Spilling the Pilateas – Edition 4: Steady Your Hips with the Single-Leg 2x4

Hello again, wonderful riders! ☕

Welcome back to another edition of Spilling the Pilateas from sunny Florida. This week, we’re zeroing in on a deceptively simple but incredibly powerful idea: stable hips start at the foot.

Whether you’re trotting, cantering, or asking for a more connected lateral movement, what’s happening underneath you matters just as much as what’s happening above.

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What We’re Focusing On
• The Single-Leg 2x4 Exercise

This exercise trains one side of the body at a time, but the real star here is the foot. Standing on the narrow surface of the 2x4 asks your foot to organize itself —through the heel, arch, and toes—so it can provide a stable base.
When the foot is grounded and responsive, the pelvis above it has something solid to stack on, allowing the hips to stay level and controlled rather than gripping, collapsing, or translating.

👉 Watch the Single-Leg 2x4 Video

https://trout-gardenia-hxp4.squarespace.com/config/pages/ 696e646576394a2b177e2ca7/categories/696e646576394a2b177e2cae

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Why It Matters for Riding

In the saddle, your hips don’t stabilize on their own. They rely on the quality of support coming up from the leg and foot. When the foot can adapt, balance, and stay connected, the hips are free to move with the horse instead of fighting for control.

This exercise helps:
• Improve unilateral balance (so one hip isn’t doing all the work)
• Reduce hip gripping and asymmetry
• Create a clearer line of support from foot → leg → pelvis → seat

Think of it as training the same kind of intelligent stability your body needs when one stirrup bears more load than the other.

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As Always

Give it a try and notice how it translates to your riding—especially in transitions and bending work. I’d love to hear what you feel, what surprises you, and what questions come up.

Here’s to another week of thoughtful, effective Pilates prep for better riding. 🐎

Warmly, Brooke