TCC and Horseback Riding: A Practical Application of Principles

Art of Teaching

By Shari Growden, Winchester, VA

While learning the spiritual discipline of T’ai Chi Chih, TCC students are exposed to the concept that whatever the individual needs for balance in life is usually among the rewards for committed practice in the development of this art. I’ve found this to be true in many areas of my life since becoming a TCC practitioner. One of the most gratifying experiences was the connection between some TCC principles and some principles of horseback riding. I’ve been able to utilize this understanding to improve my riding skills which continues to give me pleasure in life.

Riding a horse seems to be one of the few arts many people think they can get up and do without instruction. Often we operate on the principle when all else fails read the directions. I’ve lived much of my life this way and initially approached riding a horse this way. I bought my mare several years ago and steered her around the county in a state of rather ignorant bliss. I rode frequently and for long periods of time with a lot of pleasure and a minimum of spills. With the birth of my daughter and a new business, my riding time began to decrease along with my confidence. My mare endured a couple of injuries, which gave her long periods of pampering without working. When I began to ride again my decreased confidence produced a high anxiety level, which was readily communicated to the horse, who began to act on it. I began to be afraid to ride and began to look at myself as someone who lacked authenticity. I was practicing TCC regularly and teaching yet I felt I wasn’t producing the results in my own life that I was professing to others. I decided it was time to look at things on a very core level and figure out what kind of changes I needed to make.

I felt the need of some experts in my life at that point; obviously in riding and also in TCC. I began to search through the classics and review the TCC writings of Justin and Steve. I stopped riding and learned to do some ground work with the horse and spent most of my time in an enclosed area when I began to ride again. I enlisted the help of an expert horseman and long time friend and began to ride under the supervision of another excellent horseman in the area, in an effort to find a new perspective and some added support. I also began reading some riding books and made the connection of interchanging these principles.

One of the most important TCC principles is keeping the back straight during practice. This had new meaning when applied to keeping my balance in the saddle. Leaning forward or slumping in the saddle creates an unbalanced seat and decreases the chances of staying in the saddle if a horse jumps or bucks or even stops quickly.

One of the things I’ve noted over the years in watching skilled horsemen ride, is the sense of lower body weightiness with a loose relaxed upper torso. The T’ai Chi Classics state: “Strengthen the thighs, loosen the shoulders and let the chi sink down.” The application of this principle and the concentration in the feet (“imagine the feet being rooted in the ground”) gives a new perspective and sense of confidence in the saddle.

Relax and sink is spoken over and over in the classics. Relax and sit down in the saddle is the frequent urging of a riding instructor. The type of relaxation needed in both arts is an attitude, an attitude of awareness and presence in one’s body, projecting confidence and alertness in your ability to do the task at hand. This is expressed in a soft facial appearance and also by one’s breathing. Breathing conveys much about a person’s emotional state to other people and animals. Holding breath or rapid breathing projects a sense of danger to an animal and a horse’s response to danger is flight. To a human opponent this is conveyed as a one down position of another and an opportunity to achieve an edge.

Relaxed breathing has to do with an open relaxed abdomen and being in our center, our point of balance and will, just below the navel. Experiencing this point of balance is necessary to achieve proper execution of TCC movements and to feel a sense of coordination and balance with a horse. Another quote from the classics states “being able to breathe properly leads to agility.” Anyone who has experience the feeling of a relaxed open abdomen and a concrete sense of simultaneous pleasure and empowerment, I believe would agree that the discipline of daily practice for either of these fine arts is worth the effort.

A final comparison is that of quiet hands in riding and soft wrists in TCC. By keeping the wrists soft and relaxed in TCC practice the meridians are kept open allowing the chi to be expressed through the hands. The hands do not move independently of the waist and legs. In riding, the horse is guided and moved by the legs. Hand cues are in conjunction with leg movement and for reinforcement of leg cues. Uncoordinated and unnecessary hand movements are not only irritating to a horse, but confusing, expecially to a young horse.

In conclusion, I have worked hard with TCC practice and spent a lot of very focused time in the saddle. My TCC movements have increased in potency and continuity. My mare and I are enjoying each other with increased confidence and unity. There are no substitutes for disciplined practice and quality instruction. It is my hope that by sharing this experience of a practical application of TCC principles will encourage others and open new doors of self revelation.

“As you grow more relaxed you become less afraid. As you become less afraid you grow more relaxed.” – Professor Cheng Man-Ching