Too often, riders don't pay enough attention to their physical condition. Yet the rider's physical preparation is just as important as that of the horse. Riding is just as much a sport as any other, and requires both horse and rider to be in shape. Having discussed the horse's physical condition in our previous articles, let's talk a little about our own...

Contrary to some preconceived ideas, the performance is not only due to the physical preparation of the horse and the training of the couple and we will see why below.

For 20 minutes of obstacle training, a rider spends about 200 kcal. In comparison, 1 hour of running for a 70 kg man requires 600 to 700 kcal of energy. These data show that our body is well subjected to an effort when riding. It is therefore important to prepare ourselves physically for this effort.

The slightest tension will have a direct impact on your horse and will affect its muscular functioning and freedom of movement. A supple, available and well positioned rider will achieve performance much more easily.

Physical preparation prevents muscle and joint accidents. On horseback, the rider's locomotor system is under great strain. The spine and pelvis absorb most of the horse's movement. In the sitting position, the lower limbs provide lateral stabilisation, in particular thanks to the hip adductors, while in balance, the suspension is provided dynamically by the leg muscles.

The rider's warm-up will aim to awaken the proprioception and tonicity of the spine as a whole and the pelvis, to loosen the shoulders and hips and to relax the 4 limbs. So always remember to take a few minutes to warm up. We suggest you below some exercises to practice on foot or on horseback.

1. Upper body warm-up

Start with the upper body: shoulders, neck and arms. Stretching the upper body will allow you to free your gaze and develop the elasticity of your arms.

Move your neck from front to back, right to left and then rotate back and forth. Continue by rotating your shoulders in one direction and then the other, then by rotating your trunk. Bring your shoulder blades together by pulling your shoulders backwards. Then stretch your spine. To do this, roll up the vertebrae one by one downwards keeping the pause for a few moments and then gently raise your head last.

2. Lower body warm-up

Then move on to the lower body, i.e. the lower back, hips and legs. These stretches will allow you to better accompany the movement of your horse at all three gaits and during jumps.

Start with the knee-chest exercise: with your back straight and your abdominal muscles covered, raise your right knee and use your hands to press it against your chest, hold the position for a few seconds and then do the same with your left knee.

Continue with quadriceps stretches: grab your right ankle and bring the heel closer to your buttocks. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and then switch ankles.

Then continue by warming up your shoulder girdle: take a whip in both hands, hold it over your head and make it describe circles around your upper body.

Finish the stretches with pelvic rotations, front and side slits and then ankle rotations.

Once you've done these exercises, you can finish up with a little brisk walking, jogging exercises (tap your heels against your buttocks, get up on your knees, do bouncy strides) to gently activate the cardiovascular system.

"Personally, I've been doing these exercises every morning for several years now. All my old back, hip and shoulder pains have disappeared. I've never felt so fit in body and mind!", Michel Robert, French show jumping rider.

3. Warm-up in the saddle

You can also do some exercises on horseback while your mount is warming up at the walk.

Start by reaching far ahead and touching your mount's ears, then the shoulders one after the other, the rump to the right and then to the left. Then make large circles with the shoulders to mobilize the shoulder blades. Follow with trunk rotations to complete the spinal set-up. Don't forget the lower body. Alternately raise the knees, then rock them back and forth to free the hips. Finish with ankle rotations in both directions, flexions and extensions.

If you have very little time before your session you can always perform a dynamic grooming to increase body heat, activate the joints and muscles and get the heart pumping in rhythm.

It's also advisable to repeat these stretching exercises after exercise, to release the tension and stress accumulated during the session, facilitate recovery and avoid soreness. It's also a good idea to complement your riding with other sports to prepare your muscles for the efforts you'll be making in the saddle. Swimming, cycling, jogging, yoga- all are good ways of developing your flexibility and breathability. Michel Robert, French show jumping rider, puts a lot of emphasis on the practice of yoga to improve his riding.

Don't forget that good breath control, a varied diet and perfect hydration also play a role in sports performance, especially in stressful situations such as competition.

See you soon for a new article,

The Seaverteam