Desiree Sieben is an avid rider, registered yoga teacher, mindfulness coach and personal trainer. She also has a background in animal health, as a Registered Veterinary Technologist. Through her business – Mane Equestrian Athletics – she supports the equestrian community with her teaching and promotion of rider fitness and wellness.
In 2015 my world was turned upside down when I suddenly lost my horse. It was a partnership in which I had a lot more to learn than him, but together we had big dreams! He was an experienced jumper, while I was still just learning the ropes and trying to hold on. My time with him was humbling, and it was a pivotal moment in my riding where I recognized the importance of being able to show up and do my part as his teammate. I began to fully appreciate the motto that the horse does not do all the work!
After his passing, I decided to take some time to focus on myself – specifically my health and fitness. At the time, I was surprised at the lack of equestrian specific health professionals, which consequently led me down the path of creating my own business providing personal training, yoga, and mindfulness coaching for equestrians. What began as viewing the equestrian from a physical standpoint soon evolved into something much more…
When I began to incorporate yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, I witnessed the biggest shifts in both my own riding and my clients’. Here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from these practices:
1. Practice practice practice.
Yoga and meditation is referred to as a practice for a reason. It’s taking time to remove yourself from the distractions of daily life and the barn, to practice whatever it is that you may need, whether it’s physical, mental, and/or energetic. It may also shed light on areas of your life that you didn’t even realize needed attention, until you are in that space! It reflects commonalities to anything we do with our horses and in the saddle, as it all takes practice, patience, and kindness. These modalities have reminded me to be mindful of my intentions behind actions, to enjoy the process (or ride) instead of always striving for that end goal, and to practice gratitude for the lessons learned.
2. Easy, whoa, slow down.
In today’s society, it’s extremely important to take the time to slow down. Giving yourself permission to leave the checklists and to-do’s aside, and making the time to commit to yourself is so important. For me personally, yoga and meditation didn’t come easy. I’m the kind of person who likes to stay very busy. But between careers, school, a partner, children, family and friends, other commitments, and then horses – what equestrian isn’t busy?
However, I began by giving myself permission to ‘practice’ slowing down. To make mistakes, to be fidgety, to be busy minded. Eventually, my mind and body did begin to slow down. The art of doing nothing is hard for some of us. The lesson learned is that we are enough as we are, without having to do or say anything.
3. Rest and digest.
Taking time to sit quietly, to slow down and breathe, affords your nervous system the chance to truly begin to shift into a relaxation response. I noticed myself starting to digest thoughts and emotions from my day, and even my last ride, in ways that I don’t believe would have been possible in my typical fast paced flow. I also started to notice myself becoming less reactive in situations. I would find myself taking time to breathe, stay present and thoughtfully respond. This has become critical to my rides, especially my timing in the saddle.
4. The key to riding.
Breathing is a big part of yoga and meditation. As we bring our awareness to our breath, our bodies naturally begin to soften, our minds slow down, and we are drawn into the present moment. A lot of times when we’re experiencing a stressful moment with our horse, we lose the breath, or it becomes short and jagged. Our bodies begin to stiffen and our horses notice this. With my yoga and meditation practice, I now find myself being much more aware of my breath around horses. I believe being aware of our breath is key to riding. It creates body awareness and supports the mind to slow down, creating focus and a sense of presence. This in turn, affects our connection and communication with our horse(s).
5. “Ground”work.
Have you ever entered a room and been extremely aware of the energy in it?
The combination of practicing slowing down, breathwork, and setting intentions, facilitates grounding. Since beginning these practices, I feel more aligned and balanced with myself. I am aware (most days) of the energy that I bring into a space. Especially the space with my horse. When we are in alignment, we are our truest and most authentic selves. Just like us entering a room, our horses are very aware of our energy. Sharing our authentic selves with them creates trust. From this space of energetic awareness and authenticity, there are unlimited possibilities for transformation and creativity.
