Research has demonstrated that conflict behaviours in horses are reduced as the performance and skill levels of the rider improve. Enabling the rider to better coordinate with the horse’s locomotion improves safety and horse welfare.
Researchers in Australia sought to understand equestrian exercise habits; following is a summary of a presentation from the International Society for Equitation Science conference entitled “A Good Life for Horses” presented by ISES in New Zealand in March 2024.
The purpose of the study was to investigate:
1) the unmounted (non-riding) exercise habits of equestrians; and
2) the perceptions equestrians have about themselves as athletes.
A 25-question anonymous online survey hosted on Qualtrics was distributed via social media and email. The survey was open to Australian adults 18+ years of age who participated in dressage, show jumping or eventing, with no restriction on rider experience or competitive level. There were 454 complete responses: 332 (70.7%) dressage, 80 (17.6%) eventing, and 52 (11.5%) showjumping riders.
Overall, 78.4% reported that they participated in unmounted exercise at least once per week; however, of those who exercise, only 58.1% engaged in exercise specifically for riding purposes. The most popular exercises respondents identified for this goal were yoga/stretching (44.4%) followed by Pilates (32.4%), resistance training (17.9%), bodyweight exercises (17.4%), and walking (16.4%).
There were no significant differences between the proportion of riders in the disciplines who engage in exercise ‒ 79.8% dressage riders, 78.8% eventing, and 69.2% showjumping. However, there were significant differences among disciplines in the proportion who engage in rider-specific exercise ‒ 62.3% dressage riders, 47.6% eventing, and 47.2% showjumping.
Furthermore, 70.3% of riders agreed that they consider themselves athletes, with 96.9% agreeing that their fitness impacts their riding. Just 66.5% consider themselves physically fit. There were no significant differences in perceptions regarding athlete identity or fitness among different disciplines.
These findings suggest that many equestrians exercise, but not always in ways that are designed to directly benefit their particular sport and therefore the welfare of the horse, highlighting a need for better alignment between equestrian fitness and performance. Building the foundation of equestrian performance is a crucial step to augment a good life for the horse through optimizing rider skill.
~ with files from International Society for Equitation Science
