>From Tina >> http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BillsBook/message/6418
I have to say I agree 100% with Leslie. The principles of good balance (mental and physical) dovetail perfectly with the principles of good horsemanship - no matter how you choose to get there (PNH, Ray Hunt, Leslie, or through a path all your own). Mental balance is a much nicer state to live in than chaos. Working on your physical balance is a relatively easy way to achieve mental balance. One of the main principles Joseph Pilates discussed is Centering - both physically by making your body stronger so you have more control over it and mentally by "being there" when exercising. He expanded that to "being there" no matter what you're doing. I find that physical and mental balance go hand in hand as it is very hard to gain physical balance without some degree of mental balance. As an example try a balance pose of your choosing while either talking to someone else or looking at yourself in the mirror or otherwise not being focused. Now try the same pose by focusing softly on a point in front you that is not moving. Don't have the TV going or loud music or be talking to someone else. You'll find it much easier to be balanced in your body when your mind is focused on that physical balance. Add in the closed eyes and you've created a whole new exercise. Without boring you all to tears, I'll just say that your vision and focus provide reference points for our body when balancing. When you take that away then you are relying more and more on your body's core strength - that's why you often see a marked difference when closing your eyes on a balance move. So it natually follows that it's much harder to really see/feel what is going on with our horses when you're not focused mentally on them and it's much hard to communicate with them through your body if your body and/or your mind is going several different directions. I found that once I mastered a few of the more balance-oriented Pilates moves my riding improved tremendously - though it took me a while to realize what was the reason for the improvement. Of course in order to master those moves I had to achieve more mental balance - see the cycle? Balance is all about core control and strength, focus, mental balance, proper breathing and being in moment. I'd say that good horsemanship (not just riding) is made up of the same components. As we all know, work on the components and the rest of it will come together. -Tina www.ridingwithpilates.com
