Exercise For Your Equestrian Workout Plan

Horseback riding requires skill, finesse, and physical strength. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, including regular exercise in your equestrian workout plan will help you improve in the saddle and prevent injuries while riding. A well-rounded exercise routine should include both cardiovascular and strength training exercises that target major muscle groups. Adding free weights, resistance bands, and bodyweight movements to your workouts will help you build strength while also improving balance and stability.

A strong core is essential for equestrians to maintain balance, control their horses, and absorb the impact of trotting and jumping. To strengthen your core, try exercises like planks and side planks that engage your ab muscles. You can also perform push-ups to improve chest and shoulder strength, which is important for holding the reins correctly. To increase the difficulty of push-ups, place a resistance band across your back and under your hands or thumbs for added support to lower yourself to the ground. Tricep extensions are another great upper body exercise that can be done on the floor or in a standing position with a resistance band wrapped around your triceps. By pulling the band against your triceps, you’ll develop the muscles needed to grip a horse’s reins.

Leg exercises are important for equestrians to strengthen their legs and provide communication with the horse during a ride. One effective exercise is the lunge. To do this, stand with your feet hip-width apart and lift your heels off the ground. Hold this position for 15 seconds, then lower your heels to the ground. Repeat this movement 15 times to complete a set.

Another good lower-body exercise is the squat. To do this, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend at the knees to bring them close to the ground. Then, push back up to the starting position. This exercise will strengthen the muscles in your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while also improving balance.

To train your horse to become more fit, gradually increase the amount of time you spend under saddle each week in 15-minute increments. When you reach a point where you can comfortably ride your horse for about three hours, you’ll be ready to begin preparing for longer rides.

Remember that you should always warm up before riding and cool down after your workout. It’s also important to give your muscles 48 hours between intense workouts. Also, don’t overtrain your horse because this can make them sore or lame.