Balance exercises from the world’s top 5 rider Luciana Diniz

Any show jumping training plan should be based on a strategy that includes specific goals and ways to achieve them.

The Butterfly Method was born when I was looking for ways to develop smoothness and balance in corners; in each exercise of this method, the main emphasis is on balance. These exercises encourage you to think about breathing, seating and technique, which ultimately improves the quality of your riding on the course.

Are you ready to close your eyes?

Drive at a walk or in a safe straight line, where you are sure there are no obstacles. Count to 10, then open your eyes. Purpose: By closing the eyes, improve the feeling of contact with the horse. Do not worry if at the beginning you feel insecure or even deviate from the trajectory.

The more often you practice blind riding, the better and safer you will feel.

Remember, while in the saddle, turn your shoulders, breathe and relax. When you move along the route, you feel the necessary tone, because the tension is also inextricably linked with the concentration and focus necessary for a good ride. The tension duality associated with the concentration and relaxation required to be in a state of flow is central to getting into the “zone” (you and your horse) into a state where you can easily navigate a route.

At this level of preparation, your body will know what to do, as if automatically, without the need for rational decision making. That’s what “flow” is. Because it involves physical movement in a state of perfect emotional balance, it is also the state in which the rider comes closest to becoming one with his horse. This is a very important elusive state, without which a really great performance is impossible.

We are not always in control of our emotions. Anxiety can take over us before or during the passage of the route. However, we can influence our emotions so that they do not negatively affect us at important moments. This does not mean that only relaxation should be put at the forefront. The key to success on the battlefield is a combination of tension and relaxation, and the starting point for this is proper breathing.

When competing, it is important to feel the energy, fire, determination and fighting spirit within yourself.

With this in mind, I attached colored ribbons (a stripe of green and a stripe of red) to the nape straps of my horses’ bridles. Inhale is red, exhale is green. Tension is relaxation. Fighting spirit is serenity. I stick to this harmonious alternation when I need it: on the road, at a business meeting, at a family gathering, in training – any time I am faced with a major decision.

Even when we are nervous, we can use this “nerve energy” to our advantage. By directing the feeling of “butterflies in the stomach” and the accompanying feeling that comes in difficult situations in the right direction, we will increase the level of adrenaline that will help us overcome difficulties. Feeling tense can provide positive energy that will work for us, not against us. Once we have mastered this form of control, any sensation will be beneficial. The Butterfly Technique exercises will help transform nervous energy into confidence and strength.

The Butterfly Method contains several important principles: smoothly turn, breathe on the route, turn your shoulders, sit in the center, train light, and ride with a positive attitude every time. The more often we follow them, the more these principles will take root in our subconscious, increasing the number of cleanly traveled routes and good results in life outside the stable.

Successful riding depends a lot on willpower (“I want to be better and achieve excellent results”). This is what makes us move forward towards the goal, even knocking down the pole, even though the ideal result could not be achieved. Mistakes are a great opportunity to learn and improve; being aware of this will help us better understand why they occur.

Your personal success will depend on your willingness and ability to focus on improving yourself on a daily basis, turning a blind eye to failure. Remember, the result achieved to a much lesser extent determines who we are. Who we are determines our ability to strive forward, to fight for the result, never giving in to difficulties and obstacles.

Our goal in riding is to achieve an interaction with the horse that will bring pleasure to both him and us. A bad tournament result does not make you worse as a person or as a rider. Nor does it make the horse worse! Each of us is who he is, we are all working on progress, creating a better version of ourselves every day.

It’s time to act!

After warming up the horse on the parade ground (warm-up should be standard procedure), get him into a canter, stand in a big circle, get a good pace and work on balance in the following ways:

1-1: one pace sitting, then one pace, rising above the saddle (1-1-1-1…); 2-1: two paces sitting, then one pace, rising above the saddle (2-1-2-1-2-1…); 3-1: three paces sitting, then one pace, rising above the saddle (3-1-3-1-3-1…); 4-1: four paces sitting, then one pace, rising from the saddle (4-1-4-1-4-1…).

The most effective way to do this exercise is to ask a coach or friend to count for you.

When your brain is comfortable with this exercise, you will need to give it a new task. New challenge! The next step is to alternate all four options as often as possible, i.e. sit 1 pace, sit up, sit 4 paces, sit up, sit 3 paces, sit up, sit 2 paces, sit up, etc.

To include both coordination and mental activity in the work, we use colors instead of numbers.

Let your assistant tell you not to “sit 4 paces”, but “pink”. You need to replace the numbers with GROW colors: 1 – blue, 2 – green, 3 – yellow, 4 – pink.

Your mind will quickly get used to this exercise, and you will do it automatically without thinking or remembering what color means what. But we will complicate the task again! Move in circles, maintaining a good cantering pace, doing the count-by-color exercise, and start counting continuously from 1 to 10. Slowly!

Do you deal with it easily? Start counting backwards (from 10 to 1)!

You can further complicate the task: have your assistant ask you simple questions (general questions, simple mathematical examples, etc.) while you are doing all of the above.

For example:

What are the four colors of the GROW philosophy? How many obstacles are there in the Butterfly exercise? The capital of Germany? What is 8 8? How many obstacles are there in the Double Butterfly exercise? How many obstacles are there in the Infinity exercise? Spell the word “great”. How are you feeling?

This is the Colors, Numbers and Concentration exercise. I’m sure you’ll like it

Now try swapping the number of paces you sit in the saddle with the number of paces you spend over the saddle. This way you will train physical balance along with mental balance, improving concentration and mood.

This exercise should not last more than 10 minutes. Otherwise, your brain will overwork.

This exercise should not be taken as a marathon, it is not intended to exhaust you or the horse to the limit. Its purpose is to improve fitness by being in the present moment, in contact with the horse.

Remember to breathe, sit in the center and maintain overall balance with the horse, move smoothly along the path of the circle. Cultivate the ability to act instinctively – this is what you will need during the passage of the route.

And always remember: smile and enjoy what you are doing. So the smile will be sincere!

From the book of Luciana Diniz “Jump to the dream. Lessons of the masters»

Content used with the consent and to the delight of the copyright holder.

• Anyutka 2021 21 April 2021 city

  Thanks a lot! At first it didn’t work out, but now I’m sitting in the saddle at a gallop much more confidently! Answer

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  TaisiaSt 3th of June 2021

  Great! Glad the books are helping you! Answer