The best treat that any horse can hope for is to have a rider who rides with sufficient skill for the horse to be able to comfortably traverse difficult terrain at speeds that are occasionally challenging. The style of riding that our riders learn is not pretty by show standards but it maximizes comfort for both horse and rider. The formula is simple--Heels lower than toes, toes in front of knees, sitting on our pockets, reins completely limp and held loosely in the tips of our fingers, arms relaxed with hands at belt level and spine fully rounded. The look that we are going for is that of an exhausted old cowboy with tuberculosis who chain smokes unfiltered cigarettes. If horses judged horse shows this posture would win the blue ribbon every time.
There is one very important step that that riders can take that makes rinding an even more pleasurable experience for both the horse and rider. Perhaps the best treat that one can give a horse is to fully condition yourself for riding. A conditioned rider flows with the horse and is infinitely more comfortable for the horse to carry than a rider whose muscles are not strong enough to support himself in the saddle with ease.
The best conditioning exercise for the rider is simply to ride and to ride hard. As noted in a previous post, I lost 17 pounds this summer simply from adding a five mile canter into my routine each morning before heading to the office. Most of us are not able to spend the many hours in the saddle each day required to maximize our level of conditioning. Supplemental exercise is beneficial.
What I am going to set out below is a routine that is working miracles for me. Of course, no one should begin this or any exercise program without your doctor's approval.
The Tabata Protocol has been a magic pill for me. I have never come across an exercise system that can produce such dramatic results in such a short period of time. The reason that you may not have heard of the Tabata Protocol is the same reason that so few people understand the advantages of natural horse care. Big business has not figured out a way to make money from either one so they remain secrets to all but the handful of those who stumble on the health benefits of each.
For detailed information one can simply put the term "Tabata Protocol" in a search engine and do a bit of research. The key point is to not confuse Tabata with traditional interval training. The Tabata principle is simple and can be applied to a range of exercises. Simply put, warm up on an aerobic exercise for five minutes. Then for 20 seconds perform the selected exercise at absolutely full capacity. Yes, that means as hard and as fast, using proper form, as you can. Rest 10 seconds and then do another 20 second set. This rotation continues for 4 minutes and then one does 5 minutes of cool down. That is it. Fourteen minutes a day to completely transform your body.
The catch is that the 20 second sessions are among the most difficult and intense 20 seconds that one will encounter in life. For that reason it is very important to check with your doctor before attempting the Tabata Protocol. (Unfortunately, your doctor will probably urge you to simply take a brisk walk 20 minutes a day. That is much better than no exercise at all and will likely not tax the body to hard.)
Tabata can be done with just about any exercise which makes it perfect for the strengthening of the muscles specifically involved in good riding. Here is my routine. Once again, discuss this with a doctor before trying it out yourself.
I warm up with either five minutes of step aerobics, slow jogging on the treadmill, or incline walking on the treadmill. My four minute Tabata sessions include:
Sunday: Squats with moderate weights
Monday: Deadlifts with Heavier weights
Tuesday: Situps on an inflatable ball
Wednesday: Pushups
Thursday: Using a machine called a glider
Friday: Treadmill with 20 second sessions of running faster interspersed with 10 seconds of walking
Saturday:45-60 minutes of fast walking.(No Tabata)
Each day includes some stretching or yoga and abdominal planks.
For as many days as possible each week, this schedule is followed up with the best part of all--1/2 hour or more of fast trotting or cantering through the woods. (Hunting season complicates this portion of the routine during this time of the year.)
How effective is this routine which emphasizes all of the muscle groups used in riding? Simply put, I turn fifty next month and I am a better rider than I was when I was a teenage athlete who rode nearly every day.
Most importantly, the horses have a much easier time carrying me than they did even six months ago when I lacked the strength to truly flow with the horse.
I am about like these two wild Corolla stallions in the picture above. I am getting in fighting shape.
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