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Fit to Ride? By Kelly Lagos
Read more horse and rider articles on Kellys blog EveryRider.com
As the new years resolutions fade, and the winter blues set in,
I've been doing a lot of thinking about getting back into shape. Since
horses are my "real job” I spend most of my time in the barn. I muck,
I feed, and groom, turn in and out, I ride, I train, and teach.
Running my own horse business is a dream come true for me, but it can
also be physically demanding and mentally draining. You would think
being that active all day long would be enough to keep you in top
riding shape. No such luck... Don't get me wrong, I do benefit from
the physical work. With the way I've been eating since thanksgiving
only needing to lose 10 pounds is a blessing.
The combination of cold, stress and exhaustion can make it difficult
to muster the motivation to do what I know I should. I've been
procrastinating, I admit it... Even now as I compile my latest
research on rider fitness, I am sipping on a warm cup of coffee with
plenty of cream and sugar with a slight taste of chocolate from the
dipping of my delicious fudge covered toaster pastry. The good news is
most of what I've read says admitting the problem is the first step.
So, with that last indulgence out of the way let’s get started.
Riding is an athletic sport involving two partners: a horse and its
rider, each dependent upon the other. To do well, both need to be
physically fit. But too often riders spend most of their time
conditioning their horse and neglect their own fitness. One of my
favorite mantras while teaching is "You have to control yourself
before you can control your horse." This could be interpreted as
meaning to keep your temper or emotional state under control, but the
actual meaning is somewhat different. If you are fully in control of
your own body - if you are strong, flexible and balanced, then you
will be able to sit correctly, stay out of your horse's way, tell him
quietly and clearly what you want.
To "ride," therefore, requires muscle strength in all parts of your
body so that you can apply the appropriate aids effectively to your
horse. You have to have enough control over those muscles so that you
can use some at one time and others a few seconds later. How can you
expect your horse to be balanced underneath you, if you aren't strong
enough to stay quiet, steady and balanced on top? While it is true
that excess weight can interfere with self carriage, but being a fit
rider is not strictly a weight issue.
That being said it is important that we take our own conformation into
consideration. At my fittest I weighed in at just under 135 pounds. I
was toned and defined, strong and supple. I am not a little girl, I
never have been. I have curves. Thanks J-Lo for making it popular to
have a little junk in the trunk, but unfortunately its not the “ideal
rider’s body”. I know at least a few of you out there know what I'm
talking about. You have an instructor that keeps shouting out to “pull
your backside underneath you” to “straighten your lower back” to which
you reply “I am.” Try as you may your body betrays you.
Our own conformation is also in part determined by genetics and
heredity. Our athletic aspirations can be limited by these factors as
well as our present health and physical condition, previous history,
injuries past and present, current fitness level and nutritional
status. We don’t all have legs sprouting out of our ears that wrap
around the horses barrel. We are not all natural born athletes. It can
be frustrating to watch so called “natural riders” seem to progress
with such ease, while some of us have to really work at achieving
proper body alignment. Try not to get too hung up on comparing your
self with the ideal physique. The difficulties in obtaining the
position of a balanced seat can be over come with a conscious effort.
I have seen mediocre and “overweight” riders become extraordinary
riders as they learn to to supple, strengthen, and balance their own
bodies.
There are several forms of exercise that compliment riding. Some are
programs in and of themselves and require lessons. Other simpler forms
such as walking, hiking or swimming certainly will help you stay fit.
If you pick a structured form of exercise to support your riding,
please be sure to pick a sport that covers flexibility/stretching,
strength training, balance, and most importantly equal use and
development of both the left and right sides of the body (
ambidextrous ).
If I had to pick one form of cross training to help you get fit to
ride it would definitely be Pilates. I noticed a difference in my
riding after 5 workouts, and I saw changes in my body within 10
workouts. Pilate's - focuses on strengthening the 'core' of your body,
which is very important in riding. Pilate’s is the only form of
exercise I have ever found that truly worked my lower abdominal
muscles. It attacks the dreaded pouch below the belly button that we
all love to hate. Pilates not only makes you stronger and more
flexible but it also allows you to work up a sweat, which I never
achieved through yoga. If you can afford it, enlisting the services of
a professional trainer is an excellent way to get on the right path.
Consider having your barn bring in a trainer specific to equestrian
riders' needs and train in a group.
This series on Pilates in The Horse Magazine for Rider is full of
great exercises with detailed instructions and pictures. There are
also several books written with the equestrian athlete in mind.
As riders, we all have different goals and aspirations and our fitness
programs should reflect them! There is no one size fits all when it
comes to rider fitness, therefore we each need to assess our
individual needs and that of our horses in order to build sound
fitness programs that are as unique as we all are! |
