Riding isn’t just about sitting in the saddle, looking pretty and hoping for the best. We've all heard that saying from people who have no idea about our sport, "Horse riding's not a sport, the horse does all the work" & for anyone who's ever ridden in their life we know this is simply a load of bollocks
Riding is an incredibly demanding sport & it's one of the most multifaceted sports in my opinion as a fitness professional. You need to be aerobically fit, you need to be physically strong through your muscles & joints, you need to have good balance & equal distribution between your limbs & whilst you need strength you also need to have great mobility in the right areas to be able to use your aids effectively & absorb your horses movement.
There's a lot going on! So there are lots of things to be focusing on & that can leave us feeling completely confused about where we should start our fitness journey or what we need to focus on to truly transform our riding.when there are so many parts to consider.
We need to make sure we're focusing on all areas;
Fitness & the physical training. Aerobic exercise, resistance training, mobility, stretching, pre-riding warm ups.
Nutrition & Hydration
Recovery. Focusing on good quality sleep, foam rolling & sports massage/physio work as needed.
Mindset. If you're serious about long term changes to your health & fitness you need to work on your mindset. Journalling & regular reflections are a huge part of your journey.
Whether you’re competing or enjoying having fun with your horse, these are the areas you need to be focusing on to improve your riding but to give you a start point these are 3 simple steps you can follow now to help you ride stronger, recover faster, and stay injury-free so you can ride at your best & have the most fun with your horses!
1. Warm Up Off Horse
One of the most effective ways to get the most out of your riding is to prepare & prime your body before you get on your horse. Think about it; before a lesson or a show you always spend time warming up your horse. Walking him for a good few minutes getting his muscles moving & body temperature raised, doing some mobility movements to start to get him loose & prepared for the work to come & then taking him through some trot work & gentle canter to get him really nicely warmed up so he's fully primed to perform at his best. The exact same goes for your body & when we as the riders are 50% of the partnership we NEED to make sure we're warming up ourselves too.
A quick off-horse warm-up helps improve your mobility, activate the key riding muscles, and get your body warm & ready to move in sync with your horse. These are 3 bodyweight exercises you can do from anywhere before you jump on to get your hips, back & shoulders moving before you jump on!
Key Warm-Up Exercises:
Side Lunge: Loosen up your hips and get you moving laterally whilst warming up your inner thighs, glutes & core.
Hip Hinges: Activate your glutes and hamstrings, which are critical for a stable seat & make sure you can engage through your lower body to give precise yet subtle aids
Shoulder Dislocations: Opens up your shoulders & chest to improve posture and get some arm movement. Work with your mobility on these, DO NOT force the band!
Hip Circles: Mobilise your hips for better movement and fluidity in the saddle. When we ride we take our hips through external & internal rotation as well as flexion & extension so moving your hips through all those ranges is really important before you jump on. Hip circles will hit all these areas!
Even just 5-10 minutes of these exercises can make a noticeable difference in how you feel when you get on to ride. The goal is to feel more connected to your body and be ready to move seamlessly with your horse so spending a few minutes warming up yourself should be a non-negotiable & trust me your horse will feel it!
2. Fuel Pre and Post Rides
What you eat around your riding plays a big role in your energy, performance, focus and how you recover. Riding requires huge mental focus and physical effort, so fuelling your body with the right nutrients is essential.
Pre-Ride:
Opt for a balanced snack that combines some protein and prioritise carbs to give you sustained energy without feeling too full. Examples include:
A piece of fruit with a protein pouch
Banana & a protein shake
Oat bar & boiled eggs
Bagel & Peanut Butter
Toast with honey & 0% Greek Yogurt
Post-Ride:
After riding, you want to help your body to recover as best & as quicky as possible. Be sure to prioritise protein to help your muscles repair and some carbs to replenish your energy. Great options are:
A chicken and avocado wrap
A smoothie with protein powder, spinach, and berries
Protein Pouch & porridge
Tuna with a jacket potato
Eggs on toast
You also want to make sure you're hydrating well before & after riding as well. Adding some electrolytes to your water can be a great idea especially if you tend to sweat when you ride. When we sweat we lose water but it also contains electrolytes like sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These electrolytes are crucial for muscle function and fluid balance so we need to make sure we're replacing them!
Drinks like Lucozade sport or Powerade are great to add in too as they contain electrolytes but also carbohydrates to give your body some energy back! These can be great to sip on during competition or clinic days.
By prioritising balanced meals and good quality snacks that are full of nutritious value, you’ll not only feel more energised during your rides but you're also going to recover faster which means performing better over time. Nutrition plays a huge role in how you feel in your riding both mentally & physically & will play a huge role in helping you manage soreness & any achy muscles so pay attention to it!
We make sure our horses have good quality forage, the best hard feed on the market to suit their temperament & needs & any supplements to make sure they're getting the best nutrition they possibly can. So apply the same approach to yourself! Hydrating well & giving your body the fuel it needs should be another non-negotiable & it doesn't need to be complicated however a Mars bar & a red bull doesn't cut it anymore 😆 Whether that's at a show or at home.
3. Stretch It Out
After you ride, it’s easy to just un-tack, put everything away, get your horse washed off & back to bed and move on to the next task without a second thought, but taking a few minutes to stretch can make a world of difference. Stretching helps with recovery, reduces muscle soreness, and keeps your body strong and supple for the next session.
Post-Ride Stretches:
Hip Flexor Stretch: Counteracts tightness through the front of your thighs from sitting in the saddle.
Cat-Cow Stretch: Releases tension in your back and improves spinal mobility. Make sure to move through the mid-upper part of your back
Hamstring Stretch: Loosens up the back of your legs, which are heavily engaged while riding. I love this variety with the band as you can increase the stretch as you feel you need with the assistance of your band. You want to feel a gentle pull no more than that!
Child’s Pose: Opens up your hips and stretches off your lower back. Sink your chest down deep to get a good back stretch.
Piriformis Stretch; This is a really small yet powerful muscle in our glute area & helps us to keep stability in the saddle & is responsible for rotating the hip outwards so when our legs move outward it's working triple time! It's very common for riders to be super tight in the piriformis & an overly tight piriformis can lead to back pain so it's a very important one to stretch.
By making stretching part of your routine, you’ll help keep injuries at bay and maintain a strong & balanced body. I know it can be hard to remember to stretch when you're busy looking after your horse & of course we're all going to make sure our horses are attended to first but either stretching once you get home or straight away at the yard when you've finished your horse so you don't forget will go a long way! Stick with the same stretching routine for at least 2 weeks to keep it simple & set an alarm on your phone to remind you! Even if you stretch an hour after you ride it will still have a benefit on your body & you'll be amazed how good you feel mentally after stretching too. It can really help you to relax & bring calm.
Transforming your riding doesn’t have to be complicated.
By warming up off your horse, fuelling your body correctly, and prioritising your recovery, you’ll see huge improvements in your performance, energy, how your body feels and overall enjoyment in the saddle. These simple steps can make all the difference in how you feel and perform as a rider & make sure you're giving your horse the best.
Ready to take your riding to the next level? Start implementing these steps today and experience the transformation for yourself! I really hope this helps to give you some guidance on where to start & if focusing on all 3 at once seems overwhelming then just focus on 1 at a time!
Get consistent with doing that over a few weeks & then when you feel like that's become easy & you're in a routine implement the next step. I'd love to hear how you get on so keep me posted with how you go! Have fun all.
Katie
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