I spent many years working with and observing professional riders – some had incredible natural talent, balance and feel for the horse – but others had to work much harder to stay at the top of their game.
There was a real divide between those who took their own health and fitness seriously, and those who hydrated in the bar after riding – but they were all fit enough to do the job they did and ride at an elite level.
Several years on and rider fitness is something which is taken very seriously by the elite riders and those coming up the ranks.
I then went to the other side – working in a competition centre on the organisational side running everything from intro dressage and cross pole jumping to high level dressage qualifiers and Grand Prix jumping classes.
There are many capable and talented riders of all shapes and sizes who are fit and in balance with their horses, however there were times when I was filled with dread watching riders fall off simply because they were out of balance and unfit.
Coupled with a pretty painful fall from a horse, this thought of falling off because I wasn’t ‘strong enough or fit enough’ to ride properly, totally put me off.
I spent quite a long time making every excuse under the sun not to ride, after listening to one of Jane Brindley’s talks on confidence and some chats with Equiteam Confidence Camp riders I went home, told myself I was being ridiculous and rode some of the safer young horses on the yard.
There wasn’t anything physically wrong with me and I was relatively fit at this point, so the issues were all in my head.
Time goes by
However, a few years away from working with horses again, adding in a small child and the responsibility that it brings, along with an all time low level of fitness, the thought of sitting on a horse did not appeal at all. In fact, it made me feel sick. I felt so weak down one side I had no confidence in my own ability and thought if they did so much as a small spook I’d be on the floor.
Admittedly when I got the opportunity to ride a dressage schoolmaster in an indoor arena, although I felt sick at the thought, a deep breath and rational thinking got me on, and I actually really enjoyed in. Wow – did my body hate me though.
A weighty problem
Where is this all going you might wonder? I have ridden very sporadically over the last few years and I always joke that its because I’m used to riding well-schooled showjumpers and I want this feeling on a super safe cob. AKA a unicorn!
Towards the end of last year I started thinking that maybe I would like to ride again more regularly, but there was still a nagging voice in my head telling me that I was too overweight and too unfit. This was really brought home when I realised I couldn’t have a lesson at the local riding school – as I was too heavy!
Mortified – the only saving grace is that I hadn’t turned up and been asked to stand on some scales! Can you imagine?
I had been eating healthily on and off and doing a bit of running and some HIIT workouts and had lost a stone and half very gradually over a long period of time. In November I decided a kick up the bum was needed, so I signed up to the Equestrian Fitness Scotland pre-Christmas boot camp. It was brilliant and really made me appreciate what I am eating and where my weaknesses lie both with food and my strength.
I set some goals, committed to running and carried on with the Equestrian Fitness Scotland workouts that we have each week on EquiTeam, and although the healthy diet went off course for a while I am now fitter than I have been since I stopped grooming (a lot of years ago).
More than a stone and lots of inches down since November it is sometimes slow progress, but the end goal is so close now.
And the whole point of this blog? Two weeks ago my friend asked if I wanted to ride… Yes, yes I do please. Was there any fear and feeling sick? Nope!
Because I knew that I wouldn’t to bobble off the side at the slightest spook. And even better – my lovely Fetlox breeches that I bought when they were in the sale, actually fitted too. (The super sticky bum on them might have added to my newfound confidence).
Do I want to ride something naughty that’s going to bounce around a lot? Not really, but I do know that I’m now fit enough and strong enough to deal with it.
I’m not going to lie, there were definitely days where I questioned my own sanity, when walking up or down the stairs hurt a lot, but has it been worth it? 100% yes. Knowing that I now am light enough to go for a lesson if I want and the confidence to go with it is worth every drop of sweat.
It’s easy to have an opinion when you’re not the one sitting on the horse, but having been ‘that’ person in denial, making all the excuses I could and not facing the real truth of the situation; I would say that 100% being fit enough for the job you are asking your body to do on the horse makes more difference to your confidence that I ever thought possible.
If you want to enjoy your riding, your lessons and time on your horse and think you could benefit from being stronger in certain areas, or your cardio fitness could be better, the workouts and help and advice are all there for you to use, you just need to take the first step.
Lou x
Have a look at the weekly Equestrian Fitness Scotland workouts here which are included in the monthly EquiTeam membership of just £3.50 a week. .
