Plaiting up is a key part of competition – good presentation is really important to not only show off your horse as best as possible, but to also show that you are committed to the sport and that you’ve taken the time to prepare properly.
At Gooromon Park, Amanda is our resident plaiting expert, and has decades of experience preparing horses for competition. Here, she shows us her techniques for getting really great plaits that are even, secure and that really show off your horse’s beautiful neck and frame.
Shannon’s top 6 exercises to build strength to help you improve your riding position.
To become a better horse rider we need to gain a greater control of our bodies. This greater level of control helps you stabilize your body as the horse moves in any pace, helps you develop and improve the correct horse riding position and this in turn helps you communicate better with your horses.
During this period we know many of you are missing your regular riding sessions. In order to keep your bodies in shape and ready to tackle the task of riding once we are cleared to reopen we have worked with Shannon Breen from Miss Fit Strength and Conditioning to develop a key set of exercises that can help you dramatically improve your strength.
So lets take another look at the exercises:
The Copenhagen
Side plank from your top side foot and bottom side hand.
Squeezing your bottom leg up to join your top leg.
Dynamic! Make this exercise more challenging by lowering the bottom hip toward the ground and then driving it up away from the ground. As you do this lower, then lift the bottom leg as well.
Scaled. If this movement is new to you and you need to build into the Copenhagen side plank, start with a side plank from the ground. Set up on your elbow and forearm and the side of your foot.
You should feel: Inner Thighs, Core
The Deadbug
Set up with knees above hips, hands above shoulders and lower back pressed to the ground.
Alternating, lower the opposite arm and leg toward the ground and back to the starting position. Ensure the lower back remains pressing into the ground.
You should feel: Abs
The Glute Bridge
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat to the floor.
Shorten your abs and press your lower back into the ground.
Keeping your abs short, press your hips up, drive your knees apart and tension your glutes.
Tap hips and lower back to the ground and repeat
You should feel: Glutes Core
The Bird dog
Beginning on all fours
Shorten your abs and bring belly button to spine,
Lifting your lower back
Reach long with your opposite arm and leg,
Working through the Glutes and mid back.
You should feel: Glutes Core Mid back
The YWT
Lying face down, use your arms to make a Y shape, pull down into a W and then straighten out to a T .
Pull the shoulder blades down and together
You should feel: Mid back
Single Romanian leg lift
Standing on one leg, ensure your foot, knee and hip are straight and in alignment with one another.
Hinge forward from the hip, taking the hips back until the chest is parallel to the floor.
Drive your hips back underneath you, returning to standing.
You should feel: Standing leg Glute and hamstring Core Arch of the foot
