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Post by jacksmum on Mar 17, 2015 19:00:04 GMT 1
Just something for discussion really. When I was younger I was really fit in terms of my weight, flexibility etc and had loads of confidence. I've been struggling of late with the confidence (although it's nowhere near as bad as it was a year ago - it "went" gradually for no particular reason that I could see). I do wonder though if this is in some way related to my overall health and fitness, which over the years has deteriorated a bit (desk based job, etc). I'm planning to get a lot fitter this summer and am interested to see if this will help with the confidence. Does anyone else have any views on this. Thanks for listening.
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Post by lesleyking1 on Mar 17, 2015 23:26:57 GMT 1
Definitely, I have suffered with my joints over the last year and my confidence has struggled; I want to do things with my riding but find myself worrying if I'm going to hurt or do more damage, it's helped getting medical help, I had convinced myself that I was due a hip replacement or a wheel chair even (lol) and even wondered if my TB would be up for a bit of carriage work instead of dressage, now I've had it explained that it's only arthritis and I've been doing my exercises I have felt better, I've also been told use it or lose it, so I actually must be brave and get on with things. On a positive the worst things I have been doing and caused the damage is the lifting, so the boys at home just have to come and do there bit at the yard now, doctor says!
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Post by lisap on Mar 18, 2015 14:47:49 GMT 1
Yes, Yes a hundred times yes!
One of the reasons I've hung up my boots is because I don't want to spend the ESSENTIAL time in the saddle on a daily/weekly/monthly basis to get my body back to riding fitness. Older, fatter and stiffer means you have to ride MORE to keep your fitness up. I reckon that I'd have to ride at least one hour a day for 5-6 days a week, plus a long ride out of 2-3 hours at least once a week to get my riding muscles back in order.
Yes, you should do Pilates, go to the Gym or whatever, but spending time in the saddle - a lot of it - is really only the way to get and keep both fitness and confidence up to scratch, of that I am certain.
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Post by SarahW on Mar 19, 2015 10:27:59 GMT 1
I'd agree that fitness helps with confidence and fitness in the saddle also means more hours and miles on the clock. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago so that I wouldn't 'get in my horse's way' at a Mark rashid clinic. I felt so much better and much more agile. On the two occasions when my horse has started one of his old bucking fits (thankfully very very rare) I have been able to get his head back up and stay on board which has helped to convince him that there is no point in trying to get me off.
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Post by holi on Apr 15, 2015 21:19:46 GMT 1
My fitness is not too bad but I have made myself go to Pilates every week, even when my brain is screaming no and it has made such a difference. I now can use my core to slow her down so less panic from her which helps my confidence as my mare really listens so much more - and this is a horse with the attention span of a gnat!
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