Getting it right off the horse: 2024 Update

For reference: 2022 and 2023 posts detailing my fitness routine with small updates for the horse as well. 

The same pesky whiteboard of shame still exists to log the weekly workouts: 

 

But there are a few modifications to what is on it. For starters, I am less and less able to call myself a runner these days... my "long" run is down to four miles and my pace is slower. But I haven't noticed a decline in my overall fitness level. Even back in the fall when Ben and I were still galloping training level courses, it didn't seem to matter that I'm running at 9-9:30 pace most of the time vs. 8:30 pace. 

The new addition this year is weight training. I asked a friend what her routine is since she always is so strong and steady in her position, no matter what her horse is doing underneath of her. She recommended a few different youtube channels: Heather Robertson and Sydney Cummings. I think she does these three or four times a week (I've purged that information from my head) but I do them once a week. There are a few favorites that always light up my entire body, but sometimes I'll also let whatever the most recent suggested video is just roll. Sydney does much more cheerleading during the routine while Heather lets music play silently. Pick your poison. 

While Goggles is still sometimes exhausting to ride, I think the dedicated 30 minute strength training sessions each week have definitely helped. I still do a few of the workouts from the Ultimate Exercise Routines for Riders, but I've outgrown most of the exercises in there. I was able to modify a few (ie clamshells with a band vs. without), but often they don't give me the same satisfying burn that weights workouts do these days. I do need to circle back to the stretching routines because that is certainly an area of weakness. 

Also with Goggles specifically in mind, I do deep neck flexor strengthening once or twice a week. His propensity to do those giant spine wrenching trips that feel like an entire car crash worth of whiplash motivated me. He's doing those much less these days and my neck is stronger, so it's been quite a few months since I've woken up unable to turn my head ::furiously knock on wood::. 

As far as the horses go, both of them benefit from raised cavaletti, so I've been doing that multiple times a week with Ben and once a week with Goggles. Ben is limited to what he can/should do at the moment, so he's got more low impact ways of strengthening. I've also been doing acupuncture on Ben once a week to try to help with ulcers and now with foot pain. It certainly can't hurt and he seems to like it quite a bit. They also both do at least a minute of belly raises every time I see them. I do 6-10 seconds and then reward with a treat.