Training Insight: Athletic Combo... Horse and Rider!

I believe that physical fitness is a true corner stone of dressage training. We expect our horses to be in top form so that they can perform at there full potential and I think that the standard should be no different for the rider. 

Although we all know that riding is a demanding physical activity, I think that it is important a rider's training program includes versatility. For example, the condition required to ride through a dressage test, is different than the condition required while jogging, biking or rollerbladeing. However, although the condition required is different, by increasing ones physical fitness on a broader scale, it improves ones stamina, and therefore has a positive effect on ones performance capability. Another reason why I think fitness is so important is because there are so many exercises and training programs that can be done off the horse, which can directly improve ones position in the saddle. For example the gym that I go to offers some great classes that really promotes general fitness and the personal trainer that I work with has given me a very concentrated work out routine to help improve my core strength and balance. As a result it is truly amazing the difference I feel in the saddle and how much easier it is to me to execute my aids with ease because as a result of improving my physical fitness I have a while new level of body awareness, balance and control. 

Most people who know me well, also know that I have a ridiculously large sweet tooth, I could literally eat a peanut butter and nutella toast with a large hot chocolate for breakfast, followed by a large chocolate bar for lunch and for dinner I would be more than happy to eat spaghetti with maple syrup and m&m’s sprinkled on top. (Kinda like the movie “Elf”) ...  I am actually eating m & m’s while I am writing this blog, and am feeling slightly guilty ;-) As the saying goes, you are what you eat! So I guess right now I’m bright and colorful on the outside and a tough nut on the inside, ha ha, now I no longer feel guilty about my snack. But seriously, all jokes aside, I do think it is important for all riders to be ‘health conscious’ and this also includes diet conscious, because it is ones diet that determines how much energy and resources the body has to perform. Because of my ridiculous sweet tooth, I have made some major changes in my eating habits, about a year ago I made an agreement with a friend not to eat ANY sweets, nor add sugar to anything! We keep this agreement until I reached my goal weight and ever since then, I have tried to maintain this habit, just not on such a strict level (hence the m&m's ;-) 

Something else that I have noticed is that by participating in other physical activities, is that it is a very refreshing mental break.  As a result of the demanding pressures in my daily dressage training, I can easily get myself into a mental knot because I very often way over think things!  I find it extremely refreshing to move freely and work off steam just for the “hell of it!”  For example when I strap on my rollar blades and turn up the volume on my head phones I don’t have to worry about keeping my heals down, my hips straight and hands together, but instead I can simply enjoy the breeze and sing as loud as I want to my ACDC soundtrack while my legs power forward in a steady rhythm. 

There are two athletes that really inspire and motivate me to maintain and always improve my level of personal fitness. One of them being, Tiger Woods, because he is famous for taking the sport of golf to a whole other level by refining himself into the ultimate athlete, this is why I find Tiger Woods athletic achievements and dedication extremely inspiring. The second athlete I would like to mention is during the 2012 Global Dressage Forum, Adelinde Cornelisse gave a highly interesting (and intense) presentation regarding her work out plan, and I have so much respect for Adelinde, because I think any rider who compares there personal fitness to the same level and expectation as we have of our equine partners, does so out of respect for their horse. The bottom line is, we cannot expect our horses to be top class athlete unless we ourselves are willing to make the same commitment.
There are two to a dressage team (horse and rider!) which means that there are TWO  athletes that should be fit and ready to dance with power!