Four Yoga Poses to Help You “Ride Heels Down”

REPUBLISHED FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SIMINA YOGA.
LEARN MORE ABOUT EQUIFIT AT: siminayoga.com/yoga-for-equestrians/

Mantras aren’t only popular among yogis; we horseback riders have a few of our own!

“Heels down, legs on,” we hear over and over again, so much so that long after the riding lesson has ended the “Heels down, legs on” refrain is still playing in our heads. The mind internalizes it, no doubt, but what about the body? Can all of us actually drop those heels nice and low, and keep them down while trotting, cantering, and in two point? Not really?

How about a few ideas that would help the “ride heels down” mantra to gradually trickle from the mind into the body, and become second nature?

You can start right away, because:
• You don’t really need to unroll a mat: the carpet, floor, a patch of grass, any surface that’s not slippery would do.
• Delete the “yoga fancy pants” item off your list: if you happen to wear breeches, they are good enough.
• If you might be wearing right now, then keep them on. Just make sure they don’t roll around or slide off your feet.
• To ensure a high quality practice a “ Ride Heels Down” T-shirt is not only preferred, but also highly recommended. :) Besides the soft-feeling cotton and light texture, the cool design is a constant reminder of what are you trying to achieve!

Here are your four yoga poses for heels down riding. They can be practiced as a sequence, or independently, whenever you have few minutes at your disposition amidst the busiest of days.

Don’t forget to check out the best riding apparel at www.rideheelsdown.com, then go to siminayoga.com/yoga-for-equestrians/ for a complete practice that addresses the specific needs of equestrian athletes!