This time of year my tack trunk sees an influx of horse treats, like majorly. I’m talking baby carrots, German Horse Muffins, Mrs. Pastures, some extra special homemade molasses cookies and more. There are treats upon treats in my tack trunk right now.
The treats are first placed in the stockings (positioned on their stall) by boarders, friends, and their loving admirers. After a spell in my tack trunk, the treats inevitably make their way to Sweetie’s and Maverick’s happy mouths. Although that’s not even the end. Come mid January, my horses will be the recipients of the leftover candy canes and peppermints my human family members have grown tired of. So-Many-Treats this time of year!
If you haven’t figured it out yet, my horses, just like all the others at the barn, are spoiled. But that got me thinking, these horses have no shortage of treats, which they love of course, but the experience is fleeting.. So what do the horses really want for Christmas? Something longer lasting? Something that will yield greater rewards? Something that could really help them and improve their wellbeing?
Instead of more treats, I realized that what our horses really want is for us (their riders) to be better riding partners. If they could, they’d probably write to Santa to request that we improve our balance, strength and flexibility in the coming year so we can be better partners. They’d wish that we’d learn the tools needed to help us clear our stress and learn to focus as sharply as they do during a jumping round or dressage test. They’d want our bodies to be strong and supple so that we can emulate the balance of strength, stamina, and softness that we request from them. If they could, they’d likely request us to improve not only our physical athleticism, but also our mental athleticism and mindset so we stop taking our stress out on them (inadvertently or not).
I realized what your horse wants for Christmas is for you to take up yoga in the New Year. A well done yoga class will teach all of the skills our horses wish we had and more. Yoga for Equestrians allows us to first gain new skills of flexibility, better posture, finding our seat off the horse (focusing solely on ourselves), so they are second nature when we bring them to the saddle.
You probably already know that yoga can improve your flexibility and body awareness (your ability to feel and manipulate your body), but as a yoga and mental health researcher everyday I witness the benefits yoga practitioners experience to their mental health. After practicing yoga my students report being able to better handle stress, conflict/adversity and physical pain, as well as improvement in their quality of sleep, athleticism, and ability to focus. Get your horse the treats but also get them the gift of you starting yoga classes- and watch how it improves your time in the saddle. The effects of yoga are cumulative, you should feel different after your first class but you’ll likely feel even more change after practicing for a few weeks or months. Get your horse what they really want this year and give the gift of yoga!
Join me live online for Yoga for Equestrians classes Tuesday’s at 6:30pm ET in January or purchase live pre-recorded classes (to do whenever you want) at kristenkolendayoga.com. You can even “purchase a gift” and give the gift of yoga to someone else.
Plus check out @equitation.education for tips and tricks or Email me with questions.