food Ok, anyone who has ever set foot in the irons can tell you that equestrian sports require an extreme amount of physical strength, stamina and athleticism. So why is it that, as equestrians, we are more concerned about our horse’s health and well-being than our own? Could it be because horses rely on their humans for so much? Or maybe because they are like our children. Unfortunately, this self- neglect could be keeping us from achieving our greatest potential. Have you ever stopped to think that the burger you pick up on your way to the barn could be keeping you from Grand Prix? Or, that a mildly weaker left side could prevent you from performing a square halt and salute. Well, with a little fine tuning and planning, you will be well on your way to a better ride.

We’ll start with the dreaded “D” word… DIET. By diet, I don’t mean you should dust off your scale and start counting calories. I am referring to the larger picture of the foods we choose to consume. In our fast-paced world of family, full-time jobs, horse shows and training time, who has time to eat, right? Wrong. We obsess about our horse’s diet – is his hay the right blend? Does his feed make him too “hot”? Is he getting enough selenium in his diet? And the list goes on. Why shouldn’t we be equally as concerned about our own diet? After all, Dressage is a team effort. Your horse can only live up to his half of the bargain. You are responsible for yours. Diet plays a key role in that equation. The best part is that it’s easy to give your body all that it needs for optimal performance. A balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates and natural fats is all you need.

dinner plate As children, the food pyramid is preached to us. Statements like, “Eat your vegetables,” “Remember to eat breakfast,” “Avoid too many sweets” are drilled into our brains from an early age. Then we become adults and it all goes out the window. With full time jobs, kids to rush here and there, bills to pay and animals to feed, we often lose the ability to fit in healthy, well-balanced, home-cooked meals. It takes too long to put together a menu, grocery shop and prepare meals. Instead we settle for packaged meals and snacks and fast food. Our bodies are amazing machines that are designed to continually process foods and turn them into energy for our bodies. Just imagine eating 6 meals a day and looking and feeling your best. Believe it or not, it can happen. And it doesn’t take a ton of time and its not rocket science. People often do not realize that their bodies will better process the foods we eat if we eat several small “meals” per day. It is better to eat 6-7 small meals a day than to eat 3 large meals spread farther apart. Starving your body by skipping meals will actually provide the opposite effect of what most people want. It actually slows your metabolism and forces the body to store fat because it believes that it is going to have to live on reserves for a while. To keep your metabolism working correctly, you actually should eat more often. The really cool thing is that it is just as quick and easy to wash a piece of fruit as it is to open a box, take out a snack pack and open it. Another time saver is to make an additional serving when preparing dinner and save it for the next day’s lunch. If you are preparing a salad for dinner, cut the entire head of lettuce and place the remainder in a plastic container or two for lunch salads. Be sure to balance your diet with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, sugars and fats. Your body needs each of these to metabolize properly. It is important to remember that you should not completely eliminate any of these from your daily life, but that they should be eaten in moderation. Too much of anything is not healthy.

For more information on balancing your diet, visit www.zonediet.com. There are also many recipe website (such as www.allrecipes.com) that can help you with quick and easy meals that are well-balanced. Consult with your physician or nutritionist before beginning a diet program.

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In The Moves - Rein Back"

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Rein Back Defined
The horse moves backward in a straight line by moving legs in diagonal pairs. This is a two-beat movement that has no moment of suspension.

How to Execute Rein Back

Start from a square halt
Lighten your seat without removing your seat bones from the saddle by bringing your upper body slightly (a few degrees) more forward using your hips as a hinge.

Close both legs simultaneously behind the girth to encourage the horse to step.

Close your fingers on your reins alternately in time with each corresponding hind foot step to encourage backward movement.

After 4-5 steps, move the horse forward by uprighting your body position and yielding with the hands.

Notes:

It is easy to use aids that are too powerful in this movement. Be cognoscente of this and apply your aids in a manner that promotes a soft and supple horse. This requires a great deal of patience and time. Taking the time necessary to ensure the horse does not become resistant will create a more relaxed and willing partner that is non-evasive. Thus raising your test scores and creating a picture of harmony.

The rein back should never be used as a method of punishing the horse. This creates an aversion to the movement, therefore resulting in resistance and tension.

Purpose of the Rein Back

To assist in collection
To lighten the forehand
To focus the horse

Common Errors in Execution

The movement is performed as a four-beat movement.
The horse does not travel straight.
The horse shows stiffness in the legs, back or neck.
The horse is overbent.
The horse shows resistance.
The horse drags his feet.

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