Feeling unfit for riding

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Stacey_xo

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I started riding at the age of 3 and stopped at the age of 17 due to a really bad accident, since then I’ve started riding again almost 10 years later but have put on weight and feeling very unfit, I now own a horse with my sister but I feel like I can’t ride like I used to and keep the horse working for more than 10 minutes without feeling out of breath. I am 5ft3 and 11 stone with a 16.3 horse, he’s strong enough to hold me but I just want to know how I can get fitter for him, I’m losing weight at the gym and at home anyway but I feel riding is a different ball game than squatting and running at the gym.
 
The best way to build riding fitness is to ride! Same as the way you'd build fitness with the horse. Just stop and catch your breath before you start riding ineffectively, there's no harm in building yourself up.

I have heard Pilates is good suppleness wise, but I am too crippled to do it so can't personally vouch.
 
They always say do what exercise you enjoy to get fit so I won't prescribe here but I wonder if you are breathless riding because you are holding your breath?? I know my instructor used to have to remind me regularly to breathe when I first went back to riding and was, like you, not as fit as I would have liked to have been.
 
Having stopped riding in my teens and just recently taken it up again at 34, I feel your pain! It's embarrassing how I'm puffing at the end of the lesson. I'm now doing (virtual) Pilates classes once a week, and trying to cycle on a regular basis (really helps with the cardio!). I do think it's helping, at least a little! Good luck!
 
Riding is the best way to get 'riding' fit - however what you need alongside to be effective is a form of Cardiovascular exercise - running/jogging/cycling etc - this helps your overall fitness and will help with the stamina. I would also recommend something like yoga or pilates for stretching out your body - in particular your hips and hip flexors

You'll get there!
 
Maesto's Girl said:
Riding is the best way to get 'riding' fit - however what you need alongside to be effective is a form of Cardiovascular exercise - running/jogging/cycling etc - this helps your overall fitness and will help with the stamina. I would also recommend something like yoga or pilates for stretching out your body - in particular your hips and hip flexors

You'll get there!
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I'd agree with this, but if you are overweight and lacking basic fitness please dont take up running as wont do your joints any favours. Ride as much as you can, cycle, go on long walks at a good pace, pilates/yoga are amazing for core strength but expect it to take 6-8 weeks before you feel a good difference. Its really normal to feel very out of shape when returning to the saddle.
 
Agree with all of the above, riding gets you fit for riding. Last year when I first got back into horses I thought I’d do some PT sessions in the gym, and I was finding these easy after a few weeks, loads of core work, thought I was ready to go. 20 mins of schooling and I was dead!
I like to use the equilab app as though it’s not always 100% accurate gives you a good idea of how much/little you’re actually doing- I realised I was only doing 2/3 mins of trot but it felt like an age! So I’ve been working up to a minimum of 8 mins trot in any given session, this has helped me and the horse gain fitness! I’ve had a bit of an enforced break but when I get back on I won’t be doing straight 8 mins again I’ll build both me and the horse back up!
 
I find doing exercise just for the sake of exercise just so boring that I can't get motivated to do it. I've tried doing things like sit-ups and press-ups in the morning before breakfast; I've tried running around a track with a friend, but it is just SO BORING! I can walk or cycle, so long as I have some purpose: get to the shops and back or to scout out fishing spots or to take photographs, that kind of thing. But I couldn't use a stationary exercise bike.

I agree with the posters above.

Riding is fun, and you can be sure that the muscles you need to strengthen for riding are being exercises by riding.

Remember to breathe.
 
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