Horse Pose (Vatayanasana) 🐎

vataya (horse) + asana (pose)

Horse Pose is a bit of a mishmash of several poses: it´s a kneeling, standing, *&* balancing pose. Considered an Intermediate pose (but nonetheless accessible to Beginners under supervision), it focuses on strengthening the leg muscles *while* the stretch is occurring. In Vatayanasana, we bring one foot to the top of the other thigh in Half Lotus Pose, & then we bend the knee of the standing leg until - in a perfect world - it reaches the floor. Our arms then move into an Eagle Arms wrap, with the bottom arm corresponding with the leg that´s in Half Lotus. If Eagle arms is a bit too challenging, bring your hands into Anjali mudra (prayer position). (To enter this pose, try starting from Half Lotus & using your hands to give yourself a lift.) You´ll need to warm up your body beforehand, so perhaps spend some time in Sage Twist Pose B, Half Lord of the Fishes, & any variations of poses that allow you to bring your foot into a Half Lotus position (like Tree or Half Circle). After expressing the pose on both sides, relax your body in Gate Pose, Revolved Triangle, &/or Child´s Pose. There are variations that will make Horse more challenging (try moving up & down, like in a squat) or more accessible by using Gate Pose as a base pose & experimenting from there. If you´re hoping to tone & stretch your legs, Horse is your spirit animal/asana; in fact, there´ll be no neigh-sayers here! With regular practice, you´ll feel like a throughbred in no time!

Benefits:

• strengthens the leg & abdominal muscles

• opens the inner thighs

• helps improve blood circulation in the lower body (especially the hip joints)

• increases flexibility in the shoulders, hip joints, knees, & ankles

• helps reduce joint pain & inflammation

• improves balance

• helps correct problems with posture

• helps correct minor asymmetry in the hips & legs if practised regularly

• helps improve concentration & focus.
  

Remember: the weight on your bent knee & your foot should be evenly distributed! Also, just like in Eagle Pose, your arms should be lifting up & away from your chest. Try to keep your hips aligned & drawn under, & the thigh of your bent leg parallel to the mat.

Props: for added support, try placing a chair 15 centimetres (6 inches or so) in front of you & place 1 hand on the seat. If you experience pain in your supporting knee, slip a cushion or folded blanket under it.

Modify or avoid Horse Pose if you

• are pregnant

• suffer from sciatica, or have a slipped disc

• have sustained any sort of hip, knee, or ankle injury

• have hernia issues.