23 May Is chronic stress holding you back from improving your riding?
Posted at 14:35h
in The Feeling Rider
Recently I have been talking a lot about our brain – body connection, learning to be more aware of how we are feeling, not only physically but emotionally as well, because both of these things effect our riding and how our horses respond to us. Being physically balanced, flexible and coordinated is only half of the puzzle. Without mindfulness, relaxation and ‘softness’ in our bodies we become strong, rigid riders. We need to have balance between strength and ‘softness’.
I want to talk a little about stress, because stress effects us all. A stressed rider will often be one with hard, tense muscles, lacking feel and ability to change, adapt or be fluid in their movement and responses with the horse. Having horses can be really stressful at times. Trying to fit everything into your busy schedules but also learning that you can’t control everything when it comes to a life with horses.
Your body can become stuck in a state of chronic stress. A racing heart, high anxiety, muscle tension in your neck or jaw, digestive issues, difficulty sleeping, headaches, inflammation and fatigue are all signs your body could be stuck in a state of stress.
When you’re stressed your body will be using a lot of energy to deal with the perceived threat (real or false). Body budgeting is a concept from neuroscience that describes how your brain manages your bodies resources to keep you alive and functioning. The two most expensive things a brain can do, are to learn something new and to move. Which leaves us with a problem when we’re trying to improve our riding and our posture if we’re chronically stressed! When we’re stressed it’s impossible for our body to learn new skills and movement patterns in the saddle. This could be why, no matter how hard you try, things don’t change.
I will be adding some exercises in the coming weeks to the ‘Mindfulness and Relaxation’ section to help you unwind, reduce stress and improve sleep.
