Playing Piano Like Riding a Horse!

I give piano lessons to several young girls who have riding lessons (so far no boys) … and to many others who would love to have riding lessons but their parents say no. However, I’d never considered there was any connection or similarity between learning to play the piano and learning to ride a horse. Well, according to Julia Arnold of HorseChannel.com – the two pursuits have a lot in common.

She writes of the melodic (and rhythmic) ‘clomp-clomp’ as you ride along and comments on how the slightest movement of the rider’s fingers on the reins conveys a message to the horse – just as subtle shifts on the keys produce a different piano sound. She describes how “the brain, the hands, the body, must work together in harmony” for both rider and pianist.

More importantly she says: “There is no point in thinking you know it all. You don’t. There is always more to learn, and you can always improve”. Some of my pupils who insist on playing everything too fast too soon – or who reject my advice to look at the music, thinking they can remember the notes when they can’t – would do well to take this on board.

On the whole I’d say those who learn both piano and horse-riding prefer horse-riding: maybe it would make piano seem more appealing if I pointed out the similarities. And for those who – for financial reasons – may be forced to choose between the two, I’d say choose piano – the lessons are generally cheaper!