Better, Faster, Stronger: A Case for Cross-Training
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a blog post. Oops! But we’re back and I’m looking forward to talking about one of my favorite things: cross-training! One of the things we focus on in our program is preserving the longevity of the equine athletes in our care. Of course, that’s achieved through a combination of factors, including but not limited to: diet, preventative and proactive veterinary care, supplemental therapies, careful show schedule planning, and a thoughtful approach to building and maintaining fitness. That said, the latter is what I’m excited to talk about today!
The dictionary defines cross-training as engaging “in various sports or exercises especially for well-rounded health and muscular development.”[1] I like the use of the word well-rounded in this definition because when done correctly, cross-training helps to increase fitness and boost athletic performance, sure. But, by implementing workouts that support and complement each other, it also helps to reduce the stress on singular muscle groups and specific joints by distributing this demand in a more balanced way. When done correctly, a cross-training program helps to reduce injury and promote longevity – both in human and equine athletes.
Here’s the thing though – not all workouts in a cross-training regimen need to be high intensity. For instance, I view daily turnout as an important component of our horses’ programs, mentally and physically. I also think trail rides constitute as cross training, and there are days where I’ll just take some of the horses for a long walk and trot on the trails. It’s ok, and even beneficial to incorporate some lower intensity days into our horses’ training and fitness programs. But that just can’t be every day. There’s a balance between drilling horses daily with the goal of achieving “fitness” and working the horses lightly every day and then expecting them to be fit and ready to jump around at the horse show.
So, without further ado, I give you a list of some of my favorite ways to mix up our horses’ training programs. Some of these things we do daily in addition to riding, like turn-out and some type of carrot stretches. Others, we might implement a couple of times a week depending on each horses’ specific needs. The point is, 1) we make a concerted effort to vary the work we do with each horse from day to day, and 2) we create a program for each individual horse based on our goals for them and where they’re at mentally and physically.
1. Turn-Out
Barring an injury, bad weather, or any other extenuating circumstance, all of our horses get turned out daily. Most go out on grass, some others will go out in the limestone all-weather paddocks. But I think it’s so important to allow horses time to just be horses. To graze, to roll, to move around freely without a rider on their backs. Not only is turn-out time important for horses mentally, but it’s also significant from an evolutionary and biological standpoint, as horses were designed to be moving in some capacity the majority of the day. Studies show that horses who are turned out on pasture have improved bone density and higher levels of fitness than those who are simply ridden and then spend the rest of their time in a stall.[2] So, I view that as a win all around!
2. Working On Different Surfaces
I’ve talked about this on social media before, but I’m a firm believer in working horses on different types of surfaces. Of course, this needs to be within reason – I’m not saying to go gallop on pavement or through deep mud. But – walking and trotting down a dirt road, riding on grass, on sand, or on a fiber blend type footing all places slightly different demands on soft tissue, joints, and bone. And the best way (really the only way) to strengthen any of those things is stress it in a way that causes the body to adapt, rebuild, and get stronger. Harder footing stresses the body differently than softer footing, just like grass footing impacts the body slightly differently than sand does. Therefore, one of the best ways to help develop a resilient equine athlete is to judiciously expose them to different types of surfaces so that their bodies can adapt and get stronger under different types of circumstances.
3. Hill Work
Hills aren’t always easy to come by in Illinois, but I’m always on the lookout! Hill work is one of the oldest “tricks” in the book when it comes to cross-training, and for good reason. Everyone always thinks about the benefits of working up a hill – developing a strong hind end, and when done at a trot or a canter, increasing cardiovascular fitness. However, working both up and down hills encourages horses to engage their core, helps to build their topline, and strengthens joints – even when done at the walk.
4. Trail Riding
I love taking the horses out on trails for a number of reasons, first and foremost being that it’s fun for both horse and rider! But – it also can be a valuable addition to any training program as it often combines the notion of working on varied surfaces and hill work to some degree. Coupled with the added mental benefits for the horse, it’s one of my favorite ways to work the horses.
5. Pole Work
Poles are super useful for encouraging the horses to be aware of where they’re placing their feet and where their bodies are in space and time (proprioception). They’re also a great way to practice “jumping” without actually having to jump any real jumps. Poles are a great tool when it comes to working on pace and stride awareness, rideability, and to practicing tidier turns, among other things, all without creating additional wear and tear on our horses’ bodies. While the idea of working over poles might seem easy, make no mistake. Pole work can be challenging for both horse and rider, and can make a big impact both on horse and rider in a short amount of time.
6. Lower-Level Dressage Movements
I had a trainer once tell me that, “jumper riders work on lateral movement not to perfect going sideways, but rather to create straightness.” Which I love! I’m never going to be a dressage queen, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t implement dressage movements like leg yield, half-pass, shoulder-in, and haunches-in into our flatwork. When done correctly, it helps to create suppleness, balance, and evenness from one side to another. That, in turn, helps to create straightness when jumping.
7. Treadmill or Walker
The treadmill is one of my favorite tools when it comes to creating a fitness program for our horses. It has so many applications, from aiding with rehabilitation, to helping to develop muscle, to improving fitness. It’s also a great way to vary a workout on a rainy day or a day when you’re pressed for time. Most treadmills these days allow you to adjust not just the speed, but also the incline, so essentially, you’re creating a hill for your horse in a controlled environment. We’re lucky enough to have a treadmill at our home base in Illinois. For some horses, I’ll use it a few times a week in addition to riding, if I’m trying to increase that horse’s fitness. With other horses, I’ll use the treadmill occasionally instead of a ride – putting them on a program where they’re walking up and down an incline at a nice brisk walk.
8. Time Over Intensity Workouts
While quicker bursts of higher intensity exercise are helpful when it comes to increasing cardiovascular fitness, workouts that focus on time over intensity help to create endurance. When it comes to this type of workout – I like to think long, low, and slow. Usually walking or trotting, letting the horse stretch long and low, and focusing on sustaining a nice stretchy trot, for example, over a specific amount of time instead of doing quicker bursts of a higher intensity work. Which leads me to my next point…
9. High Intensity, Shorter Duration Workouts
There’s definitely a time and place for high intensity exercise. For instance – for a jumper to be able to perform their best not only in the first round, but also in the jump off, cardiovascular fitness is an important component of that. I try and think of this as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for horses – short bursts of work that is more demanding on the cardiovascular system. In layman’s terms – gallop (or a brisk canter) sets. While we’re not training for a Three-Day Event, so we don’t implement this as much as an Eventer might, shorter gallop sets of a few minutes definitely have a place in some of our jumper’s programs.
10. Stretching/Ground Exercises
This has been a game changer for our horses. Most of our horses do some type of carrot stretches and/or balance exercises daily after their ride. In addition to the basic carrot stretches (bending to either side, and between the legs) our vet, Dr. Paige Billek, will give us specific exercises to work on in order to improve the balance, proprioception, and flexibility of each individual horse. It’s not an overnight thing – consistency is key with these. But over time, these stretches and exercises have a big impact on the overall wellness and athletic performance of our horses.
11. Lunging With The Equiband Equicore System
I’m a big fan of this tool. I used to occasionally use other devices when I would lunge the horses, but I’ve switched to using the Equicore system more often than not because I like how it encourages the horses to focus more on engaging their hind end and using their core, as opposed to focusing on head placement. This is another thing that I’ll do once a week or so for some horses instead of a ride. I like how the Equiband encourages horses to have an awareness of their own body, and in my experience, it’s another great tool for helping them to develop their own self-carriage. I can feel the difference when I hop on a horse the day after they’ve been worked in this set-up. They have an improved awareness and connection to their bodies, and are quicker to engage themselves right away from the beginning of the ride.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s definitely some of my favorite ways to mix it up with our horses. Of course, none of our horses do all of these things each and every week, and I wouldn’t recommend that anyone try that! That said, our horses have all benefitted both mentally and physically from a program that incorporates cross-training and varied workouts. Start slow by switching up your ride one day a week, or adding in some type of stretches after your ride, and I bet you won’t be disappointed. Let me know in the comments below if you do!
[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross-train
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0737080612007356
