Brigita's Blog: Exercise Program for the Equestrian

Here's an exercise program for the equestrian that is guaranteed to give you a good workout, build your strength and muscles, and maybe even get you to lose weight in the process. It goes something like this:                                                                                                  

• The first one is called "Catch Me If You Can".  In this exercise, you carry the halter and lead rope high up on your shoulder so that the lead doesn't drag on the ground.  This will build your chest and upper back muscles.  As you near your horse, he will slowly pull away from you as soon as your as within a couple of feet of him, and then stop to graze some more.  This continues a few more times.  After you have warmed up, your horse will start to trot away from you and eventually gallop around the field.  You will continue chasing him until you are at your limit, at which point you will stop and start throwing sticks and whatever you can find at your horse.  Here your arms get a good workout, but be sure to rotate the arms for an even workout.  Another version may be to throw the halter to the ground, walk quickly, bend down, pick it up, repeat.  When your horse has tired of this game, he will stop and allow you to catch him.  Thus ends part 1 of your workout.
• The next exercise gives your upper body a workout.  This is the part where you groom your horse and he is caked with dried mud.  (Horses just love to roll in the mud.)  In an effort to remove the mud from his coat, your biceps and triceps will get a good workout.  As an added bonus, the dried mud will stick to your face giving you that much needed facial.
• Following the grooming, the horses feet must be picked out.  Here you do your bending and stretching.  Bend over at the waist, pick up the horse's right front foot.  As he stomps it back down to the ground, jump back to avoid being stepped on.  Repeat, this time maintaining your grip as the horse attempts to pull it away as your are cleaning the dirt out the hoof, which tends to be like cement.  Repeat the entire process with the remaining 3 feet.
• Now stand up straight.  It is now time to apply the insect repellent from a spray bottle.  It will go something like this: squirt - circle - circle; squirt - circle - circle, until the whole body of the horse has been squirted.  Note:  This exercise is only done in the summer months.
• The next workout is called "Saddle Me Up".  This part builds your strength and is also an aerobic exercise.  As you try to place the saddle pad on the moving target repeatedly, your feet keep moving.  The weight lifting comes in after the pad is in place and you attempt to place the saddle on top of that.  This is the ideal exercise to tone up your shoulder muscles.
• The final exercise is mounting the horse.  Here you get to work on balance.  Place your left foot into the stirrup, and as your horse moves around, hop along with the right leg.  After several tries, switch sides and place your right leg in the stirrup and repeat.  Once you have exceeded your pulse rate and breathing, find a bucket, bend over, pick it up, place it upside down next to the horse, wait for the horse to move away, then repeat the process.  (You may substitute a hay bale for the bucket if you want to include weight lifting.)  Once the horse has tired of this game, he will actually allow you to mount.  By this time you will be too exhausted to ride.
• Dismount, untack the horse (this is where the horse will be more than happy to oblige) and turn him back out.

Once you have completed this daily workout, grab a beer or a glass of wine, sit and relax.  In the meantime, your horse will thank you for an amusing and entertaining time.  He may even give you a good horse laugh.

NOTE:  This exercise program works well only if you have the right horse.