What happens to the horse when rider breathes?
- Thread starter Skib
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Depends how and when you breathe, breathing in and lifting diaphram will also produce elevation/collection, breathing out can be used effectively in direct downward's transitions eg canter/halt. In these cases however it is more the overall impact on your body position that the breathing produces.
Rhythmical steady breathing generally helps the rider to retain rhythmical paces.
Biggest problem for most however is remembering to breathe at all, particularly when trying new things!!
Rhythmical steady breathing generally helps the rider to retain rhythmical paces.
Biggest problem for most however is remembering to breathe at all, particularly when trying new things!!
I guess as eml says it depends, but I use breathing to relax us both. Today I went out for a plod and could feel myself a little tense - I was concerned about passing a particular horse that tends to go a tad loopy in the field when we walk by. I sighed loudly to get my body to relax, and almost immediately, my horse did the same he sighed, his head lowered and his ears relaxed a little. It was lovely to see how in tune we are and recognise what to do to make ourselves more chilled out about the situation.
Absolutely what Flipo's Mum said. If I am tensing up for any reason out hacking and feel Dolly picking up on it, if I make myself breath deeply and sigh then she will echo this and we both relax again!. A couple of old ladies sighing our way around the countryside.:giggle:
If I want to slow a fast trot I tend to use my breathing and thereby my body posture to bring the pace back a bit.
If I want to slow a fast trot I tend to use my breathing and thereby my body posture to bring the pace back a bit.
Horses breathe rhythmically and deeply, right into their rib-cages. Often people breathe in a shallow way -and when we are nervous or concentrating our breath gets choppy & erratic or we breath-hold. Horse only do this when there is a problem, for example horses hold their breath when they sense danger so they can hear better. If a rider holds their breath this may transmit the same message as horses notice breath-holding in each other.
Horses in my experience are very tuned into breath so I make a conscious effort to inhale and exhale slowly, rhythmically and deeply whenever I am around horses. It is surprising how often this will result ion a horse sighing etc too. It makes a BIG difference.
Also horses exhale when they make a transition change, jump, turn or change direction. So I believe it helps the horse if we also exhale when we ask for a transition and to exhale over a jump. BY being consistent with this I soon found I could use 'breath-aids' to change transition with Thyme!
Horses in my experience are very tuned into breath so I make a conscious effort to inhale and exhale slowly, rhythmically and deeply whenever I am around horses. It is surprising how often this will result ion a horse sighing etc too. It makes a BIG difference.
Also horses exhale when they make a transition change, jump, turn or change direction. So I believe it helps the horse if we also exhale when we ask for a transition and to exhale over a jump. BY being consistent with this I soon found I could use 'breath-aids' to change transition with Thyme!
I am terrible at breathing! When I am jumping I completely forget to breathe and I hold my breath the whole way round and then collaspe in a heap. I have to make myself count the horses strides out loud so that I remember to exhale!
I'm not very good at breathing to relax. I am by nature a tense rider and when I get tense the last thing that I can do is take deep breaths and relax.
I'm not very good at breathing to relax. I am by nature a tense rider and when I get tense the last thing that I can do is take deep breaths and relax.
The slow, deep breathing I learned from Mark Rashid years ago was what taught me to canter smoothly (out on hacks) - So I resolved to breathe in my school lessons too. I was ashamed of how out of breath I got trotting in my lessons. Out hacking I pride myself on rising in trot a whole long long way, even when riding first - well able to continue as long as my young escorts.
So there I was on an already warmed up RS pony, careful to do my breathing. Expecting her to flow forward unhampered in walk and trot. Instead she too relaxed, slower and sleepy. Which makes sense of course, but wasnt my intention.
I need more sophistication - thank you for the comments.
So there I was on an already warmed up RS pony, careful to do my breathing. Expecting her to flow forward unhampered in walk and trot. Instead she too relaxed, slower and sleepy. Which makes sense of course, but wasnt my intention.
I need more sophistication - thank you for the comments.
Did you think of putting more energy into your breathing? And focus - my RI is very keen on focusing on where you want to go.
Hebe responds to a slow outbreath as an aid to halt; a quick huff for more impulsion. But only when she's in a listening mood ...
Hebe responds to a slow outbreath as an aid to halt; a quick huff for more impulsion. But only when she's in a listening mood ...
The cob stops if I sigh, she has been taught to feel what my body is doing. I would like her to slow if I lose a stirrup as well and stop if I depart. Other pony used to do the same.
Though he would slam on the breaks if he heard a packet being opened!!!
Though he would slam on the breaks if he heard a packet being opened!!!
I don't know if you have read Sally Swifts 'Centred Riding' Skib, but this was the book that opened my eyes to how breathing correctly could make a difference to how the horse responded and how it could keep a slightly nervous horse calm. Also, I try to stay aware of how my breathing is around the horse if I'm grooming or tacking up before a ride, especially if the horse is a bit nervous around people.
There is an interesting account in one of the Rashid books about getting reluctant horses moving. He talks about the rider having a sense of urgency. He was teaching a man whose horse was very slow and Mark shouted, "Quick - the cows are getting out. GO!" This visualisation (there weren't really any cows!) made the man suddenly sit up with purpose and intent and his horse upped her energy levels too. I bet that the changes in urgency also affected his breathing. When we are excited we pant. And horses snort.
So yes, your experience makes perfect sense! Breathing can be used to pep up or calm down. Another way of balancing the horses energy levels I guess. Mark recommends aiming for a 10 - so if the horse is at an 8 - ie snorting, spooking, you should drop your energy to 2 - deep calm breathing, quiet hands etc. On the other hands if your horse is at a 2 (asleep on his feet) you might want to imagine the barn is on fire and you are on your way to rescue the rest of the herd!
Sounds a bit like Jack, to wake him up you woke up. I get given kids ponies to hunt that are dopes because I can get my energy up and we have a ball, but riding if mine is up it won't normally go down. They used to call it an electric seat didn't they? I can be low but underneath the horse is unconscious!!!!
Hot a**e was what they used to call it where I learnt to ride
We must have been posher than you - it was an electric bum in my world!:bounce:
I know in the riding school the term was used when the experienced riders rode the plods that always had novices riding them as a rule and the plods used to become different horses as if they knew they could have abit of fun and not worry about the rider in the usual way,the instructed used to say this is what we call a rider with a hot a**e it was nice to see the usual plods having abit of fun with a spring in their step.I wouldn't could say if it was due to breathing back then,I wasn't experienced enough,but I know with malaika my breathing really effects me,I have to remind myself to breath sometimes and its malaika that reminds me to as she changes so I do think it effects them,when I'm breathing in a rhythm she is relaxed and finds a rhythm herself but if I bring my life up she does too,a long breath out will stop her 99% of the time.
A deep breath in on my boy is the signal I am going to ask for an upward transition, normally to canter, my sharer has taken quite a while to realise that and control her breathing better so he doesn't pop into canter all the time :tongue:
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