Improve your riding without having to be in the saddle with these dismounted Franklin Method Equestrian exercises.
Striving to constantly improve as riders is key to keeping your horse’s training progressing in the right direction. Not all of this work needs to be done while you’re on board, though.
There are lots of exercises you can do off your horse that will have a positive effect on your riding. The Franklin Method is used worldwide to help all types of athletes.
To be a good rider you need coordination and balance in order to follow your horse’s movement. You also need to have the ability to focus mentally. The Franklin Method will improve your body awareness and train your mind-body connection while also improving your movement.
Upper body posture
One issue contributing to rider head misalignment and upper body posture is neck and shoulder tension. These exercises aim to reduce tension in your neck and shoulders by rolling on a ball.
Exercise 1 – Relieve neck tension
Lie down on your back with your knees bent. Place the mini roller horizontally under your neck.
- Slowly roll your head forwards and then roll it backwards. Repetitions: 10
- Lying in the same position, turn the mini roller so that it is vertical. Gently turn your head to the left and then to the right. Repetitions: 10
Exercise 2 – Relax those shoulders
Still lying on your back, place a ball under your left shoulder blade.
- Bring your left arm up and take it back past your head and then down to your thigh. Repetitions: 10
- Clasp your hands together behind your neck and gently roll your shoulder blade over the ball in a circular shape to the left and then to the right. Repetitions: 5 in each direction
- Lift your left arm out to the side so that it’s level with your shoulder on the floor. Now lift your arm up and take it across your body. Repetitions: 10
Remove the ball and notice the difference between your two shoulders.
Now place the ball under your right shoulder blade and repeat steps one to three on this side.
