Mary Allen
Riders conscientiously warm up their horses before the ride – but most people forget about their bodies.
A stiff neck from sitting at a desk for a long time or a sore back and tired legs from standing activities: Anyone who comes to the stables after a hard day at work and is looking forward to a riding lesson or a relaxing ride often has a few physical ailments with them. That wouldn’t be a problem if you sat down on a bike or other piece of fitness equipment to train.
The sensitive creature horse, on the other hand, immediately senses how his human is feeling. If you are mentally and physically stressed, it immediately perceives this condition – and is put on alert. If the horse doesn’t react as expected when riding out, the rider gets annoyed – and in the worst case is even more tense and annoyed than before. In order not to let this vicious circle develop in the first place, it helps to leave your everyday work at the stable door, to focus entirely on the horse, and to prepare yourself not only mentally but also physically for the hours with the horse.
High Coordination Requirements
A trick from mental training helps the head. Consciously say or think “Stop!” when professional or everyday worries creep into your thoughts. Now the time belongs exclusively to you and your horse. Prepare your body for riding with some warm-up and relaxation exercises. In practically all sports, it is common to prepare for upcoming physical performances with a warm-up program – only in equestrian sports are people reluctant to do so. Wrongly so: Riding requires neither speed nor maximum strength from the body, but places high demands on concentration, condition, and, above all, coordination skills in the areas of balance, rhythm, and reaction.
A fit rider with well-trained and warmed-up muscle, ligament, and tendon structures prepared for performance are physically better able to respond to the horse’s movements, swinging along and finely coordinating its weight, leg, and rein aids. A trained, warmed-up rider is also a better rider. Not only does the horse thank you for this, but also your own body: warming up before riding reduces the risk of injury. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments at operating temperature are more resilient, more flexible, and therefore less susceptible to strains, sprains, and overstretching. And a well-trained musculature supports the body and also protects against signs of wear and tear in the long term.
Combine Training with Work
If the stable is not too far away, you can start your warm-up program on the way to the horse by walking or cycling. If you have to fetch your horse from the pasture before riding, you can extend the way back with a few additional loops and walk alongside the horse at a brisk pace, which will warm it up a bit. Just ten minutes is enough to increase body temperature, warm up muscles and stimulate circulation and the formation of “lubricating” fluid in the joints.
After that, the intensity of the movements can be increased by doing small trots with the horse, you can alternately pull your knees higher when walking (skipping) or pull your heels to your buttocks (ankles). Now is also the right time for small hops and jumps – with or without a horse in hand. If you like, you can use the bars, cavaletti, or small obstacles in the riding arena and complete your small fitness course.
This is followed by simple gymnastics and stretching exercises, as you know them from physical education or gymnastics lessons. Many of these are easy to incorporate into stable chores and grooming the horse: Walking on tiptoe while alternating raising your arms as high as possible warms up the back and core muscles. The shoulders are rotated from front to back and vice versa, first the right shoulder, then the left shoulder, or both shoulders at the same time. Gently stretch your head to the left and right side and try to hold each position for 20 seconds, then pull your chin to your chest and hold the position for a few seconds, same with head tilted back.
You circle your arms forwards and backward, individually and together, do a few push-ups while standing against the stable wall or lift the saddle a few times high above your head. Properly performed squats not only train leg, torso, and back muscles, but also mobility in the ankles, knees, and hips. The thighs can be reached with lunges: going forward they stretch the anterior muscles and, if you push your hips forward, also the hip extensors.
Perform Exercises Consciously
The lunge to the side stretches the inner thigh muscles. To stretch the calves, stand with the ball of your foot on a step or the climbing aid and slowly lower your heel until you feel a slight pull in your muscles, hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds, then switch legs.
All exercises should be done slowly and deliberately. Some can be performed inconspicuously, others will initially attract the attention of fellow riders – but at the latest when they see how you sit more elastically and loosely in the saddle and harmonize with your horse, you will have company for your warm-up exercises!