E
Emily Fought
Guest
Cross-training is an important part of conditioning your horse. Even human athletes acknowledge how essential it is. While you may have a chosen discipline that you excel at, don’t let that stop you from trying other types of riding. This will give you and your horse a chance to work on different muscle groups and overall soundness. It can also support your horse’s mental health.
First, what is cross-training? The goal is to diversify your riding and train in a variety of ways. That includes trail riding, lunging, groundwork, jumping, free schooling, pole work, and trying other disciplines like ranch riding, barrel racing, working cattle, mounted shooting, etc.
When you return to your regular discipline, your horse should be more engaged and have better performance!
Training at liberty. Photo by Petra.
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Why You Should Cross-Train
First, what is cross-training? The goal is to diversify your riding and train in a variety of ways. That includes trail riding, lunging, groundwork, jumping, free schooling, pole work, and trying other disciplines like ranch riding, barrel racing, working cattle, mounted shooting, etc.
- It offers your horse new mental stimulation. If you ride in the arena a lot, why not get your horse out onto the trails? The change of scenery will be very exciting for them!
- You can take the opportunity to de-stress. It can be easy to get flustered while working on a maneuver or getting ready for a show. Sometimes, you just need to step away and get your mind off the problem. Why not try something like clicker training or teaching your horse a trick? That’ll be fun for both of you!
- You’ll be able to work on a variety of muscle groups to create a stronger overall horse. Barrel racing targets different body parts compared to jumping, for example.
- Regular cross-training can help prevent injuries. You don’t want to stress the same joints repeatedly.
- Take the opportunity to meet new people and learn a different skill set. You never know what doors will open or when you’ll need to come back to those skills.
- You can improve your horse’s coordination by navigating trail obstacles or ground poles. These exercises can help your horse learn where its feet are and how to lift through its back.
When you return to your regular discipline, your horse should be more engaged and have better performance!
Training at liberty. Photo by Petra.
Continue reading...