Have you ever noticed how much time we spend warming up our horses?
We ask them to stretch.
To soften.
To loosen through their body before we ask for more.
To soften.
To loosen through their body before we ask for more.
And yet… how often do we climb on stiff as a board and expect ourselves to feel relaxed and confident?
It’s funny when you think about it.
Because stiffness doesn’t just live in your muscles.
It shows up in your riding.
Stiff hips.
Tight shoulders.
Locked joints.
Tight shoulders.
Locked joints.
And when your body stops moving freely, your confidence often starts to tighten right along with it.
Why?
Because riding is movement.
Your horse is moving under you, and your body needs to move with that motion. When joints are tight and muscles are braced, suddenly everything feels harder.
You bounce more.
You grip more.
You feel less secure.
You grip more.
You feel less secure.
And your brain starts asking:
"Uh... are we okay here?
That’s why flexibility changes so much more than your seat.
It changes how safe your body feels in motion.
🐴 Try the Wiggle Walk (From Yoga in Jeans with Sam)
This one is simple… and yes, it might make you laugh.
Walk forward while:
- swinging your arms like you’re swimming
- first forward… then backward
- moving your hips in a gentle figure eight
That’s it.
What happens?
You start loosening:
- shoulders
- hips
- spine
- joints
Your whole body starts waking up.
But here’s the sneaky magic…
Your brain loosens too.
Because it’s really hard to take yourself too seriously when you’re doing something that feels ridiculous.
And that matters.
Laughter softens tension.
Movement releases stiffness.
Play reminds your nervous system that not everything has to feel so serious.
Movement releases stiffness.
Play reminds your nervous system that not everything has to feel so serious.
It’s exactly what we do with our horses in warm up.
We help them loosen before asking for more.
Maybe it’s time we did the same for ourselves.
🐴 Final Thought
Confidence does not always start in your mind.
Sometimes it starts in your hips.
Your shoulders.
Your spine.
Your shoulders.
Your spine.
A looser body creates a looser ride.
And sometimes…
A silly little wiggle walk is exactly what gets everything moving again.
👉 If stiffness, tension, or feeling stuck in your body is affecting your riding confidence, book your Calm-Ride Strategy Call and let’s map out your next flexible step forward.
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