Horseback riding is a fun and invigorating way to stay fit and healthy. But riding can also cause trouble if we fail to take good care of ourselves after a ride. To help you steer clear of pain and soreness, we’ve compiled a list of tips and lifestyle habits that will help relieve pain and soreness and prevent it from happening in the first place.
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Go spinning before you ride.
To reduce the chances of pain and soreness, a small spinning session before the ride can be of great help. You can start at 90 revolutions per minute, a low heart rate, and a considerably slower pace. This will warm up your joints and give your leg muscles that may not be as activated during your horse riding the chance to move.
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Stretch your muscles after your ride.
Staying active is the most reliable way to recover from body soreness. Avoid resting directly after a ride, as doing so will likely guarantee soreness and stiffness the next day. Instead, make it a habit to stretch immediately after your ride to reduce tension and swelling in your muscles. Focus on the lower legs and low back. Foam rolling is also a great way to break up muscle adhesion and scar tissues from riding, similar way as a post-ride massage. This practice also encourages blood flow through the body and helps to prevent injury.
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Increase your workout intensity slowly.
To avoid soreness, grow your intensity slowly. Increase your ride time gradually and stop riding if you start to feel weary or sore. A more gradual approach to horse riding will not only help you avoid feeling sore, but it will help you stay active and injury-free.
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Include in strength training in your routine.
Soreness usually happens in the parts of your body that are weakened. You can work towards strengthening these parts strong by cross-training with activities like swimming, running, and yoga.
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Eat right for riding.
The wrong diet can cause increased soreness in any athlete, including equestrians. Foods like processed red meat, white bread, pasta, dairy products, and more cause inflammation in the body that lead to more pain and stiffness your muscles and joints. Healthy foods that are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants, however, help to prevent soreness and even offer faster recovery.
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Prevent and soothe with CBD.
Along with these healthy habits like these, CBD is key to quick muscle recovery for equestrians. CBD can help to soothe muscle pain, tension, and tightness post-ride as well as help athletes stay on top of their game between rides.
Shop our high-quality Unstoppable CBD products and enjoy a pain-free ride.