Stop Obsessing About How You Look In The Saddle
I was excited to watch the video my trainer had graciously taken of me practicing our dressage test the entire drive home from my lesson. As I settled into the house, still stinky and sweaty from my ride, I was immediately disappointed by what I saw on my phone screen. My horse looked great. My body, however, not so much.
Cue Queen Critical: I was disgusted by the way I looked in the saddle – my butt seemed big, my thighs were too jiggly. I swear I saw a newly formed muffin top creeping over the waistline of my breeches, even if my friends and husband thought I was crazy. I was so distracted by picking out all of the flaws in my body to see the great progress my horse and I had made in our training.
In my head, I tried to cut myself some slack. It’s been a crazy stressful year. My horse is coming back from some stall rest and I didn’t use his downtime wisely… I’ve packed on a few pounds. But I wasn’t successful in kicking the negative thoughts. I was disappointed about how I looked. It’s healthy to be mindful of your fitness – clearly I had lost some – but it is incredibly UNhealthy to get stuck in this negative cycle of nitpicking my various body parts.
All bodies are different – they come in varying shapes and sizes for a reason. Despite what the old-school equitation trainers may have told you as a kid, there is no body type that is “better” for riding. Skill comes from strength – both physical and mental – and commitment to the sport. The riders that are really good aren’t the skinniest or the tallest or have the longest legs. The riders that are good are the ones who are always looking for ways to improve their game, in their bodies and their brains.
I agree with the sentiment that equestrians are athletes, and therefore, they should be fit. But the internet doesn’t get to decide what “fit” is for any individual person. “Fit” is such a broad term, but one that is wholly specific to the individual and the sport or physical work they are doing. Could I stand to be fitter for my horse? Absolutely. But does that come at the cost of crash dieting and over exercising? No effing way.
This hot take originally published in the Heels Down Spark in May 2021. Get more conversation starters in your inbox every weekday morning by subscribing to the Spark now.