You bring a different body to the mat every day and horses are not furry bicycles

One of the things I have learned about practising yoga is that you bring a different body to the mat every day. The trick is to accept the body you bring today and find your fit. Breathe.

With all the short day trips we have been doing lately, Luba has been loading like a pro. She loads for Charlotte, she loads for strangers, she loads for me and she even loaded herself one day for the return trip. I pointed her at the trailer and she walked on.

On Saturday, we moved Luba to her new home at Horses of the Sun in Vars.  Here is how she looked this morning:

spontaneous left canter enjoyment at HOTS

On Saturday morning, Charlotte loaded Luba on the trailer and we headed to Roadapple Ranch for the First Annual Haunted Horse Haul.

All 9 of us had a great 3 hours on the trail. On the way home, Ryan noticed that Luba had lost one of her hoof boots. So we let the others go ahead and turned around to go look for it. These were the same trails Luba and I last rode for the Stormont 75.  But Luba and I were bringing different bodies to the trail this day.

She happily left the group at at strong trot and we flew back to the "ravine" part of trail where we found the lost boot. Luba stood quietly while I put it back on and and we turned around again to catch up with everyone.  We were on fire (well, a controlled burn).  Big trot and lovely canters. When we joined back up with the main trail, we went left, cantering all the way to the trailhead parking lot on the Berwick Road. By then, I realized that the others must have turned right. We were having so much fun, we just kept on going, trotting and cantering our way back to Roadapple Ranch. Fun, fun fun.

When it was time to leave the farm, Luba had a different idea.  I was mad at Luba. I forgot that we bring a different body to the mat every day.  And that horses are not furry bicycles (as Gayle Ecker once said).

Thanks to Mike for pointing out being angry was not going to get Luba to load on the trailer.  Horses are bigger than we are. The trick is to accept the body (horse) you bring today and find your fit. Breathe.

So with calm, firm convincing, especially from Denise, we found our fit, loaded up and drove to our new home, ready to experience life with horses at Horses of the Sun.

coffee machine stretch

Luba and I took it down a notch after the Stormont 75.  I gave her a couple of weeks off, she got adjusted, I got adusted. Our first ride was 30 minutes of walking and grazing in the back field. Bringing ourselves back slowly off of the R&R.

Another piece of the puzzle is to become more relaxed about trailering. So we have been trying to get out for day trips. So every time we get on the trailer, it is not a 4-6 hour drive, two or three nights of camping and a 50 mile ride thrown in for good measure.

So far, this strategy seems to be working! Luba is loading like a pro and has even started eating on the trailer! Here is some photographic evidence.

Our most recent day trip was to Venturing Hills in Luskville, Quebec for a clinic with physiotherapist, Sandra Sokolowski. Her mantra is "The posture you live in is the posture you ride in!"

We did a videotaped mounted semi-private session followed by a private physio-therapy assessment and a group exercise session.  She tries to focus on a few targeted exercises and give you tips so that you can incorporate into your existing daily routine. Here is my list:

1. Toilet stretch - when you go to the bathroom, bring one leg across the knee of your opposite leg and fold forward. Repeat on the other side.

2. Springy legs on bike - when you ride your bike to work, keep "springy legs" - loose and flexible heels, knees, hips - with no side-to-side movements.

3. Oblique sit ups. More oblique sit ups. And then more oblique sit ups.

4. Stand as if you were on a horse - feet hips width apart, springy legs, engage pelvic floor (otherwise known as mula bandha). Fold forward slightly at the hips as if you were in two point and keep upper back soft. This will keep your lower back round and strong. Hold 3-10 pound weights in each hand and move them out and back as if they were following the reins.

5. Lunge forward until your calf is perpendicular to the floor (your can still see your toe). Face forward and let your hip fold, push straight up from your heel and feel your glutes engage to push you to standing position over your front leg. Repeat repeat repeat. Repeat on other side.

Oh yeah. And breathe.

The most important stretch for all riders is one that I practice every day at the office. It is called the coffee machine stretch or the microwave stretch or the photocopier stretch.  When you are waiting by one of these machines, take that minute to practise this stretch.

Stand with feet about hips width apart. Fold forward and grasp your elbows so you are hanging like a rag doll. Breathe. When the coffee is almost ready, pull your belly button in towards your spine as if you had a porcupine on your belly. Keep breathing. When the coffee is ready, release the position and slowly roll up. Put your hands in your back pockets and open your heart, arching gently back for a few breaths.

Add a bit of cream and a teaspoonful of honey. Stir and enjoy.