Who can benefit?

Beginners or inexperienced riders

Riders who have the opportunity to learn on the lunge and develop their seat and posture without reliance on the reins have a huge advantage that will continue to pay off throughout their riding career. It is so much easier to form good habits from scratch rather than undo bad ones. We often find that these are the riders who make the quickest progress.

Nervous riders who want to gain confidence

Competent or advanced riders

Those who wish to refine their seat and aids and further strengthen their postural control benefit greatly from work on the lunge which is excellent for finding any weak points that the more accomplished rider may often compensate for in normal riding conditions. With these riders we often progress to work off the lunge to carry over the same principles into the schooling context.

Cross-training for sports professionals: athletes, speed skaters, figure skaters, skiers etc.

Any sportsperson for whom core strength is important will find this form of riding that is centred on postural stability very useful. Riding is unique in this way because it combines this postural strength with imposed movement, so at the same time as stillness and holding are required are required in the core considerable mobility of certain joints is necessary to enable the rider to harmonise with the horse's motion.

A high degree of co-ordination is required to give the correct aids to the horse, and there is always a strong emphasis on the isometric symmetry of the body, both qualities which raise body awareness and can add a new dimension to the sportsperson's control and understanding of their physique. There is also the perspective gained in the application of training to a third party.

For professionals, the complicity entaled in the relationship between horse and rider and the peaceful environment can be very de-stressing, and a welcome break from the pressure of competition.

Musicians and other artists

We have taught several musicians at Realize Riding, and they have invariably found the experience very relevant to their musical practice, some in a directly physical way, others on a profound artistic level. The relationship between horse and rider is highly analogous on many levels to that of the musician and their instrument: the learning process of continual refinement; the rhythmical qualities of any correct ridden work; the skilful channelling - sometimes delicate, sometimes powerful – of forces to the end of complete freedom of expression and beauty.

We find that those of an artistic or intuitive inclination often get the most out of this kind of riding because it is an art before all else, and its most exquisite qualities only emerge when appreciated as such.