Jane H. Photo: McJukes Photography
Before we worked together, core stability was my biggest hurdle. My tummy would collapse and I’d tip forward. So many people told me to just “sit up” or “lean back more”, and my body simply couldn’t. After three children, all by caesarean, it no longer responded the way it used to. Fear and flight responses that began in pregnancy, and after some bad falls from horses other than my own, left me feeling like a less capable rider than I really was.
The way Yolanda works at Inside Ride, and the methodology she follows, helped me understand the “why” behind it all. The tools she uses help my body develop a proprioceptive way of feeling, and her words and imagery have been pivotal in my body responding effectively. Now I can feel when a change is positive and when I’m becoming more effective in my position. My horse responds too, and we get much better outcomes in all our movements.
What surprised me most was the flow-on, from the tools (balls, bands, stretches) to the phrases and imagery to what I actually do in the saddle. It has shifted my mindset. I believe in myself, my body and its capabilities again, which I never thought I’d get back after having children.
Working with Yolanda alongside my trainer, an FEI Grand Prix rider, has been the connecting piece. As we progress through Prix St Georges and FEI level work, when she asks me to shift my position, give a particular aid or be quicker with a correction, my body actually responds, and so does my horse. I give her key phrases from my lessons with Yolanda to use as position reminders.
Jane H.
Jane shares her equestrian journey as a mother of three on Instagram: @equestrian.mama.co
