Horse Yoga or Horseback yoga is the perfect practice for those who love both yoga and horses. But even if you have no experience with either, horseback yoga offers a unique experience that you will never forget.
What’s so great about horseback yoga?
Working with horses provides a unique way of performing yoga that allows you to enjoy nature and cultivate a special connection with another creature. In working with horses you get to know the horse better, and understand its physiology, strength, flexibility and mental states. This knowledge actually helps you to understand yourself better by helping you notice what is different and what is the same. Horseback yoga is a mind and body expanding practice that will help you to see yoga and life in a whole new way, offering unique benefits both in mind calming and in refining balance and stability. For horse lovers, it also offers a special way to connect with your horse.
So what is horseback yoga?
The practice of horseback yoga involves relaxation, reiki energy, breathing exercises, deep stretches and movement in combination with the movement and the energy of the horse. There are classes suitable for complete beginners, both to yoga and to the horses. These introductory classes usually start with matwork, meditation and body opening to connect with the horse before moving onto the horse’s back.
What are the benefits of horseback yoga?
Horseback yoga has all the benefits of other yoga forms, including increased strength and flexibility, relaxation, reduction in stress and calming of the mind. In addition, horseback yoga can be deeply healing and transformative, helping you to become more aware and develop compassion for other living beings.
Horseback yoga can help you to develop trust and confidence around horses, and develop a deeper connection with your equine partner.
How horseback yoga can help yogis
You’ll get to put your yoga skills into practice in a new way. You will find that moving with and around the imposing stature of a horse changes the way you practice yoga and strengthens your practice. In horseback yoga you work with an equine companion, which encourages you to be more outwardly focused. Horseback yoga can also put your strength and balance to the test.
How horseback yoga can help horse riders
Horses communicate non-verbally and by developing a practice of horseback yoga you will learn to communicate more effectively with your horse, strengthening your bond. Through participating in a mindful horseback yoga practice you will come to understand what your horse is trying to tell you and you can use the knowledge to listen to your own body more deeply.
Other benefits of horseback yoga
Horseback yoga can be enormously beneficial to those with physical disabilities or illnesses by allowing them to experience the joy and unity of working closely with an animal and stretching the boundaries of their physical limitations. Horseback yoga can also be hugely beneficial to those with emotional or psychological issues, helping them to find peace and awareness in the bond with another animal, being in nature and enjoying the calming benefits of yoga
Corinne Rosita Aulakh sums it up perfectly when she says in Yogi Times:
“In my mind yoga and horses are the perfect combination. Both develop strength in body and mind and invite us to develop inner awareness. Both are really fun to do! Both invite you to find your quiet place inside of you. Both ask you to delve deeper into your inner awareness and intuition. Both ask you to be courageous in your quest for union and harmony.”
Where can you try horseback yoga?
In the UK, you can try Horseback yoga at Bluebird Bliss in Bristol.
Visit: https://bluebirdbliss.co.uk for more details.
In Spain, you can find Yoga on horseback at Ladonaira.
Visit: http://ladonaira.com for more details.
In the U.S., try Equitors for a unique and spectacular yoga on horseback break.
Visit: http://www.equitours.com/horseback-riding/yoga-horseback-riding/ to find out more.
