PHYSICAL CONDITIONING AND RIDER GOALS
A conversation with Barbara J. Joyce
Successful coach and competitor: dressage and hunters
Barbara Joyce is the Assistant Director of the Success- Centered Riding/Training (SCRTTM) workshops. In her private practice and during the SCRT workshops she teaches many adult riders who are returning to riding, beginners and those in advanced competition. In the horse-rider partnership, she has noticed time and again, the rider’s level of physical conditioning impacts the horse’s ability to perform as the rider desires.
Question: What is the primary challenge that riders have regarding physical conditioning for riding?
Barbara: Riders are often unaware that the tone/ condition of their “core” muscles (the muscles of the torso) affects their stability in the saddle and their ability to communicate with their horse. The horse becomes confused when the rider’s “core” is insufficiently conditioned to communicate clearly.
Question: Where does the function of the rider’s legs fit in?
Barbara: The function of the legs is dependent upon the effectiveness of the “core” muscles. That is why I call these core muscles the “stabilizer” muscles. A lot of adult riders have it upside down. They think that strong legs are the critical factor.
Question: But aren’t the rider’s legs important?
Barbara: Yes. They are the base of support in riding, starting from the foot up.
Question: So, how do the “core” muscles affect the legs?
Barbara: The coordination of the legs comes out of the “core”. When the rider is weak in the “core”, thus out of balance and struggling with coordination, the legs will manifest these core muscle weaknesses. In our daily, non-riding life the connection of the core muscles to leg coordination seems not so important.
Editor’s note: If you have ever had a significant chest muscle injury, you will find out with every step how the muscles of the “core” impact the muscles of the legs.
Question: Before you talk about what riders can do to improve “core” strength, are there other rider body issues that can impact the horse?
Barbara: Yes, adult riders are often stiff in the hips and lower back, and they may be stiffer in one hip than the other. In our sedentary world where adults are often slumped over computers and desks, riders commonly are stiff inthe shoulder and neck muscles too. The horse is very aware of these issues. A rider’s stiff body does not feel good to the horse.
Question: Does the horse naturally have any issues like these?
Barbara: Yes! The left hind leg of the horse is often stronger and more dominant than the right hind leg. Horses struggle with the symmetry of bilateral engagement just the way riders do. In fact, sometimes the horse will become stiff in a body part that corresponds to the rider’s problem in the same area. Again, that is why riders must do consistent unmounted work coupled with riding so that their bodies will not interfere with the horse’s appropriate way of going.
Question: Please explain bilateral engagement and symmetry.
Barbara: Horses and riders are all born with tendencies to be dominant in certain limbs and more “passive” in the others. For example, a majority of human beings are right-hand dominant and left-leg dominant. To most people in their ordinary lives, these dominant-passive differences do not seem important. For riders and horses, however, they are extremely important because they affect each other in the riding process with the asymmetry that dominant-passive differences create.
Question: So, I am riding with a rein in each hand. I am right-hand dominant. Are you saying that the horse is likely feeling more energy coming from my right hand than from my left hand even though I mean to have an even feel on both reins?
Barbara: Yes, this is a common problem if the rider is not aware of the differences, and has not done unmounted work that involves strengthening the body bilaterally in a symmetrical way. The rider’s legs can engage asymmetrically as well. Riders and horses can get very frustrated with the results of asymmetry: the horse veers off course, fusses with the bridle, and travels crooked because of the rider’s asymmetrical engagement while the rider may be blaming the horse for “behaving badly”.
Question: This unmounted workout sounds like a challenge when I really just want to ride. Are there other advantages to strengthening the core muscles?
Barbara: Yes. The rider’s horse is likelier to be happier; to be more apt to stay sound, and live longer if the rider is physically strengthened and bilaterally and symmetrically engaged. Furthermore, the rider’s flexibility and strength will facilitate the horse’s movement, not hamper it. Everyone has more fun. A happy horse is a safer horse! Core strength contributes to rider safety too.
Question: I need some ideas for unmounted work that will improve my riding. What can you suggest?
Barbara: Be conscious every day of how your body works.
- Standing in front of a full-length mirror, preferably in stocking feet, take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Do you carry your head straight or is it tilted to the side?
Are your shoulders directly across from each other or is one higher than the other?
Put your hands on your hips. Are you hands straight across from each other, or is one higher than the other?
- Standing at the full-length mirror, turn your body sideways.
Does your chin jut out ahead of your chest?
Do your shoulders slump?
Does your lower back curve significantly so that your abdomen protrudes forward and your buttocks are thrust backward significantly?
- Or, does your body look and feel as though it is in balance with itself, as
though the torso is aligned over the pelvis and lower body?
▲Posture is very tied in with balance, and the body’s ability to function in harmony with itself. The rider’s postural misalignments can cause significant communication and function problems for the horse. If the rider has questions about their posture, help is available.
►Suggestion: An Alexander teacher can be helpful with postural problems. Look on the Internet to see if there is an Alexander teacher in your area. The Alexander technique derived from the work of Tasmanian horseman and actor F.M. Alexander who later migrated to England. A Feldenkrais practitioner and a sports medicine physical therapist can also help with postural and body alignment questions.
Imagine: Barbara says: “Grow taller all day.” Use the breath to release and grow.
- Courses in PilatesR and yoga can be significantly helpful to riders. Practice between classes is essential to achieve the desired “core” strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, symmetry and bilateral engagement that these two disciplines foster. An Iyengar yoga teacher, if available, is particularly skilled. Be sure to get references before enrolling.
- Other activities that can be helpful to riders include rowing, cross-country skiing, swimming, dancing, t’ai chi, bicycling and brisk walking. All these activities encourage bilateral engagement of the body, and each encourages the use of the body in a particular way. Brisk walking on an electric treadmill also promotes strengthening of the arms, shoulders and upper body. Use of a 42” trampoline and a physioball can be worthwhile for improving physical conditioning.
- There are numerous books, DVD’s, video’s and Internet sites regarding exercises. A few are far more relevant to the needs of riders than the majority. THE RIDER’S FITNESS PROGRAM is a well-illustrated book that would be helpful to any rider. (ISBN#1-58017-542-2 Authors: Dianna Robin Dennis, et al. Storey Publishing)
- Question: Your last word?
☺Barbara: Do it! Every day work on that core strength. Vary your unmounted work: Pilates, yoga, weight-lifting, dancing, brisk walking, trampoline, and more. Aim for 45 minutes of exercise every day. Your horse will be glad you did! And so will you.
Copyright 2008 SCRT Workshops
