Spine to Spine Connection

Riding is the only sport that joins two living creatures at their spines. No matter what kind of riding (pleasure, trails, endurance, reining, dressage, jumping, eventing, racing, etc.), as long as the rider is on the horse's back, the two spines are connected.

This spine to spine connection can be a great source of joy, athleticism, accomplishment, confidence and pride for the rider. It can also be a great source of discomfort and pain for both rider and horse.

Think about it. Two completely different living beings using their spines while moving together. Sometimes, the rider and horse move simultaneously in unison. Sometimes, if one spooks and the other doesn't, they move in different directions at different split second times. Ideally, these two spines yield to each other fluidly and continuously in different gaits, over changing terrain and while doing various activities. Even when the two of them are simply standing still while the rider is on the horse's back, these two spines are constantly contacting and influencing each other.

How does the rider take advantage of this constantly dynamic action on her/his spine? Exercise. Exercise and make mobile the moveable parts surrounding the spinal column. Exercise and make mobile those moveable muscles and joints so they can better balance and stabilize the spinal column. Exercise and make mobile those muscles and joints to create more strength and stamina so they can better absorb shock from the horse's movement to the rider's spinal column.

You want your body to be able to absorb every shock your horse's movement sends up your spine. Your spine feels every swish of his tail to his occasional buck. Not only do you want your body to be able to absorb the shocck of your horse's every movement, you want your body to be able to maximize that movement. From collecting on a dime in a reining competition to jumping a 3'6" triple bar.

No other sport puts the kind of load on a person's spine like ridiing. again, any kind of riding. No other sport puts two living, breathing, constantly interacting spines together over constantly changing terrain and conditions.

Hassle Free Exercises for Riders targets an exercise strategy specific to the needs of riders and their spines. These 40+ exercises focus on the area surrounding the spinal column - bones that include the pubic bone in front, the hipbones on the sides and the coccyx and sacrum bones behind, the vertebrae, the muscles and the joints. Hassle Free Exercises for Riders refers to this area as the pelvis or the pelvic area. Some people call it the body core.

Since we are all the sum of our parts, there are also exercises that deal with the legs, feet, arms, hands, neck, shoulders, etc. But remember, all our body parts are connected to our spines. And, our spines are connected to the spines of our horses.

Make that spine to spine connection the best it can be. Maximize that spine to spine connection by making everything surrounding your spine as strong, mobile, stable, flexible, level, balanced and coordinated as it can possibly be. Hassle Free Exercises for Riders will help you make the spine to spine connection with you and your horse truly viable.