| Ride your HORSE to MUSIC and solve training issues! | | | | and enhance the horse's movement and the rider's |
| Whether you are riding a dressage musical freestyle, | | | | rhythm! When the music fit the horse and rider, both |
| or just riding your horse to music, there are TIPS | | | | the quality of the gaits and movements improved. |
| you should know before you start. Over the years, | | | | The music enhanced both the artistic aspect and the |
| you have told me that the most important thing to | | | | technical side of the ride. Because rhythm was |
| you is that you want the RIGHT MUSIC for your | | | | maintained! |
| HORSE and you WANT TO HAVE FUN!! | | | | I thought this was AMAZING, so I wanted to learn |
| You've also told me that: | | | | more... |
| * You want help recognizing the rhythm of your | | | | I was stunned by the things I learned such as: |
| horse's gaits. | | | | * Studies show that music affects our physiology. |
| * You can't maintain a rhythm. | | | | Slow music slows the heartbeat and the breathing |
| * You and your horse are nervous and you need help | | | | rate as well as brings down blood pressure. Faster |
| relaxing. | | | | music speeds up these same functions. |
| * You're tired of seeing "4"s for loss of rhythm on | | | | * Listening to your favorite music is good for your |
| your dressage tests. | | | | cardiovascular system. Researchers have shown that |
| * You're frustrated because there is no harmony | | | | joyful music has a healthy effect on blood vessel |
| between you and your horse. | | | | function. |
| * You don't know what the right tempo is for your | | | | * Riding to music increases your endurance and |
| horse. | | | | feelings of well-being. Studies show that exercising to |
| * You don't know the difference between rhythm | | | | music improves endurance by 15% and improve the |
| and tempo. | | | | "feeling states" so, people derive much greater |
| * You don't know what type of music to choose. | | | | pleasure from exercise. (Those cool endorphins!!) |
| * You can't hear the difference between walk, trot, | | | | * Many hospitals use music to treat patients with |
| and canter music. | | | | stress-related illnesses to stimulate the brain and relax |
| * You can't identify the tempo (or BPM) of music. | | | | the body. |
| * You are tired of buying so many CDs when they | | | | * Music affects both sides of your brain, so whether |
| only have one good song for riding. | | | | you are a left-brain logical thinker or a right-brain |
| Here's how I got started... | | | | artistic thinker, music helps you ride better. |
| I grew up in a musical family so learning to read | | | | * Even animals react differently to various types of |
| music and play various instruments was ingrained into | | | | music. Given a choice, rats will choose calm classical |
| me early in life. But most of all, I've always loved | | | | music over hard rock every time. |
| listening to music. (I always had the radio on in the | | | | * Music can also influence brainwaves. Faster beats |
| barn.) | | | | make you more alert and slower beats help you |
| But riding to music became a necessity when I got a | | | | relax. |
| high strung Trakehner gelding to re-train. This horse | | | | * Music creates a long-lasting change in brainwave |
| was so incredibly tense, and fearful that simply | | | | activity. That means that music can bring lasting |
| trotting in one rhythm was IMPOSSIBLE. Anyhow, | | | | benefits to your state of mind, even after you've |
| one day I was trying to trot around the arena, when | | | | stopped listening. |
| a perfectly cadenced Scottish bagpipe march came | | | | * Music filters out background noises so that you and |
| on the radio. That horse picked up a swinging, | | | | your horse can concentrate better. |
| rhythmic trot all by himself! AND he was breathing in | | | | * Music acts as an INTERNAL metronome to help |
| time to the music. (Yes, I even have two witnesses | | | | you maintain a regular rhythm. |
| to this!) | | | | * Music puts you in a more positive state of mind, |
| I was completely shocked. After that, I became | | | | helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. |
| fascinated with how music affects both the horse | | | | The bottom line is... it's fun to ride to music! Rhythm |
| and rider, and my quest began. As I developed my | | | | and relaxation are essential for EVERYONE including |
| business creating musical freestyles, I was time and | | | | dressage riders, trail riders, hunter riders, and western |
| time amazed at how perfect music could improve | | | | pleasure riders. |