Train more effectively

Not only will you get an insight into your training habits, you will also see what impact your training has on the Rhythm, Impulsion and Symmetry of your horse.

Training goals

What you want to achieve with your training can depend on the specific discipline your train for.

For example dressage riders want as much elevation as possible whereas for racers that’s just a waste of energy.

Some goals are generic though, whether you do jumping, eventing, dressage, working equitation, endurance or any other equestrian sport.

We all want to find the optimal rhythm for our horse. We all want that looseness and straightness. We need to balance our work on the left and right rein to ensure muscle symmetry and we need to build up stamina and strength.

Keep it symmetrical

Symmetry is one of the key, universal, goals of riding. We need to keep the horse straight, have the same push-off on both diagonals and have the same Rhythm and Timing on both diagonals. That’s not easy. And the better you get at it, the harder it is to feel and adjust.

Balance the work

The first ‘oops’ moments most riders have when using the Equestic SaddleClip is the time spent on each rein and the time spent per gait. We all try to balance this, but none of us have a stopwatch in our head and we all tend to do the easy things a bit more.

The optimal rhythm

Every horse is different. Each horse has an optimal rhythm that enables it to best use it’s body and generate optimal strength and suppleness. 

A horse at its ideal rhythm has better coordination of its strides and can develop more strength. As the horse gets stronger, this rhythm will change. With the Equestic Gait Analysis you are able to compare the rhythm and impulsion of your horse to other horses at the same level

Building Stamina and Strength

To build up stamina and strength effectively, an alternation of effort and rest is necessary. For muscle building  you specifically train them with certain exercises. But for that to have the right effect, the muscle must be allowed to recover just enough to become stronger before you put on a heavy load again.

This principle is called supercompensation, which we have described in detail here.

Practice the right Transitions

As riders we often, subconsciously, avoid the more difficult exercises. There’s always certain transitions that don’t go as easy as others. Maybe your trainer even gives you instructions to train certain transitions more.

Engage your trainer

You’ll also be able to keep your trainer in the loop when you’re riding on your own. As we all know, it’s difficult to achieve the same results when riding by yourself. Are you less precise in your Rhythm? Are you riding less Transitions or maybe not paying enough attention to straightness?

Interview with Jules Jansen (Dressage coach, rider, and ZZL judge) – about coaching with data: “We were surprised by the wide range of functions of the saddle clip.”