Rider fitness (3) : in practice

Horse riding is a « SPORT » which demands from horse AND rider many physical and mental qualities. Both
should be considered as genuine athletes, needing to be permanently in top condition so as to make
progress together.

The fact sheet « Rider fitness : essential ! » serves to raise rider awareness to the need for physical
preparation, according to level, age, and equestrian discipline.

The fact sheet « Rider fitness : how to go about it » presents two approaches to this physical preparation
for the rider.
This third fact sheet introduces simple, quick and efficient ways to get started and to organise an
appropriate and coherent fitness program.

By Guy BESSAT - Emilie AUDIBERT - Translated from french by :

Karen DUFFY - | 18.09.2017 |

Technical level :
Four rules to start off on a fitness programme
By takng care of your physical welfare, you will very quickly notice the effect on your riding. It will become
one of the factors contributing to performance, to well-being, to recovery (from soreness and pain) and a
time saver for your training sessions and daily work.

To begin this preparation, we advise following these four golden rules :

Rule number 1 : change your mind-set

First and foremost, bannish these preconceived ideas for good :

« I ride all day long, so I keep fit ! » : No, you don’t ! You gradually use up your capacities and health
capital, which diminish over time up to breaking point either physically or mentally.

« The horse is the athlete ! » : No, he isn’t ! The more the horse works, the more he improves, and your
level should not become the « weak link » in the partnership.

« I don’t have time to do physical preparation ! » : Yes, you do ! The time spent will quickly give you
returns in terms of efficiency, including in saving time during your sessions.

« I’m young, in good shape, and I’m not in any pain ! » : ….No, you aren’t, not yet ! Pain is latent if you do
nothing. Don’t wait for pain to appear, and don’t make any pain you have get worse ! Stay « young » for a
long time.

Rule number 2 : Have a through initial physical check-up

To start off any physical preparation, before you start off , have an initial assessment, as you would do an
« inventory », to find out what your actual aptitudes are. This is a way of assessing the problem through
rating your strengths and weaknesses. You should do this on three levels :

Initial equestrian assessment (by analysing your riding)

With the help of your coach (an outside eye), record you physical lacks, the ways in which you
compensate, these are sources of imbalance during flat work/ jumping sessions, and don’t be afraid to
note each « little ache », how out of breath you are, or how tired you feel. Note all the things which could
be considered limiting factors to the way your body functions on horseback, and therefore impede your
riding performance and progress.

This assessment should be carried out by mainly focusing on oneself.

Initial medical and postural assessment (taking into account your aches
and pains)
Record the recurring aches and pains which you feel could restrict your physical capacities in your daily life
or on horseback. If necessary conduct this assessment with your doctor, a posturologist, or a chiropodist
who will work on mechanical postural pains.
Initial physical assessment (through an assessment of your level of fitness)
Starting from your « initial » inherent level , without any specific preparation, and by assessing your riding
capacities (see fact sheet 2), from simple exercises which do not need any specific equipment or setting -
up will help give a direction to your physical training needs : this is test « 0 ».

Tests can then be carried out at regular intervals to monitor progress. When this is done, it is important to
use the same protocol every time (course, exercises, execution, recovery time, material conditions….).

Here is an example of a « test 0 » set up since 2017 at the ENE in Saumur.

Physical test assessment © G. Bessat

Rule number three : Define your profile to guide your workout
Once you have established your initial assessment, determine your profile so as to define your needs and
priorities :
• Lack of stamina (excessive tiredness, muscular saturation, general physical fatigue...).
• Lack of suppleness (chronic or acute pain, restricted range of movement, stiff back in the morning,
locked ankles….)
• Lack of muscle strength, or muscular imbalance (muscle fatigue, backache….)
• Other difficulties : general coordination, speed of action, reaction or decision-making…

Thus you will be able to estblish YOUR OWN training programme, basically including stamina, muscle
strengthening, and stretching exercises, while giving priority to the most urgent.

Rule number 4 : Choose simple adapted exercises

For warm-up, cool-down, or for developing physical capacities (see fact sheet 2 : « Rider fitness : how to go
about it »), numerous exercises are of real benefit in preparation, and allow fast improvement when they
are done correctly (respecting correct attitudes, paces, execution times and appropriate breathing
ryhthms…)

However, since riding also needs its own preparation and set-up time…, this does not allow for an increase
in training time, especially for riders who work out several horses on a daily basis, or for those who ride at
the end of the day’s work.

To cut to the essentials, one should therefore concentrate on a selection of exercises chosen for the
benefits, direct or indirect, which will help to acquire mastery of equestrian techniques or skills. They
should be linked to learning automatic gestures, posture, coordination, and perfecting movements for the
chosen discipline.

Whenever possible, do not hesitate to go through the routine for fulfilment on horseback.

Start your preparation with a few exercises, and get used to the new routine.
Achieve regular progress by varying the exercises, the number of repetitions, of
series...
To establish better dynamics, workout in a group, without forgetting YOUR OWN
priorities.
 Take time to rest between repetiotions, and series.

Plan your physical preparation

Programming one’s physical preparation, is assessing the means necessary for the organisation, and
projecting oneself into the future having defined achievable objectives for the rider.

« Knowing where we start from, where we’re going, and what we aspire
to ».

Planning a training session is making the programme operational. To organise regular, progressive
workouts, with a follow-up, it is essential to build the programme according to period of training, and
integrating certain factors such as frequency, regularity, intensity and volume of training

Frequency and regularity : Minimum twice weekly workout sessions will rapidly lead to
progress… which will equally rapidly disappear if you stop training for one or two
weeks !
Intensity : This concept is based on the percentage of power, or the level of effort
provided. It is directly related to energy channels being solicited. The higher the
intensity, the shorter the duration of the exercise, and vice versa.
Volume : One of the vital points in training is dosing the effort. It is generally increased
by multiplying the number of series, exercises or sessions. It is preferable to modify the
dosage of exercises by alternately and progressiveley increasing each component of
training.

You are now well into planning and programming, essential as soon as you have fixed your aims.

A few planning concepts

Diagram 2 : planning and sequencing training periods over a season (2 aims) / cycles and microcycles over the
sequences with altenating workloads

How to « plan »?
Whatever the sport, and particularly in horse riding, physical preparation has to be managed over time. It
is generally divided up on two levels :

Distinct periods
Divided into distinct periods (development, pre-competition, competition, transition/ recovery). (see
diagram 2)

Development period, or preparatory period : generally the longest period. This period is
the furthest away from the season’s objectives, it entails a lot of work. The rider will
acquire basic endurance essential to for the rest of the season. The sessions in this
period will be longer in terms of volume, but not very intensive / general workouts.
Pre-competition period : this period is a transition between « development » and
« competition » periods. The aim here is to tend towards more intensity, (bursts) and
power. The sessions are shorter (less volume), but more intensive and technical (more
quality) / Preparatory workouts.
Competition period : period for « fine-tuning », it is the result of your efforts, and the
expression of your acquired skills. If your training has been properly conducted, you will
reach your « fitness peak » at just the right time regarding your « objective ». Training
sessions here will be short ( less volume), but as intense as in a competition situation
(high quality) / specific workouts.
Transition period, or recovery : this period is during or at the end of a season, and
allows the body to recover following the efforts of the main season’s aims. To start with,
this physical and mental recovery period can be passive rest (complete rest - with no
physical constraints), this should not exceed three weeks. Then the transition gradually
 becomes active, with the start of a new training cursus aiming for the renewed
objectives of the following season.

Cycles
Each of the periods, associated to a type of workout, with a specific duration, is then divided into cycles
(e.g 1 month), and microcycles (e.g 1 week), which will enable you to gradually increase the volume of the
workouts, and thus improve your physical condition and performance level to achieve your objectives. (see
diagram 2 : development period).

This scheduling is essential to avoid under-training, or overtraining, which could lead to injury. It should be
carried out in connection to the horse’s training, so that you improve together, and at the same rhythm.

Organise your workouts and adapt the accuracy to YOUR particular case (level, aims, discipline, horse,
conditions….).

Regularly reassess your programme according to the work achieved, the

conditions and any unforseen occurrences.

The golden rule

The cumulative effect of gradual work, and alternating them with recovery periods are determining factors
for the improvement of physiological capacities, physical skills/ techniques and… success/ performance of
a rider over the long term.

Know more about our authors

Guy BESSAT (BEES 3 Athlétisme, préparateur physique de cavaliers, consultant à l’ENE

de Saumur pour la mise en place du suivi de la condition physique)
Emilie AUDIBERT BEES 1, gérante d'une écurie dans l'Ain, enseignante et
formatrice/coach en préparation physique du couple cavalier-cheval
Translated from french by : Karen DUFFY Translator
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Editing date: 03 02 2024