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Rider Pilates

Pilates for Horse Rider.

Chase away the overexcesses of the festive period with our Equi-Pilates classes.

Our Pilates classes will start on the 26th January. Classes will be on Monday evenings, at Littlebourne War Memorial Hall from 7.30-8.30pm.  Classes will cost £4 and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
You will need to bring your own mat and it is advisable to bring a small towel.

Fitness Pilates is a training method which primarily focuses on the core.  The core is made up of a group of muscles, they are positioned deep inside and around the torso which support all of the internal organs keeping them in the correct position, holding the body upright and providing stability as we move around our daily tasks. With lack of use these muscles can degenerate which will cause an imbalance within the body ultimately leading to injury in the surrounding joints, ligaments and tendons.  To work the core muscles effectively we need to contract and challenge them under limb load or on an unstable surface to encourage them to react quicker and stabilise the body.

Fitness Pilates is a training method that is designed to enhance the posture, strength, balance and stability of a healthy adult. The aim of Fitness Pilates is to identify basic postural imbalances and through Pilates based exercises: increase muscular balance and strength, improve posture, improve core and back strength and to promote optimum function when carrying out everyday tasks.
 
Horse riding enthusiasts can most definitely benefit from this type of training to assist their riding technique as it tones your muscles from the inside out, encourages the core to react quicker and to stabilise and balance the body.  It enables the rider to isolate certain limbs to promote an independent seat, accurate aids and ultimately a much more sophisticated riding style. 
 
Our instructor is a highly qualified fitness instructor who has been riding for a number of years and has found that Pilates has greatly improved her own strength and posture both in the saddle and off and as a bonus has enabled her to ride her horse with better balance and control.]



Extract from: http://www.pilatescentral.co.uk/pilates-for-horse-riding.asp

A growing number of riders use Pilates to build core strength, suppleness, flexibility, grace and balance, as well as to improve general body awareness.

The perfect riding position is called the 'classical seat'. It requires the rider sit in such a way that each part of the body rests on the part directly below it, enabling the weight of the rider to reach the horse in a straight line. This minimises discomfort to the horse, while giving security and comfort to the rider along with the ability to guide the horse with ease and efficiency. Done well, human and horse can work as one.

A general Pilates programme will develop the necessary postural alignment and balance, while specific exercises can enhance the ability to move one body part - say, the legs - without the need for major readjustment of the hips and torso.

Since a rider must cope with a horse moving both vertically and horizontally, core strength is vital, as is resilience within the body to maintain the 'classical seat'.

Betsy Steiner, a former member of the United States Dressage Team, is just one riding trainer who recommends Pilates. In fact, she includes a Pilates programme in her book, 'A Gymnastic Riding System Using Mind, Body And Spirit' (equilates.com) and advises riders of all levels to do Pilates three times a week.