Riders are athletes, too. You put hours of work into training and conditioning your horse, but how do you keep yourself in shape? If you need a place to start, here are two things you can do at home that will help you perform better in the saddle.
Planks
An often overlooked part of the body in equestrian sports is the rider’s core. Training your abdominal muscles can help your stability in the saddle and create a more balanced ride.
Jamie Graham, personal trainer and founder of Haybales & Barbells, recommends planks as a fantastic full body exercise that will strengthen not only your core muscles, but your glutes, quads, shoulders and arms.
To do a plank, get into a push-up position with your forearms flat on the floor and your elbows in line with your shoulders. Hold this position for as long as you can and do it every day.
Yoga
We know that it’s important to help your horse stretch before and after a ride, but it can be beneficial to riders too. Stretching can improve a rider’s flexibility and mobility in the saddle, which leads to a more controlled ride.
Laurel Hughes, a licensed yoga instructor and founder of Elysian Movement, says that doing just one quick sequence a day can help equestrians improve their ride from the ground.
Stand with your feet hip width apart and reach up your hands with your palms facing each other, and hold for 30 seconds. Exhale and reach down to place your fingers on the floor in front of you. Take a giant step back with your right leg, looking up and keeping your back flat. Drop your knee to the ground and hold again. Step forward with your right leg, and repeat with the other side.
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