Strong in the Saddle
As equestrians we must learn how to properly care for our equipment. We also have to decide what nutritional / supplemental needs will keep our horse fit and conditioned. But the job is not complete unless we do the same things for ourselves. Like our horses, we are athletes. Take a minute to think about your horse’s food, supplements and exercise regimen Most horse owners monitor their horse’s every move.
Nutrition is one of the most important components of caring for our horses and it is key for them to thrive and enjoy success. Whether it’s gauging their water intake, adding supplements to support their work-load, or selecting a quality grain or hay. Owners must know how to access and fulfill these needs.
In addition to prioritizing your horse’s nutrition, chances are you plan and prioritize his/her exercise. Ensuring your horse is fit for the job is essential. They need the proper stamina, endurance and strength to avoid injury and fatigue. Now take into account that jumping is a team effort compromised of a horse and rider, and then ask yourself, why don’t I do the same thing’s for me?
Success in the arena requires the best from the horse as well as the rider. Don’t you think we should hold ourselves to the same standard of care that we provide for our horses? Balancing the responsibilities of life, school, work, hobbies or friends and family is difficult and can result in there simply not being enough time in a day to think about ourselves. Regardless of how busy your life is, you should never cut corners when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Your body needs proper nutrients, activity and rest to function at it’s best.
Before I go into more detail, I’d like to state for the record that I am not a nutritionist or a personal trainer. None-the-less, the things I have listed below are those that I personally have found helpful to me, as an equestrian athlete.
Proper nutrition
Supplemental support
Physical activity
Saddle strengthening
Rest
First and foremost, your body needs food to function at it’s best and to fight the fatigue of the demands you place upon it. As riders, we spend long periods of time outside and sometimes in less than ideal weather conditions. So how do we ensure we have the proper energy and fuel to endure the work-load at the barn? Energy comes from the foods and liquids that we consume. The three main nutrients used for energy are protein, carbohydrates and fats, with carbohydrates being the most important source of energy. When looking at your horse’s grain, ideally these are also the three components you consider when selecting what blend would best suit them. And just like we break down these macronutrients in percentages, we can do the same as riders to ensure we also have a balanced split.
Usually I like to prioritize my lean protein intake, while splitting my carbs and fats 50/50. Protein is one of the best sources to adequately sustain energy throughout the day, hence that is why it’s what I eat the most. When you have the option of choosing from a simple or complex carb, reach for the complex carb because these assist in prolonged energy due to their slow digestion. A perfect example of a complex carbohydrate is an apple. This means there’s a treat that you and your horse can both enjoy…or “share” in most cases, so pack extra. If you know you’ll have a long day at the barn or show, consider packing a cooler for meals or snacks in advance. I’ve always believed in the mantra, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
Instead, prepare for success by prioritizing your health. My cooler varies from sliced fruits, vegetables, salads, veggie wraps or protein shakes. But being that we don’t always have guaranteed time to set aside to eat, I make sure I pack quick and easy snack sources like PEScience Select Protein bars that I can easily grab and go. I try to eat something small every 2-3hrs to ensure I avoid running out of fuel or possibly even over heating. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you don’t have any strength to finish your ride or barn chores.
https://pescience.com/collections/protein/products/select-protein-bar
Additionally, I make a concerted effort to stay hydrated. Why? Dehydration can cause cramps, the risk of overheating and lack of energy. Sometimes, despite our best efforts this objective can be a real challenge. That’s why supplemental support can help tremendously. In the summer when it’s particularly hot, have you ever added “electrolytes” into your horse’s diet? Well, you can also add it to your own! Try to avoid reaching for the sugar loaded drinks that will dehydrate you further. As diligently as you check how many buckets of water your horse drinks throughout the day, do yourself a favor and try to consume several ounces of water each hour. Personally, I like to add in Amino IV by PEScience to my water bottles. In addition to the convenience of adding it right into my water, it contains zero sugar, zero calories, and provides additional ingredients like leucine, BCAA’s and EAA’s to aid in my post ride recovery and soreness.
https://pescience.com/collections/amino-acids/products/amino-iv
Now that you have an idea how you can properly fuel yourself, how can you properly condition yourself? One thing you’ve probably had stressed to you from your trainer is allowing your horse to move and get proper circulation each day. Maybe your horse gets to go out in the pasture for several hours a day. Or maybe your horse gets out for a light flat or trail ride. Point is, everyday your horse gets to move. You don’t need a vigorous flat or strenuous jump school everyday, but they benefit greatly from being able to get outside and stretch. News flash - so do you! Stay moving. Get up off the couch or out of the saddle and get active. Some of my favorite exercises include long walks, HIIT sprints, and any workout where I can focus on abs, upper body strength, balance or stability.
EXAMPLES
Photos 1 & 2 : Single arm bicep curls
Photos 3 & 4 : Body weight squats & single legged pistol squats (on a BOSU Ball)
Photos 5 & 6 : 1 minute plank holds & resistance bands
Photos 7 & 8 : Single arm dumbbell row
Part of staying strong in the saddle is having a strong core. This is why planks and other core engaging exercises are crucial. Bicep curls and rows utilize similar muscle groups when needing strength necessary to receive certain responses with our reins. By using the Bosu ball it works on strength and balance together, and a good rider needs to not just be strong but also balanced. By using resistance bands the main muscles are worked alongside the stabilizing muscles. We all know riding a horse requires more than one strong muscle.
Even while you’re riding, it’s no secret that no stirrup work can help strengthen your leg, balance and overall control in the saddle. Make a habit of devoting 1-2 days a week where you use your time in the saddle to focus on yourself, and your own conditioning. There are plenty of exercises aside from sitting the trot or canter without stirrups. You can post the trot, and once you’ve mastered that you can practice holding your two point, and different post variations. Example: sit 1 + post 2 or vice versa, sit 2 + post 1. Don’t be afraid of setting a timer or setting a short-term goal for each week. Maybe you can only commit 2 minutes without stirrups to your trot or canter work. But who knows, maybe by “no-stirrup November” you’ll be ready to go your entire ride stirrup-less. Below you’ll find a video I made a few years back as a demonstration of a few of the exercises I practiced regularly.
Lastly, don’t forget to rest! Just like our horses, our bodies need time to rest for adequate recovery. When we workout, we breakdown our muscle fibers, and as a result, they need time to repair in order to grow and provide strength. Assuming that you are following a good exercise regimen then allow for a day of relaxation each week. In this way, your body can recover and help prevent burning out.
Learn to prioritize your sleep schedule, with the goal of 7-9 restful hours of sleep each night. After all, equestrians are athletes, even if some don’t consider riding to be a sport. Try your best to follow the guidelines I have given you in this blog and you should begin to see your riding abilities improve. Your teammate is counting on you. Be as strong in the saddle as the horse is beneath you.