by Hannah Crouch
Why would I get up early and head to the gym twice a week, when my friends are all still in bed? Because it is really worth the effort! The Saturday and Monday Rider Boot Camps have really helped me become stronger and improve my riding. Before I started working out, I was too weak to even do a push-up or a plank! I didn't realize how much that physical weakness affected my riding until I actually experienced the difference.Before the Boot Camps, I could barely pick up the left lead on Mikey, the little horse I've ridden the past two years. Mikey never liked his left lead, and I was never able to help him with it, though I tried hard for a long time. But as the workouts really helped my core become stronger and my balance become better, my problem with the left lead improved very quickly. When I have ridden Mikey lately, I have been able to successfully use my form to set him up for the correct lead, without having to attempt it over and over again like in the past.
I can really feel the improvement in the effectiveness of my supporting leg when I ride Bill. When I first started riding him, I could barely keep him from running through my leg. It was difficult just to ride a straight line! This has really changed because working out has helped me become more aware of my muscles and how to use them. That has transferred to my riding by making my use of my supporting leg stronger. My straight lines on Bill have become amazingly better, and I don't have near so much trouble with him running through my leg.
My halt and downward transitions have also really gotten a lot better as I've gotten stronger. I was always really weak in my core, but now my core strength has really increased. I have been able to use the same newly-found core muscles that I use in my downward transitions to get a slow, controlled canter out of my horses. That canter feels awesome!
The workouts designed by Kenny Hall are awesome for riders. I feel so much stronger and am more aware of my muscles now. If I'm having trouble with a certain position on my horse, I can visualize how I do the corresponding exercise at the gym, and it really helps me find that position on my horse. New opportunities are opening up for me in riding. I know my horses are happier, too. Thank you, Kenny Hall and Mary Gallagher, for making this possible!
(Originally published April 2013)
