Q: I would like to support my horse-riding practice. I am at the beginner stage with yoga but horse-riding I have been doing for many years. P. Steelhouse – Shropshire

A: If you are already a practitioner of another discipline such as horseriding, cycling, skiing, walking, running etc then yoga practice is a natural addition to your lifestyle or should be. You can expect to progress very quickly given that you are already working with the body. An excellent posture I recommend to you is the Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) which is popularly also known as the cobbler’s pose. It is an excellent posture to help open the hip area and to provide a stretch to the groin, inner thighs and ankles as well as stimulate circulation in the pelvic region and abdominal organs. Regular practice also helps strengthen the back and the toes. Baddha Konasana is a perfect pose for relaxation and strengthens the knee caps as well as the muscles of the leg. Regular practice of this pose also improves posture and confidence. It falls into the class of ‘sitting postures.’

Combined with deep breathing through the nose oxygenates the blood and opens the lungs. This is an ideal posture to supplement and enhance your existing dance practice.