Tag: equestrian fitness

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.

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.

I know it’s totally a cliché, but a New Year really does make you want to turn the page and start writing new chapters in your life.

Let’s start making plans!

First off what do you want to have achieved by this time next year? Is it working towards a big goal that will need breaking down into smaller steps? Or is it a series of little goals? Be as clear as you can at what it is you want to achieve-otherwise how will you measure your success?

A really important step for any goal is knowing your why. Why do you want…….do you want to lose weight to be a lighter load for your horse? Do you want to go up a level in Eventing because you know your horse is capable and it will feel amazing when you achieve it?

Be clear about your action points -what steps will you need to take to achieve it

Who’s your team-who is going to help and support you

What are your Plan B’s? This sounds like an almost negative one, but I think it’s important to ant have alternative plans for when Plan A starts to go awry.

What will you eat to keep you on your healthy diet when you get in late, haven’t done the food shop etc…. For me it’s either stopping into a co-op and buying some soup, or if I’m straight home then porridge, peanut butter on toast or scrambled eggs are usually available.

If you haven’t got time to ride your horse, or the facilities aren’t available, what will you do with your horse and/or time instead? Groundwork, Stretches and Physio Exercises in the stable, a workout for you instead?

Struggling to fit the hour off horse workout in you promised you’d do? Have you got a back up 30-minute, 20-minute or 10-minute workout you can do instead?

Who is your support team? Do you have a great Coach who can help you take the steps you need but also encourage and support you when things are tough? Have you got the people you live with on board with your diet plans? A trainer or exercise buddy to keep you accountable to those workouts?

Want some help? I’m that trainer that can help you action those diet and exercise goals in person or online…….

This past few weeks I have been sending out Goal questionnaires to my clients. Naturally, the subject of weight loss has arisen in many of those forms. Of course we’ll be honing in on achieving those goals come 2023 however what about the meantime?

It’s incredibly tempting at this point to f*ck it until January, go all out from now until then and inevitably find yourself another half a stone or so up on where you are now.

Instead start focusing on the new habits you want to adopt as part of your weight loss regime and begin to find ways of implementing them now. Call it a practice run.

Sure, you’ll have some celebrations going on from now until January and that’s fine you can totally enjoy them, but since come January I want you to be making sustainable healthy habits to aid your weight loss you don’t need to start feasting like it’s the last supper between now and then.

Remember January 2023 is not going to be nil by mouth, all green detox season. Your weight loss mission next year is going to be built from healthier day to day habits that still allows you to enjoy food, doesn’t ban any food groups and will be sustainable long term.

So, why not start now? If you’re out doing Christmas stuff then sure celebrate but all those other meal times are a chance to be more mindful of what you’re eating and how this will make you feel in the moment from a nutritional and energy point of view and how this will contribute to your long term goals.

Need some pointers to get you started?

• Stay hydrated – Water, Juice, Herbal tea. Good hydration is vital for overall health (cell renewal, organs etc…..) it therefore maintains your energy levels and keeps your brain sharp.
• Keep your protein levels up – Lean meat, Fish, Eggs, Meat substitutes, Beans. It keeps you satiated, helps you repair and build muscle.
• Add more vegetables! Obviously great from a Vitamins point of view-read overall health! Also helps to fill you up so remember that if you’re Sprout dodging on Christmas day………

If you want to achieve something you’ve never done before you’re going to have to start with steps you’ve never done before.

To achieve new things you’ll need to step outside your comfort zone.

As some of you will know I’m in the process of introducing my Fell pony Gwydion to new life experiences. That means him and me are doing lots of little steps outside of our comfort zone.

It can be hard and of course scary to take new steps and do things you’ve never done before.

For me & Gwyd that’s going to new scary arenas and going on tiny hacks – those things are super scary to me I promise!

For you that could be attending a new Pilates class or having a lesson with a new instructor.

If there is something you really want to achieve but it seems too scary break it down into smaller steps. I’m not saying those smaller steps won’t be scary too but if they’re a bit smaller they can seem more achievable.

For example if your goal is to compete at Dressage but the whole going to a new venue, warming up, doing the test etc all seems a big ask break it down and make it smaller.

Start with just going to new venues.

Start with doing online Dressage at home.

Go to a test riding clinic so it’s almost the same but not a competition.

Go to the venue on foot on a competition day so you can scope out where everything is, what the atmosphere is like etc.

Then lot’s of the elements such as the venue and the test riding bit aren’t new to you so it’s just joining them altogether that’s the new bit. Which is now a much smaller jump because you’ve got the other steps there already.

Want to join a Pilates Class or invest in a Personal Trainer but the thought of exercising in public terrifies you? Start with an online class, then once you feel more comfortable convince a friend to go with you to a class. Or top tip sign up to be one of my clients and I promise you’ll be so busy chatting horse nonsense and laughing and you’ll completely forget you’re even exercising!

Whatever it is, remember if you want to grow you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone……but those steps can be as big or small as you make them.

The reason I am an advocate for strength training is not because I believe riding is a strength based sport.

If you have strength in your body you are more likely to have control of your body.

The stronger you are the less effort your muscles have to make to give aids and hold themselves whilst absorbing the movement of the horse.

If your muscles aren’t strong, suddenly to have to give a slightly stronger aid means you will tense and brace to try and give a bit more.

If you are strong, your max effort is a long way off so a stronger aid can be applied much easier and therefore no bracing or tensing is required.

So being stronger can actually enable you to ride softer.

Now, I’m sure many of you have heard the myth that being strong makes you stiff and rigid.

Sure, loads of heavy lifting of isolated muscles is not an optimal way to improve your riding performance.

However, compound moves using multiple muscles such as Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges etc. combined with some mobility work to keep muscles long and take joints through their full range of motion will give you a degree of strength that will allow your body to stabilise and give aids with less force which in turn will allow your body to be soft.

Strength is not just about being able to apply brute force, it’s about having stability and control when force is applied, in this instance the force being applied is your horse.

So, don’t write off strength training as something that will turn you into a bulky brick wall. Think of it as Athletic Performance training in the same way that many other sports people do.  Being strong makes things/your sport less effort.

Be strong enough to ride soft.

At this time of year it can be really easy to hibernate and not bother with the horse stuff until spring!

Of course you could totally do that if you were turning your horse away for winter, but most of us don’t do that as we don’t necessarily have the facilities or we still want to do some riding over winter as we are aiming for things to do early spring.

The hardest thing can be keeping to the habit when the weather is at it’s worst then finding you’ve lost the habit even when the weather isn’t so bad. Then you feel demotivated, demoralised like you’ve failed………that’s not how we want to go into next year!

The important part is maintaining the habit of doing something with your horse.

Be flexible with what those sessions might entail.

Got an indoor? Then no excuses!

Outdoor only?

How about short sessions with one clear focus such as Leg yield in walk, trot and canter or how many transitions within and up and down gaits can you do in 15 minutes?

No facilities? School whilst hacking-straight roads are great for Shoulder in practice.

I’ve taken up in hand classical dressage which you can do in smaller spaces, on most ground as so much can be done in walk and it has a huge impact on your horses self carriage and suppleness.

You could also ask your horses physio for some exercises that would benefit your horse, most of which can normally be done in the stable-remember those carrot stretches you promised you’d do every day………

Then you plan which days you will be working your horse and have Plan A which is your ideal such as proper schooling session, hack etc then have a Plan B if the weather isn’t inspiring you or you run out of time such as 10 mins in hand or stretches.

Don’t put pressure on yourself to have a full winter of perfect, long rides every single week as unless you’re fortunate enough to have access to great all weather facilities or don’t mind a serious soaking and gale force winds the it’s just not feasible.

The important thing is sticking to the habit of working your horse 3-4 times per week or whatever amount you decide.

Get creative!

What sort of things do you do with your horse when you’re dodging weather?

When I discuss nutrition with clients it is often thought of as weight loss advice, however eating well is much more than a weight loss tool. Good nutrition has a huge effect on how you feel day to day and therefore how you interact with and train your horse.

Food is fuel. Yes it’s also tasty and I am a huge fan of all the good stuff. However I am also a huge fan of feeling energised and clear headed for as much of the day as possible.

This is where good nutrition comes in. I know it’ s the stuff of meme’s that the Equestrian diet is made up of Coffee and Chocolate bars, and Cheesy chips on show days but it’s really not the way to fuel yourself for a busy day.

Firstly good hydration is key. Some Coffee and/or energy/fizzy drinks is fine but existing on them alone is not fine. Try to get most of your hydration from water, zero sugar squash or some herbal tea. Get yourself a water bottle and aim to fill it twice every day.

I understand that 3 square sit down meals per day can be just not possible when you’ve got a full on day at the yard but that doesn’t mean surviving off sugar is the answer either.

Having access to healthy snacks can keep you feeling sharp all day without needing to stop for a full meal.

Some ideas could include:

Nuts -ok I just eat peanut butter out of the jar but whatever works.

Boiled Eggs-easy to pre prepare or you can buy them in the sandwich sections of supermarkets and petrol stations.

Fruit

Protein Shake/Smoothie-Made yourself or bought

Pre Cooked chicken-again you can make it or buy it

If you reframe your nutrition as a way to perform your best for your horse and your riding you’ll start to make it more of a priority.

Also, are Cheesy chips just for show days or are we supposed to be eating them at other times???

Do you ever think about the level of tension you hold in your body day to day?

Just walking around, sitting at a desk, driving, reading this……bring your awareness to how your body feels. Tense shoulders? Clenched fists? Often this isn’t even because we’re particularly stressed, we just get used to holding our bodies this way from times when we were stressed.

So, if we’re walking around holding areas of tension you can guarantee we handle and ride our horses holding these areas of tension.

Yet, we know any tension from us transfers directly to our horses. This could translate to our horse as nervous energy, blocking them, stiffness, heaviness or harshness when it is not intended.

If we want to achieve true softness and connection to our horses we need to get rid of this tension before we handle or work them.

The first step to dealing with this is to notice it, so if now you’ve brought your attention to it you are aware of it that’s a great start.

A pre ride warm up can be a great tension release, but sometimes it also requires a more mindful approach.

Next time you’re getting ready to ride or maybe just handle your horse take a minute to prepare your mind and body with a breathing exercise.

Start at the top of your body, notice an area of tension then take a breath in and as you breathe out imagine sending the out breath to that area and release the tension. Continue this throughout your body wherever you notice tension, or if you aren’t quite sure release your shoulders, hands, glutes and legs.

How does that feel?

Sometimes I take my online Friday stretch through this practice of releasing tension at the end of the session.  Friday Stretch is one of the 3 pre recorded sessions per week in my online programme. 

https://www.equestrianfitness.co.uk/online-classes/

We start most of my online workouts with a side bend to warm up and get moving. This is not just a great way to start mobilising and stretching out the body it is also a way of spotting any Asymmetries. 

Firstly, you might notice it is easier to bend one way more than the other, then if you dig a little deeper you might notice there are more things going awry.

As you bend one way you may find it’s not only a little harder, but your shoulder starts to round and your chest closes, maybe your hip starts to creep up or forward? 

Which means you then aren’t truly opening up that side in the same way that you’re opening up the other side.

If you aren’t addressing this Asymmetry from the minute you start the session it’s most likely that the Asymmetry will be there throughout.

This Asymmetry will then be present when you ride, meaning you may be ever so slightly tipped one way, rotated one way and find riding on a particular rein or turning in one direction difficult. 

There can of course be various bits of your body causing this issue but to begin addressing can be started with the basic side bend.

Standing or sitting, take one arm over. Think about weighting the same side hip down to allow you to really lift out of the pelvis. Keep your chest open and notice how the rest of your body aligns. Aim to keep yourself stacked as if stuck between two panes of glass. Repeat on the other side and aim for both sides to feel the same.

Try this as part of your off horse exercise routine and also as part of your pre ride warm up.

Want to check out the weekly side bends in my online programme? 

Sign up here for just £5 per month!

https://www.equestrianfitness.co.uk/online-classes/