strides

Your Beliefs = Your Results

Less is more where your weight aids are concerned.  Unfortunately, many riders seem to throw everything they have behind a weigh aid when they think they should apply one.  All this serves to do is unbalance both horse and rider.

Finding Balance

In riding, I call this the ‘balance of aids’.  Yes, there may be a ‘leading aid’, however, all the other aids have supporting roles in order to keep the balance.

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Join the FREE Equestrian Fitness Challenge HERE

What Is the Light Seat?

I believe that every rider or equestrian can be put into one of two categories. I know, a pretty big generalization!  However, from working with thousands of riders, I have yet to meet someone who does not fall into one or the other.

Knowing which category you fall into will help you to get clear on what your ‘next step’ is when it comes to developing your skills as a rider.  I have named the two different types of riders as being either:-

1. Passengers
2. Influencers

You see it all comes down to your focus when you’re in the saddle. You can easily figure out which of the above you are by noticing where you are focusing your attention in the saddle for the majority of each ride. Is the focus on you or is it on your horse?

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Other episodes & resources to help you with your riding:-

• • Free Map for Progress in Your Riding
  • Equestrian Fitness Challenge
  • Daily Strides Podcast
  • Free group for equestrians focusing on mindset and fitness
  • Lunging for Riding Digital Course

Learning is great. As a rider or equestrian, there is a never-ending stream of knowledge out there just waiting for you to dive into and begin exploring. However, learning can sometimes be the very thing that holds riders back from making progress in their riding.

You see, learning is only really useful if you go and then implement what you learn. And it is the implementation that riders fall short. They fail to take action on what they learn. All their newly gained knowledge just remains in their heads, never to be acted upon in the arena.

I create a lot of free training for riders to use to help them make shifts and progress in their riding. Things like the 5 Days to Clarity Mini-Course or the Equestrian Fitness Challenge. What I see, over and over, is riders watching, listening or reading the training but then failing to take the next step.

The vitally important step of implementing what they have learned.

It’s a bit like the story about the dog lying on the nail; the nail is uncomfortable, but not enough for the dog to actually get up and move. He will rather lie on the nail and simply complain about how uncomfortable it is to lie there!

I also see this happening with my paid programs. People invest money and then fail to take the required action… Lunging to Riding and the Clarity & Confidence Riding Program are just two examples of this.

The What, When, How and Why of Riding…

When you are learning to ride, knowing the above will make your life easier. it will also, usually, make your horse's life more pleasant as well! I am not saying not the learn the above. In fact, I believe that all of the above are vitally important, especially the ‘Why’ behind whatever it is you are learning to do.

Time and again, I see riders know what, when and how, but they completely miss the bit about the why. The 'why' is what allows you to take your knowledge and apply it to different situations.

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It is inevitable. All riders find themselves there at some point in their riding journey. The point where progress stalls and the comfort of the plateau is no longer what they are looking for. Recognizing that you are feeling a little stuck is the key to making the necessary changes to ‘unsticking’ yourself. The key to starting working towards progress again.

Before we dive into this topic, I just want to point out that this happens to all riders. It is absolutely inevitable. If you were never to reach a plateau, you would burn yourself out and become exhausted with the constant ‘effort’. However, remaining there leads to feelings of boredom and ‘same old, same old’.

A Plateau is Often Necessary

I love hiking. I especially enjoy it when there is a sizeable hill or mountain involved. One of the reasons is because I feel that it ‘tests’ me a little. There is a climb. The discomfort and effort involved in actually moving up to where I want to go. And then there is the feeling of relief and accomplishment when I reach the next plateau. The plateau almost compliments the climb necessary to get there.

Horse riding is very much the same. There are feelings of discomfort when you’re learning something new. The feelings of ‘gosh, maybe I should just turn around and go back to where I was comfortable’. The doubting. The necessary focus and concentration. Your ability to ‘dig deep’.

Cancer. No one is immune, no one is safe from its clutches. On this episode, Amanda shares a short story centered around a brave woman who fought through the odds, which leads into an intriguing discussion on how one would handle such a revelation. 

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Welcome to Smirk. A podcast that covers society and culture through a storytelling lens. Part creative writing, part discussion, and always interesting. Each week our hosts brings an original story to the show, which is immediately followed by a light-hearted discussion on the author's moral or theme.

These stories can cover any topic the host wants to discuss, it can be lighthearted or more serious. No one but the author knows if these tales are truth or fiction, and part of the fun is guessing while you're listening before the reality is made clear.

We want to hear from you! If you want to share YOUR story, join the conversation by writing in to mystory@smirkpodcast.com, and include your moral, or you can let us guess at it. This is the podcast that looks at truth, fiction, and reality. With a Smirk. 

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There you are, happily trotting around the arena, delighted at the fact that you can ‘post’ correctly; until someone goes and bursts your bubble by pointing out that you are on the wrong diagonal…  “Sit for two” they shout your way…  And you’re thinking ‘Come again?’!

What is the Diagonal in the Trot?

Being on the correct diagonal is to do with rising or posting to the trot.  We know that when our horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs, the front inside with the back outside and the front outside with the back inside.

Your horse's way of traveling, in diagonal pairs, is what creates the two-time beat that we experience in trot.  The 1,2,1,2,1,2…  or, when we rise or post to the trot, the up, down, up, down, up, down.

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This week Tawnee and Lucho cover a ton of topics including power meters, running strides, open water swimming... and: Why did Tawnee stop drinking kombucha? Could kombucha be both good and bad? How do you know if it's good or bad for YOU? Should we use KBs to increase aerobic capacity or should we stick to sport-specific training to do the job? This is a follow-up discussion on a recent ATC where we talked about a new study showing how KBs increase aerobic capacity (VO2max). Investing in a power meter - how to choose based on price, types of power meter, what you’re getting with each kind of power meter, the veteran products vs. newer products, are the cheaper ones going to yield the same quality? Power meter resources mentioned: -DC Rainmaker’s Power Pricing Wars -Slowtwitch’s Power 101 -iBike review Do hill repeats, fartleks, intervals, tempo, etc (aka more intensity) fit into a MAF program? Or do you have to give those up? How and when to know when to do them. Plus how to keep training “fun.” Defining “drills.” Why strides are good to do year-round. How to measure consistent HRV when you have a rotating work schedule. Why Lucho needs to try HRV. How do you pace during an open water swim? And more OWS tips for training and racing. How to taper for a hilly ultras that are 50+ miles. Key: minimize stress, not just training stress but ALL stress! ...and we end this show with more Lucho Wisdom: 1) How Lucho knows how to rest and recover now that he’s “exercising” again. And 2) how he guides athletes to learn to listen to their bodies vis his coaching techniques.

I talk running with Pete Pfitzinger.  In addition to competing in two Olympics, Pete is an exercsie physiologist and he has many years coaching experience with both runners and triathletes.  Pete's latest book is Faster Road Racing: 5k to Half Marathon.

Grant Phabao and Djouls - 21st Century Afro Spectacular
(MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2012-01-14

We've counted at least a hundred very interesting new releases in the 21st century afro scene since our last mix, 21st Century Afro Extravaganza. Here's nearly 20% of all those new cool afro grooves from all over the world, with an exclusive new track from the Grant Phabao Afrobeat Arkestra, friendly vibes from Afrolicious, Karl Hector, Les Frères Smith (mixed by Phabao!), or Kiala, more friendly vibes sent by our label collegues from Record Kicks, Tramp Records, Jazz&Milk, Enlace Funk, Kindred Spirits or Kept Records and a few things we grabbed here and there. 21st Century Afrobeat, Afrofunk, Afrolatin and Ethio grooves from Australia, Trinidad, USA, Germany, Japan, Canada, France, Spain or The Netherlands, selected by Djouls, mixed and fully mastered by Grant Phabao. Do you want more?

Tracklisting :
01. 00:00 The Strides - Umbi Gumbi
(from 'Reclamation' album, 2011 / Record Kicks) AUSTRALIA
02. 05:44 Debo Band - Lantchi Biye
(from 'Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn)' album, 2010 / Debo Band) USA
03. 11:05 Afrolicious - Foolin'
(from 'A Dub for Mali' EP, 2011 / Eighteen Street Lounge) TRINIDAD/USA
04. 15:19 Karl Hector and The Malcouns - Girma's Lament
(from 'Tamanrasset' EP, 2011 / Now-Again Records) GERMANY
05. 18:08 Cochemea Gastelum - Dark City
(from 'The Electric Sound Of Johnny Arrow' album, 2010 / Mowo! Inc.) USA
06. 21:30 JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra - Afro Soul Knows
(from 'Mediacracy' album, 2012 / Tramp Records) JAPAN
07. 29:19 Kobo Town - Corbeaux Following
(from 'Independence' album, 2006 / MusicDish) TRINIDAD/CANADA
08. 33:35 Bad Jazz Troupe - Breakdown Treat (Dusty Rework)
(from 'Looking For Jupiter' EP, 2010 / Jazz&Milk Recordings) GERMANY
09. 38:22 The Boogoos - Theme For Isaac Kirya
(from 'Contemporary Afro Beat' compilation, 2011 / Tramp Records) GERMANY
10. 41:58 Les Frères Smith - Gondwana
(from 'Contreband Mentality' album, 2011 / Comet Records) FRANCE
11. 48:35 Polyrhythmics - The Imposter
(from 'The Imposter' 7 inch, 2011 / Kept Records) USA
12. 52:20 Walko - Afrobeat trance feat. Kiala
(from 'Walko' EP, 2012 / Walko) FRANCE
13. 56:49 Pyramid Blue - African Jungle part 1
(from 'African Jungle' 7 inch, 2011 / Enlace Funk) SPAIN
14. 59:53 Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Ymoja
(exclusive unreleased track taken from 'Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra' album, 2012 / T.I.M.E.C.) FRANCE
15. 65:17 Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band - Choferito-Plena
(from 'Chopteeth Live' album, 2010 / Grigri Discs) USA
16. 68:05 Jungle By Night - E.T.
(from 'E.T.' 7 inch, 2010 / Kindred Spirits) NETHERLANDS
Total time : 72:26

All the original cover artworks are available on the Paris DJs blog

Credits :
Selected by Grant Phabao and Djouls from the Paris DJs Soundsystem (parisdjs.com)
Mix and audio mastering by Grant Phabao (grantphabao.com)
Artwork layout by Djouls (djouls.com) using a photo from hdptcar under a Creative Commons Licence

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