Pet & Animal: How to Get Into Shape for Horseback Riding

When you begin any new sport, one of the first things you need to do is be in the right physical shape for it. Every sport uses different muscle groups and stretches new areas of your body, which means that you will concentrate on different exercises in order to get in shape. This is no different with horseback riding. Although people say the horse does all the work, anyone who rides knows that to be a good rider, you need to be an athlete, and riding requires a lot of fitness.

The best way to get in great shape and become a good rider is to ride. Having strong muscles is half of it, but training your brain and eyes and having balance and body control while on a moving object is also important. If you don't get this experience regularly, you will not be in the best possible shape for riding. The following are several exercises you can use on a daily basis to help stretch, strengthen and tone the muscle groups you use while riding.

Steps

Stirrup Stretch

Walk up to the stairs in your home-if you don't have any, a stair stepper will do or a stepladder if you have one.
Stand on the stair closest to the ground, falling to your death won't get you into great shape. When you stand, hold onto the railing at first. Now, holding the railing, balance on only the balls of your feet.
Slowly stretch down and lower your heels until you feel the stretch in your calves. Sound familiar? This is recreating the stirrup! Hold for ten seconds. This will not only improve your position, but your balance as well!
Now, try letting go of the railing- this will take some practice. Try until you can balance for two seconds, then try five, then increase little by little as you improve.

Wall

This is a variation of the stair exercise. Walk up to any wall in your house and put your foot up against it about 1/2 to 3/4 of the position it would be in your stirrups.
Lift foot up to the position where your foot would be in a stirrup.
Hold for three seconds then release back against the wall.
Repeat five times; as you get better you can increase amount of time with your foot up and how many you do in all.

Beach Ball

Use any rubber or plastic ball as long as it is at least a foot in diameter.
Sit on a hard chair that allows your knees to sit at right angles to the floor.
Scoot to the edge of the chair so that your thighs are completely off of it, and place the beach ball between your knees.
Squeeze the beach ball between your knees, hold for fifteen seconds, and then release. Do this a few times a day until 15 becomes easy, then increase to 20, then 30, and so on.
This is a great way to increase your ability to hang on to your horse with your thighs. It increases the inner thigh muscles. You can also go to the gym and use what is called the "hip adductor" machine. Many equestrians who have had to take time off have noted that when they regularly use the hip adductor machine before getting back on a horse, they are more likely to feel fit and avoid the pain in the inner thighs when one gets back on a horse after a long time off.

Abs

Good riding is abdominal riding. This means that you need to really use your abdominal muscles to balance yourself, while clinching the horse with the legs when needed.
If your abs are weak, spend five minutes two or three times a day doing sit ups, and other abdominal exercises.
- Doing sit-ups with a work-out ball is up to 20% more effective.
Certain yoga positions are also great for improving abdominal muscles. Even if you don't practice yoga regularly, holding a few key positions, like the boat, half-boat, or warrior, for a few seconds a day can improve your fitness.
- As an added bonus, doing these moves correctly can also strengthen your back and improve your posture! These also help open up the shoulders, which is good for people who do a lot of slouching.

Upper Body

In riding, it is necessary to have even toning all over your body. Do not neglect doing some upper body exercises. Many upper level riders have a small set of weights and lift them a few times a day, but you can use your time with your horse to get some extra upper body exercise.
Give your horse a good massage with a curry comb. Carry your own water buckets and hay. Do chores around the barn like clean the horse's stall or paddock and wheel the wheelbarrow. All of these horse related activities are exercise and make the barn your free workout gym.
Practice good posture. It is easy to become complacent about posture when sitting at a computer or watching TV, but these are some of the best times to work out your back and shoulder muscles by simply sitting up straight and opening your chest. Riding is an aerobic activity, so the longer you are able to maintain your poster, the better equipped you will be for riding.
- See the Wiki How article on How to Improve Your Posture for some more ideas.
Do "backwards sit-ups," where you lay flat on your stomach and lift your chin and ankles off the floor. This is a good exercise for the back, and it doesn't require as much coordination as yoga.
Exercises that work the trapezius (upper back) or erectors, (lower back) also help. There are lots of machines that can help with this, floor exercises are probably good enough.

The Plank

This is a yoga move but it is great for your core muscles. Put yourself into the push-up position but instead of leaning on your hands, lean on your forearms.
Push yourself up so that only the balls of your feet and your forearms are touching the floor. Contract your deep core muscles and keep your back flat, making sure to not let your lower back arch or your hips droop toward the floor.
Hold for about 15 secs and repeat 15 times a day. (If you can't do an elbow plank without your lower back hurting, start with an easier version, which is just holding the upper position of a push-up.)
Try the plank on horseback in the jockey position, and grab the neck for comfort to the horse and the rider. This will gain the forearm to help you stay balanced on the horse for 20 secs.
- This also will help the upper back. After, you can lower back into the saddle.
- This is also good for people who are into show jumping and approaching a jump.

Tips

Endurance is a huge part of being a rider. It is hard work so try going for walks in the morning to build endurance. Fitness is great but if you don't have endurance you can't go anywhere.
Never think your horse does all the work. Warm up by brushing the horse when picking out the hooves: Use that as stretching.
Always warm up before riding. Stretching and warming up are very different having different purposes. Warming up prepares your muscles and increase their blood supply for work.
- Studies have shown passive static stretching prior to a workout can reduce stability and strength. If you must stretch, warm up using dynamic stretches particularly for the inner thighs.
Riding is hard work. If you are not fit, you will get tired easily, and this is less safe. Do not neglect being aerobically fit.
Do stretches on your horse. - This should help with position and strength.
Get your lower legs strong. This is what keeps you on the horse.
Stretch! Always stretch before and after exercise. Take time to warm up and to cool down. Stay flexible and reduce stiffness. Be sure you do all of your stretches slowly and carefully.
In spite of the fact that people who do not ride always say, "Riding is easy. The horse does all the work," consider the following experiment a rider recently did. Wearing a heart monitor, and having her husband hold the monitor reading device, she got on her horse. Her normal resting heart rate is 48 to 54 (low). As soon as she began walking her horse, her heart rate went to 75. At the working trot (posting in a dressage saddle), it went up to 120, and when she cantered at a working canter, it was 140. This is actually in the aerobic range for this rider, so ignore the fools who say this. If you must tolerate them (like they are your friend, spouse, or parent), get really fit and find a horse they can ride and take them for a good gallop across the field. This usually cures them.
You can also practice riding bareback, as it will help with natural positioning and thigh strength.
Wearing the proper attire is also a good idea. Wear breeches, a comfy t-shirt, boots above the ankle with at least a 3/4 inch heel, riding gloves to protect your hands from the reins and a Astm safety approved helmet.

Warnings

Roping calves on horseback, steer wrestling, barrel racing can help you improve your upper body but should ONLY be done after an individual is fit and in good shape.
Many beginner and intermediate riders focus too much on abdominal strength and end up leaning forward in the saddle. Counter this tendency by exercising back muscles and think "lean back" instead of "sit up" when on the horse.

Related wikiHows

from How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1IFIGmK
via Peter

Pet & Animal

Tuesday, 4 August 2015

How to Get Into Shape for Horseback Riding