Do you need to be lunged first?

I was listening an episode of the Horse & Hound Podcast earlier, which contained an interview with Abi Lyle and in it they touch upon her fitness regime. 

As well as discussing how it has helped her body awareness she talked about how it mentally made her a better rider. How the mental benefits of exercise meant she wasn’t taking all of that excess mental energy into her riding-she likened it to needing to be lunged first! Which I’m sure many of us can relate to!! 

I definitely resonated with that. I’m quite a busy person in my mind and then quite fidgety in my body so “being lunged first” helps to clear some of that brain and body busyness making my mind and body stiller to ride. 

I think it’s something we should think about when looking at our exercise regime. 

Do you need to get rid of some fizz or release tension in mind and body? For some people that could mean high energy exercise such as running or it might mean slowing things down with some yoga. 

Or maybe you need to create a little more energy in your muscles, perhaps you actually need firing up? Maybe a dance or boxing class or again whatever takes your fancy to activate your brain and body ready to ride. 

This can have the two fold affect of putting you in a better headspace; but also tuning you into your body so you are more aware of your limbs and your Seat bones and how they are interacting with your horse as you ride. 

Are you a “needs to be lunged first” or more “a few carrot stretches and you’re good to go”? 

What is your favourite exercise to do to help your mindset? 

Invest in your future

Most of my clients work with me because they want to be better for their horses.

Some work with me for aesthetic reasons.

However there are some very important reasons we should all be doing some form of resistance training, and that is as an investment in your future health.

Resistance training -that is training with weights, improves bone density which is naturally declining as we age. Women in particular are at risk of Osteoporosis which caused weakened bones. Obviously as riders we are more likely to be bashed around, fall off etc. which makes it even more important to protect our bone health.

It is also important to maintain muscle as we age. Again as young as your 30’s your muscle mass declines unless you actively work to rebuild it. Weight training encourages your muscle fibres to rebuild which slows down the ageing decline.

Frame your exercise as an investment in your future. Think about the long term and whether you still want to be feeling fit and strong and able to ride into your 80’s.

Weight training does not have to mean lifting weights, it can also mean body weight training.

Do whatever you can to find a way to make it a part of your life, yes to improve your body control for riding, and potentially as a component of changing your body composition; but most importantly to maintain your strength and fitness for your long term future.

If you want some help adding resistance training into your life Equestrian Fitness has a couple of options to suit you:

Online Programme – 3 workouts per week. 1 resistance, 1 HIIT, 1 Yoga https://www.equestrianfitness.co.uk/online-classes/

Done for you Kettlebell Training Programme

https://payhip.com/b/byNLo

Or if you a want more personalised programme I have a couple of spaces for online training which involves me providing you with a bespoke programme, weekly accountability check ins and a monthly zoom catch up. £60. Email me if you’d like to discuss this: nicola@equestrianfitness.co.uk

Training for pressure

Are you thinking of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in 2023? Then you’re going to have to get more comfortable at performing under pressure. 

A common theme I hear from people is that as soon as they enter the ring they go blank-Dressage test? Is that turn left or right, circle at E????? Jumping? Was it over the upright then left to the Oxer or was it onto the double? 

You can practice and practice at home in your arena, you run through it in your head at home but as soon as the pressure is on your mind goes blank.

Remembering information coherently under pressure is a skill that needs training. 

Of course getting out there and competing more can help but sometimes that’s too much pressure and the problem doesn’t fix itself. 

So you may need to be a little more creative in your training.

Here’s some Ideas, but maybe you’ll come up with your own.

Challenge your stability whilst visualising your Dressage test. Stand on one leg or a wobble board to create an extra distraction as you visualise your test or run through a course of fences.

If it’s remembering a course you struggle with, you will need a list of pre written courses (there’s plenty of inspiration if you Google it) then have a quick run through -a course walk; then start your chosen activity and ride the course you’ve just learnt in your mind.

Try doing this whilst you’re doing other things such as running, cycling or cooking. Any activity that you would probably do without thinking normally, then add the extra layer of visualising your test or round.

It’s about getting your brain to be comfortable processing the information whilst still carrying out the task in hand-riding the horse but remembering where you’re going! 

Training off horse to improve your riding isn’t just about the physical. 

I often spend time with my 121 Clients talking through problems and figuring out solutions that may be mental rather than physical and then if necessary we incorporate it into their training.

Control the Controllable

I recently completed the Centre 10 Foundation Coaching Course, which is Performance Psychology based.

One of the concepts is using an Inside Out approach to managing performance.

Inside is the things that you can control such as your own thoughts and actions and outside is the things that you can’t control such as the weather, other people etc. When we focus on the controllable the uncontrollable are less likely negatively impact our performance. If you’re thinking about the rain or the red chair near the arena you aren’t focusing on your riding so it’s less likely to go well isn’t it? If you fully focus on your own actions and mindset whilst riding and really tune into your horse instead of what is going on around you, you’re more likely to ride well aren’t you?

This got me to thinking about how I might apply this to my own goals this year.

If you see me in person (and therefore have to listen to my weekly slot of horse nonsense!) you will know my Fell pony Gwydion is a complicated character. I can find that frustrating and that means we can struggle to get along sometimes. Note: He is incredibly handsome and has the prettiest hair though which is an important quality.

 The thing is I can’t change how he reacts to situations – OUTSIDE ……..but I can change how I react to him-INSIDE. If I can focus on staying calm and relaxed no matter what he’s presenting me with that day I will not be playing a part in escalating his tension and I will be feeling less frustration myself during and after the session. You never know, this could change the overall outcome of those sessions……

I think it’s important to realise that Performance Psychology and Mindset is not just something that is applicable to competition. It can apply to any interaction with your horse or indeed any area of your life.

Focus on controlling the controllable and let the uncontrollable sort themselves out.