BELLY BUTTON ROTATION EXERCISE
Howdy Friends! ~ “Rotation.” Or as I like to call it “Belly Button Exercise.” By any name, I recommend you master it and learn to use it often. It’s good for you, and wonderful for your horse.
The benefits of this simple, easy to master exercise are many.
“Rotating” can, and will, help calm your horse, because it will soften you, and also help sit you deeper in the saddle. It will soften your spine, shoulders, neck and legs. Even your feet will become lighter!
When your body is soft and relaxed your horse can relax, soften and lengthen, and she will.
You can add to “Rotation” the exercise of “Combing the reins” to greatly help soften and calm a worried, hurried horse.
“What is combing the reins?”
Holding the reins loosely (Of course you’ll need to teach your horse to walk slowly on a loose rein, and this will help) Gently cup the reins together, and slide your hands back toward you from front to back – from horse’s neck to your belly. Use both hands, frog jumping one hand over the other – VERY gently, slowly – NO tugging on the reins – they should not even move – just your hand gently sliding on the reins – As the horse walks on. This will also relax, stretch and put the horse into a better body carriage of relaxation. Does not take much practice to master. I’ve calmed many “prancy” nervous, horses with this technique. It does not matter if you use a bit, hacamore, or just halter.
Simple “How to.”
Sitting soft in the saddle put one finger in your belly button, the thumb of the other hand at your spine, and rotate, just your belly button not your hips, an inch or two to the right, and hold it a second. Then rotate back to the center, hold it a second—then rotate to the left, hold it a second, and back to the center. Now keep rotating right, center, left over and over.
As you rotate remember to breath normally, sit in neutral, and allow your body to respond. Feel the softness radiate up and down your core from your feet to head. You will feel your seat grow deeper, your legs lengthen and body soften. You’ll also feel your horse soften.
In time you’ll feel the release and will be able to rotate subtly and your hips will not follow, you’ll only rotate from your waist up.
Remember the movement is slight, only turn an inch or so. Then hold and return. Stay soft. Sit in neutral and breathe. Allow the rotation to soften you, and your horse.
You can practice and do this any time, sitting at your desk, driving, even walking. In time, with practice, you’ll learn to feel your muscles move lightly around your spine, you’ll feel an amazing release. So will your horse.
This exercise is something I do all the time, throughout the day. In addition to being a great thing for your horse, it helps a lot with back and leg pain, I know.
Do the “Belly Button Rotation,” it’ll do you and your horse good! ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
