Andrea Steele

June, 2009

 

In Riding with Chi David Ritchie says that tai chi postures and exercises teach you to stand solidly by imagining your body as a bag of sand. This "bag of sand" metaphor is intriguingly relevant to riders because it will help you sit soldily in the saddle.

 

Sand flows into a void because of gravity, and its fine particles allow it to mold to any shape. When riding, the "sand" in our bodies flows by our thought process, not gravity, so it can flow in any direction with ease and mold our riding position. For instance, as you sit in the saddle and shift one hip forward, opening the angle to your thigh, your thought can direct the sand down to round the thigh forward. Then, just as easily, your thought can draw the sand up and back into your pelvic core as your hip comes back.

 

Being a “bag of sand” as you ride allows your body to mold to the horse, giving you the solid connection with the horse's shape and motion that we all strive for. Creating this union facilitates the flow of energy through and between both horse and rider and brings grace and elegance to your ride.