What is the horse pose in yoga? Only ‘3 out of 10 students’ can do it, instructor says
Horse pose, also known as horse face pose or vatayanasana, is a challenging yoga pose that boosts hip mobility, strength and concentration
However, some poses do not resemble the animals they are named after, including the horse, or horse face, pose.
Vatayanasana – vatayana can mean “horse” or “window” in Sanskrit – is an asana from the intermediate series in Ashtanga, a structured and rigorous yoga practice that focuses on moving with the breath; the style demands both strength and flexibility.
It is, essentially, a balancing pose, and the practitioner needs to find stability in a very advanced posture. Both legs are bent, with one in a low lunge position and the other in a half lotus pose, its knee touching the ground. The arms are crossed at the elbows into what is known as eagle arms.
“This is more challenging than a basic balancing pose as it requires a high degree of hip opening,” says freelance yoga instructor Carrie Pun. “So students with tight hips will not be able to do the full pose.”
