☕️Spilling the Pilateas – How I Reset My Body and Ride from Florida to New Jersey☕️
This is my first week back up north.
Adjusting. Figuring out a new routine.
And reminding myself…
it’s okay to take a break.
Transitions are hard.
All of them.
And I think we forget that.
So instead of pushing, I gave myself permission to rest—
and then return to what I know works.
With my studio still in a POD on its way north,
I’m lucky to have my Cadillacs here.
That’s where I go when I need to reset.
To ground.
To reconnect.
This Week Has Been a Transition
A lot of change.
A new environment.
A shift in routine—for both me and my horse.
And something I’ve learned over the years is this:
It’s not about never taking a break.
It’s about how you come back from one.
Rethinking the Pause
We tend to think time off means we’ve lost something.
Strength.
Connection.
Progress.
But I don’t see it that way anymore.
A pause is information.
It shows you what’s truly stable…
and what was being held together by habit.
My Personal Reset Routine
After time off—whether it’s travel, a long car ride,
or giving my horse a few easy days—
I don’t jump back in and push.
I reset.
I go back to my Cadillac and mat work.
And I start simple.
Roll Back Bar
Not to work harder—
but to listen better.
Where is my spine not moving?
What feels locked?
Where am I compensating?
Because it’s always there…
if you’re willing to feel it.
Then I Move to the Mat — My Reset Five
From there, I go straight into my Reset Five on the mat.
Not to get through them—
but to reconnect the system.
Single Leg Stretch – can I stabilize my pelvis while one leg moves?
Double Leg Stretch – can I maintain connection without losing my center?
Single Straight Leg Stretch – where do I grip instead of lengthen?
Double Straight Leg Stretch – can I control the load without bracing?
Criss Cross – can I rotate without collapsing or shifting?
This is where everything shows up.
Not in a big, dramatic way—
but in the subtle compensations.
The gripping.
The shifting.
The places I try to “get away with it.”
Why This Matters
These exercises aren’t just core work.
They directly reflect what happens in the saddle.
Pelvic stability
True core support
Clean, controlled rotation
The ability to move without bracing
If I can’t organize it here…
I won’t magically find it in my riding.
This Is Where Most People Miss It
They try to override the body back into performance.
But the body doesn’t respond well to force after a pause.
It responds to awareness.
I’m not chasing perfect reps.
I’m looking for truth.
Am I gripping to avoid weakness?
Am I skipping over a segment of my spine?
Am I bracing instead of moving?
That’s the work.
How This Translates to Your Riding
After a break, your horse is also in a reset.
They’re not wrong.
They’re not “off.”
They’re showing you where the system needs to be rebuilt.
Instead of trying to recreate the ride you had before…
Try this:
Reestablish rhythm
Reconnect to your center
Allow the conversation to rebuild
That’s where real progress happens.
This Isn’t a One-Day Fix
You don’t reset once and move on.
You reset…
and refine…
and re-check.
Day by day.
Because your body changes.
Your horse changes.
Your life changes.
And your work has to meet you there.
Where I Am Right Now
I’m in that process.
Feeling what’s tight.
Noticing what’s changed.
Adjusting how I move.
Not judging it.
Just working with it.
Final Thought
Coming back isn’t about proving anything.
It’s about reconnecting.
And if you do that well…
You don’t just get back to where you were—
you come back better.
PS
If you’ve been feeling stuck, tight, or “off” in your riding—especially after time away—this is exactly what we work through in my sessions and Rider Biomechanics workshops.
Because the goal isn’t to push through.
It’s to rebuild in a way that actually lasts.