14/ JULY 2022 THE RIDER Fitness for Riders:


Training Tips for Improving Endurance Part One: Nutrition Now is a great time to think


By Heather Sansom; This and next month’s


equestrian fitness tips come to you from the Equifitt article archives, inspired by a series on ramping up your endurance and stamina for the summer show season (in the Northern Hemi- sphere). This month, we’re look- ing at little nutritional hacks you can use to keep up your energy. Watch for next month’s newslet- ter containing a weekly training plan for building rider endurance.


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a little bit about your nutri- tion as well. Riders sustain long periods of posture maintenance with constant micro-adjustments on an un- stable surface, punctuated by short bursts of change or


higher energy output. In other words, riding requires a lot of en- durance with relatively short seg- ments of high energy output. Think about a typical ride for a hunter/jumper, dressage rider, or any other discipline. There are long periods of slower exercise, warmup, cooldown, waiting. Then there are bursts of energy: a few minutes for a jump course, a few seconds for a reining ma- noeuvre or dressage movement. Whether in training practice


or competition, how you fuel


yourself plays a vital role in your ability for stamina, appropriate reaction times (aid changes, tim- ing, rhythm, correct and accurate aids), and judgment calls. Your brain is a complex


electrical circuit matrix which depends on sugars and consistent fluid levels to maintain the right ambient conditions for signals to process. Dehydration or drops in blood-sugar levels reduce your ability for accurate perception, reaction and judgment. They also reduce the reaction-times in your neuro-muscular connections (the signal from your brain to muscle groups for movement, or from your body in contact with the horse, to your brain to signal position, and back again to signal appropriate response). For a rider, seconds make a


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difference in execution of aids, preparation and performance over obstacles, and constant re- sponse to the ever-changing bal- ances of the horse- not to mention sudden situation such as a spook or sudden motion. To make it really simple,


you cannot afford to get dehy- drated, sustain an electrolyte im- balance or have wide fluctuations in blood-sugar levels when you are riding. You can also have a significantly positive impact on your own performance by mak- ing some simple and smart deci- sions about nutrient timing and type (food and liquid). If you are serious about your ap- proach to nutrition, an excellent book I refer to and recommend is Sport Nutrition Guidebook, by Nancy Clarke. I have found it simple, inexpensive, and written in language that is accessible even to teen and youth clients I have worked with. Meantime, here are the ‘skinny’ notes and rules of thumb to follow: 1. Liquids: Maintain hydration by drinking fluids regularly. Drink a glass of water before rid- ing, and every now and then when you have cooldown or rest breaks in the ride if it is hot. Avoid commercial electrolyte re- placers. Keep the fluids as un- complicated as possible. You can make a very simple electrolyte


replacing drink at home using water with chopped fruits float- ing in it, or lime or lemon juice, a half a teaspoon of sugar per 16 oz of liquid (2 cups), and a dash or two of salt. My favourite is water with a good dose of lime juice, some brown sugar and a dash of salt all shaken in my water bottle. It tastes like a Mar- garita.


2. Sugars: Avoid simple sug- ars, and fuel yourself as a habit on complex carbohydrates. You can eat a simpler sugar right be- fore training to give you immedi- ate energy release until the complex carbohydrates you fu- eled on at your last meal start to kick in. For example, I fre- quently munch on the carrots brought for my horse and share them together while we are tack- ing up. Carrots are high in sugar which absorbs fairly quickly into the bloodstream. However, I make sure that I have also eaten a source of more complex carbo- hydrate within the three hours preceding a ride. For example, I often eat an apple or a snack that fits in one hand on the way to the barn if my ride is several hours after my last meal. Food on the run is never a problem. Lack of planning on the run is, as is fail- ing to fuel at appropriate inter- vals. In a pinch, a granola bar in


the hour before you ride will give you a combination of simple sug- ars (sugars gluing it together) and complex carbs (oats and grains in the granola).


Riding in a state of physical


depletion (hunger, whether you feel ‘hungry’ or not) is a really bad idea. It sets you up for piti- ful decisions and inappropriate mood-response, slow reaction times, and completely unengaged core. You cannot maintain core stability on an empty stomach. Simple sugars put your brain on a rollercoaster, and you need con- sistency both in neural function (brain, and neuro-muscular fir- ing) and mood.


Safe and Happy Training !


© Heather R. Sansom, PhD. www.equifitt.com


Personal Trainer, Riding Coach, Therapist Fitness, biomechanics and riding instruction. Personalized Coaching Available online Check out the leading 9 week rider fitness plan book (complete with anatomy illustrations)- available in print or as a download!: www.equifitt.com/fit2ride/


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