For those of us in Malaysia, we have been told that MCO (Movement Control Order) 3.0 (lockdown in simple terms) will be continued until certain criteria are reached; the daily number of cases fall under 4000, and 10% of the population have been vaccinated. Only then, can we move into Phase 2 and progressively onto Phase 4 of the recovery plan.

Seeing as we are still recording a trend of 5000 – 6000+ cases daily, this MCO 3.0 looks like it can continue indefinitely before we are even able to move into Phase 2. For those of us that ride horses, we can only ride our horses for welfare purposes ; no lessons, no competitions.

So a lot of us are stuck having to self ride indefinitely. This is not ideal but what are some ways we can do to make it better?

Without eyes on the ground, and if there are no arena mirrors, it can be hard to check or correct your position. I often ask myself if I am feeling comfortable.

I know that if I feel comfortable, there is a big possibility I am slightly hunched over with my legs a little too far forward. Why? Because this is my default position.

When I sit in a more correct upright position, I have to work harder at it, and need to have more proprioception. This also means I am slightly uncomfortable as this is not an automatic position for me.

The other option is to get someone to video your riding, or to use a Pivo. A tripod and a phone would also work in a worst case scenario. Watching your own riding should give you an idea of what you need to improve on.

For those of us that have position issues, we can use an exercise ball / chair in front of a mirror at home. Make the corrections in front of the mirror and remember the feel. If you ride with your left shoulder higher, learn the feel of level shoulders. If you do pull ups at home, remember the feel of opening up your chest and depressing the shoulder blades. This is a similar feel you can take onto a horse.

Here are some links to check out.

https://www.instagram.com/equivate_/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/nina_athleteq/?hl=en

https://dressageridertraining.com/dressage/equestrian-workouts/

https://www.globetrotting.com.au/equestrian-workouts-you-can-do-at-home/

Take this time of self riding to be more aware of what you / your horse is doing. Ask and check and correct yourself constantly. Go through your checklist – position, rhythm, straightness (of you and your horse).

Also be disciplined with yourself. It is so easy to get distracted by the cat beside the arena, or your friend riding at the same time, or just feeling lazy.. or even just being satisfied with a transition that was just average, rather than aiming higher.

Everyone and every horse will have their own checklist but the basics remain the same. This may not be the time to try something new or something you are not sure about but you can definitely use this time to consolidate the basics that you already know.

One last thing is to make sure you have a plan for your self ride. Are you working on transitions today? Are you working on a correct 20m circle? Whatever it is, have a plan, go through your checklist, stay safe and have fun. Enjoy the time you have with your horsey friend.

Happy riding, everyone!