  "sthira sukham asanam"

This translates to: 

"postures should be stable and comfortable" and "a balance of 'effort' and ease."

To me, that definition is so true of our riding.  I found these two equestrian definitions of the Sutra that really speak to this idea.

"You need to be steady but joyful in the saddle."  And "Soft hands, steady seat."

I think that kind of says it all!

Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter for more information about how yoga can help you in and out of the saddle!