Fear of the Unknown, Admiration for the beast!

Here is a sport, no matter recreational or competitive that benefits not just the body but the mind and soul. The holistic effects of horseback riding extend to individuals of ALL ages, from as young as three years of age till well into the golden years, its pleasures need to be experienced to be understood. An uncommon choice of recreation for the majority of Malaysians, many are misled into thinking that here is an expensive hobby that is enjoyed by the rich and elite minority while many have the perception that it is a very dangerous activity that can cripple the unfortunate victim for life. Yet, how many more persons fall off a bicycle or motorcycle when compared to falling off horses?

Benefits
Animal lovers will be pleased to know that the therapeutic effect of psychological bonding with your horse extends further into the physical and neuromuscular arenas. The correct sitting posture to be learnt requires the rider to be completely relaxed and centred in the ideal position to enable the horse to perform its optimal task. Balance and rhythm are crucial while applying hand and leg aids in signalling the horse to perform specific tasks such as simple manoeuvring while sitting balanced. In achieving balance, proper posture and the utilisation of core muscles such as the back, abdomen and gluteals are discovered which translate into improved daily functional performance. This is particularly beneficial for children, senior adults, those suffering from neuromuscular disorders and sedentary persons with obvious muscle imbalances.

Age
Of course, as with all sport, starting young is an advantage when a child’s level of fear is untarnished or uninfluenced by adult perception. Appropriate size matching of ponies or horses to riders are considered according to physique, build and bodyweight. Most riding schools generally accept children for lessons from the age of seven years, while those younger are usually be taken for a lead ride by a trainer on foot.

Recreational Riding
Horses are suitably selected for riders based on their size, riding experience and nature of the riding session. New riders are initially introduced to their horses and taught to understand the behaviour of the animal including how to apply basic leg and hand aids for control, to gain confidence and to relax. Each riding lesson usually lasts 45 minutes.

Competitive Riding
For the competitive spirit that is in some of us and for greater motivation, there are several competitive Equestrian Disciplines that you may wish to train for. Some of them are outlined briefly here:
DRESSAGE where the rider and horse go through movements in an arena to show their level and degree of harmonious training
SHOW JUMPING where horse and rider work as a team to clear a number of obstacles in an enclosed arena at different heights and difficulty level. Technical variations depend on the level.
EVENTING where the same horse and rider combination must compete in dressage on the first day, an outdoor course with natural fixed obstacles and variations of terrain on the second day, and Show Jumping in an arena on the third. The combination with the least penalties is declared the winner.
Other events include the Para Equestrian Dressage for Paralympic Riders, Gymkhanas and games for others.

Special Population
It is a remarkable sight to see someone with cerebral palsy who would under normal circumstances require great effort to maintain an upright posture on a wheelchair, sit up tall and maintain perfect walking or trotting rhythm on a horse. Volunteers of the Riding for the Disabled Association are regularly seen at various equestrian clubs helping children with special needs rehabilitate on horseback on a weekly basis.

Getting Started
Your first experience is always a determining factor in your continuous pursuance of a selected activity. Whether you are interested in competitive events or recreational and leisure riding, it is vital that you start off at the right establishment to ensure an enjoyable and enlightening session rather than returning home feeling frustrated and confused.
Sign up for a trial period of up to eight sessions with a reputable equestrian club. A receptive guide will show you around the stables, paddocks and riding arenas, advising you on what to wear and how to book your lessons. Trainers should be experienced, have good teaching ability, a strong sense for safety and responsibility and good communication skills in delivering constructive and sensitive coaching along with the industry’s minimum instructor qualification requirement; this can be a trainee instructor or introductory instructor working under the mentorship of a qualified experienced instructor recognised by the Equine Council of Malaysia. Most reputable centres are registered with the Malaysian Equine Council, and are members of the Malaysian Pony Club (affiliated to the British Pony Club). These centres organize Pony Club days or Pony Club Riding Camps over a few days.

Pricing
No, you do not need to own a horse. Various options are available; it may be better to start off riding school horses at the equestrian club where you may be required to pay a membership and/or registration fee along with the riding lessons package. Some clubs do not require you to be a member at all. Rates may average to a reasonable fee of RM400 for eight 45 minutes group sessions with a trainer. Hacking out rates may differ.

2.2. Intervention subjects group (Phase 2)

Pre, during (monthly) and post intervention Variables to be measured include:

Fitness tests
1. Body composition (BF%)
2. Resting blood pressure (RBP)
3. Resting heart rate (RHR)
4. Maximum oxygen uptake (MOU)
5. Range of motion (ROM) flexibility at shoulder, hamstring and lower back
6. Passive and reactive balance.
7. Muscular Endurance

Energy Balance
1. Basal Metabolic Rate
2. Daily calorie intake
3. Energy expenditure

Training heart rate threshold during various riding gaits:
1. Walking
2. Sitting trot
3. Rising trot
4. Canter

2.1. Control subjects group (Phase 1)

The variables to be measured include:
Fitness tests:
1. Body composition (BF%)
2. Resting blood pressure (RBP)
3. Resting heart rate (RHR)
4. Maximum oxygen uptake (MOU)
5. Range of motion (ROM) flexibility at shoulder, hamstring and lower back
6. Passive and reactive balance
7. Muscular Endurance

Energy Balance
1. Basal Metabolic Rate
2. Daily calorie intake
3. Energy expenditure

Training heart rate threshold during various riding gaits:
1. Walking
2. Sitting trot
3. Rising trot
4. Canter

The variables for consideration include:
1. Training frequency
2. Training duration
3. Level of conditioning in trained subjects confounded by riding experience
and proficiency (novice, intermediate, advanced)
4. Other intra-subject confounding variables including health and medical
status, dietary habits and other forms of physical activity undertaken

2.0. Planning and Design

This longitudinal factorial design experimental research investigates the effects of horse back riding on trained control and untrained experimental subjects. The former group of trained subjects acts as case studies and will be observed and measured over duration of 3 months (phase 1) while the latter group of untrained subjects will be introduced to horseback riding and undergo experimental intervention for health and fitness goals, over a period of 12 months (phase 2). Based on outcome of the descriptive research data collected from case studies subjects, a fitness riding program will be designed and implemented on the group of untrained experimental subjects.

In summary, the research process involves:
Phase 1: Observational control case study documenting the fitness and wellness effects of horseback riding on trained subjects (riding experience and frequency)
Phase 2: Data processing & development of ‘Fitness Riding’ (FRP) exercise program
Phase 3: Implementation of FRP longitudinal experimental study on untrained subjects

The areas for investigation include:
1. Cardiovascular effects on riders (trained and untrained) during different riding gaits: walk, sitting trot, rising trot and canter. Calorie expenditure will be predicted with reference to the ‘ACSM guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, Leisure Activities in METs’ (1995).
2. Postural and balance factors resulting from core musculature reciprocation
3. Muscular Endurance
4. Fitness Riding exercise program design in accordance with the current American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) established guidelines
5. Effects of Fitness Riding exercise program on experimental subjects

1.3. Core stabilisation and balance

Balance has often been less emphasised than the common health related components of fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and muscular endurance (ACSM, 2005). Comparison is made between these health-related against the athletic ability components of physical fitness such as balance, reaction time, coordination, agility, speed and power in ACSM’s Health Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual (2005). However, it is quoted that “The five health-related components of physical fitness are more important to public health than are the components related to athletic ability”. Yet, balance and its relation to core stability in providing a strong spinal foundation for functional performance is important for public health in the prevention of acute and chronic back problems that arise from daily habitual practices and sedentary lifestyles.

1.2. Energy expenditure

The initial Compendium of Physical Activities (developed in 1989 and published in 1993) presented intensities in physical activities based on the rate of energy expenditure expressed in METs and estimated from similar activities with a known MET value. The energy cost of an activity is normally measured through direct and indirect calorimetry methods such as the respiratory calorimetry (Bray, Wong, Morrow, Butte and Pivarnik, 1994) or the doubly labelled water measure (Davidson, McNeil, Haggarty, Smith and Franklin, 1997). Other methods include using accelerometers (Jakicic, Winters, Lagally, Ho, Robertson and Wing, 1999) or through heart rate monitoring (Kirsten, Hennings, Mitchell and Wareham, 2001). ACSM guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (1995) express energy expenditure for the various gaits in horseback riding of galloping = 8.2 METs, trotting = 6.6 METs and walking = 2.4 METs.

1.1. Cardiovascular fitness and health issues

Cardiovascular training has been well documented to provide health and fitness benefits through adaptations within the central and peripheral circulatory systems. The ability to perform prolonged sub-maximal exercise (VO2max) is the only objective measure of cardiorespiratory fitness which is used in studies of cardiovascular fitness. Studies by Kaeferlein et al (1998) showed that aerobic type exercise conducted three times weekly over 20 weeks significantly improved heart rate variability and VO2max in subjects having initially lower VO2max. Heart rate variability, a parasympathetic activity indicator which is positively associated with cardiovascular fitness, is calculated as a square root of the mean square of the differences. It has also been shown to correlate positively with lactate threshold (Lima and Kiss, 1998), suggesting that heart rate response may be a reliable indicator of training intensity. Hence, heart rate response during horseback riding is monitored over different riding gaits to indicate training intensity in trained control subjects and untrained experimental subjects. The experimental group of untrained subjects would undergo an introductory course in basic riding skills in order to reduce initial feelings of anxiety that may influence heart rate response to the physical activity.