Almost every rider has the dream of riding in the Olympics at some point in their career. Whether or not you end up riding at that level, you can train like an olympian every day. You can strive for excellence, treat your body with respect, fuel your efforts with good nutrition, and have the mindset of a world-class athlete. Equestrians are athletes too. Both Cynda and Lauren were honored to be a part of the Equestrian Athlete Camps in Colorado, co-coaching alongside of Daniel Stewart. Daniel was a part of the US Olympic Equestrian Team, training athletes both in the states and internationally.
Food for Thought
We feed our horses the best grain, hay, and supplements on the market. We analyze every detail to ensure the highest level of performance possible. We think about the nutrition facts of every treat and meal our horses ingest. So why don’t we do that for ourselves? As athletes, our horses deserve the best possible care and nutrition, but as riders, we must treat ourselves the same way. Would you ever give your horse a donut the morning of a big show class or clinic? Would you allow him to drink soda after every ride? No! So, why are you eating and drinking all of that sugar? Why aren’t you focusing on the nutritional facts of your post-ride snacks? Why is it such a big deal for your horse to eat well but not for you? That’s a trick question because it’s just as important for you to fuel your body with nutritious foods as it is for your horse to eat well.
Learn about the nutrition requirements of an athlete and put it into practice with Modern Horsemanship. The goal is that you will gain an understanding of proper nutrition and the skills to manage your healthy diet once you complete the program.
Jacks, Squats, and Burpees
Every athlete needs to workout, right? Your horse gets long conditioning trots, carrot stretches, and discipline specific drills. As an equestrian athlete, are you stretching? Do you warm up before a competition? Do you workout other than riding? Maybe you answered no to one or all of those questions. There are a million excuses as to why you can’t workout in addition to riding your horse. But what if instead of taking even more time out of your day to go to the gym and cycle or lift weights or swim, you do focused exercises for 10 minutes at the barn that will actually benefit your riding! We can incorporate a water bucket, lead rope, and ground poles into your daily workouts while we’re at the barn.
It’s All In Your Head
Now, when you get on your horse and you’re anxious about the ride or worried about other life problems, you tend to have a negative ride, right? You fight with your horse, you get frustrated, you may even cry. You are unfocused and it shows. Your horse knows it, your trainer knows it, and you know it. But what happens when you get on with a cool, calm, and collected attitude, focused about your course, your aids, and your horse? What happens when you put together all the things you’ve been practicing and you forget about what’s for dinner or if you’re going to meet that next deadline? Your positive attitude and focus will give you some of the best rides of your life! Your brain requires training, however, just like your legs and core. It’s important to visualize those positive outcomes and teach your brain that it can problem solve in the moment instead of being paralyzed in fear. Training your mind can happen whether you are at the barn or not. When you practice the mental strength it takes to focus on a good performance, you will be more likely to succeed when that mental fortitude is required.
Throughout the program, Lauren will guide us all in how to figure out how to control your mental game with some intense sports psychology training. It makes such a difference to every one of your rides, especially in the show ring, when you aren’t distracted with anxiety, fears, or “what if” questions. The modern equestrians contend with pressures at every turn and we aim to provide everyone with the tools to make the rest of the ride, the best of the ride.