Trisha wren ~ Connect With Your Horse

Rider / Auditor comments:

Showed really well how to slow down a horse that wants to take off at a faster trot by turning your body and jiggling your inside leg so your calf muscles are connecting with the horse’s sides. It slows the horse right down. Correct posture helps your back in riding and walking if you have a back problem.

Doing heart girth and belly lifts before saddling had my horse quieter (standing still) for saddling. Enlightening to see how opening / softening thighs took even more hollow from my lower back. Float loading improved when my pelvis was rotated to ask him to lead past me!

I realise how much less is more!

Connected Riding® Clinic Report

Held Kyneton 25 – 27 April 2008
by Jenny Spilsbury
 
What is ‘Connected Riding®?

Connected Riding® was formulated by an American, Peggy Cummings, in an effort to overcome pain caused by injuries which threatened to stop her riding altogether.

Connected Riding® ‘is a holistic approach to classical riding principles that bio-mechanically enhances freedom of movement for the performance, health and longevity of both horse and rider.

In order for there to be self-carriage, flow, and brilliance in a horse’s movement, a horse must be allowed to release at the poll, lift the back and withers, telescope the neck and push through from the hindquarters in each stride. The rider, whether working in hand from the ground or riding, must be free in the joints to balance and receive the horse’s motion without bracing or blocking the movement.

The techniques of Connected Riding® show riders how to find the place where the body can automatically rebalance itself while influencing and moving with the horse’s motion’. (From Peggy Cummings Connected Riding® website)

Peggy Cummings conducted a three hour demonstration at Yering in March – which gave those who attended an insight into what Connected Riding® is and how it can help us as riders to ride more effectively but more importantly how it can help free our horse’s body and movement.

This created enough interest for Accredited Connected Riding® Instructor Trisha Wren to come to Australia (from NZ) and run 3 introductory clinics last month.

The first clinic was held at Macedon Ranges Equestrian Centre near Kyneton over the Anzac weekend in April. Seven of nine possible riding spots were filled and 3 auditors (participating spectators) also attended the 3 day school.

Riders and auditors covered such topics as human and horse body awareness, breathing and how it influences our posture, postural awareness exercises, in pairs without horses, clearly demonstrated the direct (and sometimes harsh and unpleasant) effects of body and hands, on our horse’s mouth and body in general. Tension release exercises for us and our horses, groundwork techniques to free our horses from habitual bracing patterns and to better prepare them to carry a rider with a soft and round back from the start had an amazing effect on the horses. Riders then went on with position and posture in the saddle, and self check techniques were followed by ridden practise and more practise. Trisha encouraged people to ask questions and watch others, as everyone has different habits in their riding, but the basics of good posture is applicable to all whatever level of riding or equine discipline.

The venue was perfect, with an communal viewing room and kitchen (with wood heater) for the theory side of things and a lovely 60x20 indoor open to the east with beautiful bush back drop and first rate facilities for horses.

Participants were enthusiastic and all took much home to think about and practice. One participant said of the Clinic, “My horse is a direct reflection of the subconscious tension in my own body. When he sucked back and wouldn’t go forward, I thought he was being difficult, and others said to “ride him through it”, now I realise he was responding to my body’s bracing and tension patterns. Tension I was aware of, but how to fix it? Now I have those tools!”

Warragul Clinic Report

28-30 April 2008
by Sue McKibbin

Trisha Wren held a brilliant 3 day clinic at the Warragul RDA covered arena last week. Although the torrential rain kept away many of the spectators who had planned to come the six and a half riders and five auditors who braved the wintery conditions were well rewarded. Through explorations of subtle changes in posture they were able to experience for themselves how to move more freely and easily, and how to be effortlessly strong. When this was applied to riding and their position on the horses, the riders sat securely in the saddle with truly independent hands and legs and a deep balanced seat.

Trisha also introduced ‘Connected Groundwork’ which helps the horse to learn to be balanced, release tight muscles and move in self carriage before the rider gets on his back.

Some of the riders had their own physical issues such as scoliosis, arthritis and fibromyalgia. But they were stunned at how much less pain and discomfort they had when in the right posture, how their own standing and walking was more effortless, and how easily they could influence their horses, on the ground and in the saddle.

Imagine, if this Connected Riding work could help the riders feel so much freer and more comfortable, how fantastic it would be to give the same freedom from tension, comfort and forwardness of movement to our horses!

Trisha’s clinic was held as a fundraiser and volunteer training for the Warragul RDA.