☕️ Spilling the Pilateas | Edition 11
If Your Neck Is Tight… Your Riding Is Already Compromised
I can’t tell you how many riders I’ve helped with just three simple movements for the neck on the foam cylinder.
Not their hands.
Not their seat.
Not their position.
Their neck.
And almost every time, the response is the same:
“Oh my god… that feels so much better.”
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☕️ Here’s what most riders don’t realize:
If your neck is tight… you’re already holding.
And that tension doesn’t stay in your neck.
It travels.
- Into your shoulders
- Into your arms
- Into your hands
Which means what feels like a “contact issue”…
is often coming from somewhere completely different.
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☕️ What your horse feels:
When your neck is gripping:
- Your shoulders can’t fully release
- Your elbows start to lock
- Your hands lose their elasticity
And your horse?
They feel inconsistency.
Not because you’re doing anything wrong—
but because your body physically can’t soften.
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☕️ The shift:
This week, my body was done.
I was exhausted. Tight. Just… off.
Old me would’ve pushed through.
Ridden anyway. Powered on.
Instead, I did what I actually needed.
I slowed down.
And I went back to the basics.
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🫖 Spill the Pilates: Neck Reset on the Foam Cylinder
(The way I actually teach it)
These are the exact movements I use with my riders—and the order matters.
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1. Small Nods
Gently nod your head like you’re saying “yes.”
Keep it tiny.
Cue:
If it feels big—you’ve gone too far.
This wakes up the deep stabilizers so your neck doesn’t rely on gripping.
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2. The “Quarter” Circles
Imagine there’s a quarter balanced on the front of your nose.
Slowly trace the edge of that quarter.
- 6 circles one direction
- 6 circles the other
Cue:
Smooth. Controlled. No wobbling.
This builds control and awareness—not just range.
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3. Rotations with Breath
Slowly rotate:
- Left ear toward the cylinder → breathe
- Come back to center
- Right ear toward the cylinder → breathe
Repeat 6 each side.
Cue:
Let the movement be guided by your breath—not momentum.
Now you’re layering mobility on top of control.
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4. Add the Stretch in the rotation
After your rotations, gently deepen into stretch.
Two options (as shown in the video):
- A little added pressure
- Or soft lengthening into the range
Cue:
No forcing—just guiding.
Because now your body is ready to actually receive the stretch.
Follow along with the video. There’s some bonus stretches in the video to try!
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☕️ Why this order matters:
Most people try to stretch first.
But if you don’t create control first…
your body just grips right back.
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☕️ Why this matters for your riding:
When your neck releases…
your shoulders follow.
When your shoulders release…
your hands soften.
And that’s when your horse finally gets a consistent, elastic connection.
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☕️ Final sip:
Sometimes the biggest breakthrough in your riding…
has nothing to do with riding harder.
It starts with what you’re holding in your body.
And more often than not?
It’s your neck.
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If you try this, I’d love to hear how it feels for you 🤍
Or better yet—come experience it in a session with me.
Because once you feel the difference… you can’t un-feel it.
– Brooke