For a personalised fitness and management programme contact Kevin fairdinkumfitness@yahoo.com.au
An introductory guide to rider fitness for distance horse riding
The following summary provides some basic ideas for preparing you own fitness for riding long distance on your horse.
A fitness programme should incorporate strength training and cardiovascular and respiratory training. For humans an individualised programme is advisable since our lifestyle, diet and capabilities vary so hugely. When designing a programme for horse riders, I try to incorporate your riding into your programme. Stretching is also an important part of training and recovery.
Strength training;
A typical strength session may comprise 30-45minute workout. It is strongly advised you seek supervision early in your training to ensure you are not harming your body with strength and power exercises, as these done incorrectly can do much harm and induce compensatory mechanisms in the body which will build incorrect muscle strength. Core training is most important. Pilates perhaps one of the most valuable types of this is now widely available. Clinical Pilates (claimable on health insurance) and one on one session are much more valuable.
A thero-band is an important tool you will use for much of the strength training to do bicep curls, squats and lunges, shoulder, back and triceps exercises.
Abdominal crunches and prone hold, plank holds and correct sit ups are also all useful.
Cardio/Resp training;
You will gain much cardiac and respiratory fitness from distance riding, and some speed work at rides/training. You should also incorporate breathing exercises when lunging your horse plus some physical and mental relaxation techniques at this time too.
I like to encourage most cardio/resp training be done with your horse. For example, if you normally ride 3x/week a 5-7km track, then jog or walk 1km of this to start with and increase to at least ½ of that ride. Over a 4-6week plan you may increase this to jogging 5km and walking 2km. This also allows your horse freedom of movement with you off his back and you are both maintaining and gaining fitness.
