This study examined the effects of an 8-week home-based isometric strength training program on muscular fitness and dressage test performance in 18 female equestrian athletes. The training program using resistance bands 3 days per week was found to be a feasible intervention. Significant improvements were seen in muscular strength, muscular endurance, and total dressage test scores. Exploratory analyses showed improvements in muscular endurance accounted for about 29% of the improvement in riding test performance.

1. BACKGROUND
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN & METHODS
THE FEASIBILITY OF AN 8-WEEK, HOME-BASED ISOMETRIC STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM FOR
IMPROVING DRESSAGE TEST PERFORMANCE IN EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES
J.T. Lee, E. Shields, E. Sobolewski, C.E. Story, A.C. Hackney, FACSM & C.L. Battaglini, FACSM
Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
PURPOSE
CONCLUSIONS
=
RESULTS
• About 4.6 million people are involved in the horse industry, which produces a total
impact of $101.5 billion on the US Gross Domestic Product with $10-12 billion from
riding activities alone (“National economic impact”, 2005)
• The physical demands on equestrians are highly debatable, likely change with
discipline and are very understudied.
• Dressage is a discipline commonly referred to as “horse ballet” where the rider
requests the horse to perform through different gaits, directions and movements while
the rider appears completely effortless. The rider’s position and communication with
the horse are significantly dependent upon isometric muscular contractions.
• Cross-training is not a habit of most equestrians likely due to the time required to
participate in the sport itself as well as care for the animal while not riding.
• The few studies existing which examined rider fitness concluded cross-training is
necessary for riders to reach optimal physical fitness, however, to our knowledge, no
study to date has examined the effects of a riding-specific cross-training intervention
on riding performance (Alfredson et al., 1998; Meyers et al., 2000; Meyers 2006; Terada et al., 2004; Westerling 1983)
The purpose of this study was to determine if an 8-week, home-based, isometric
strength-training program designed specifically to target riding muscles would be a
feasible cross-training intervention for equestrian athletes. Further investigations
examined changes in muscular fitness (endurance (ME) and strength (MS)) and the
impact of those changes and other fitness parameters on total riding test and
component riding test scores.
Subjects: 18 female equestrians (54.1±7.7ys) with ≥1 year of dressage-specific riding
experience, ≥5 years of general riding experience and who rode ≥1 hour per week were
recruited from the Chapel Hill vicinity.
A home-based, isometric strength training program using resistance bands is a
feasible cross-training intervention for equestrians aged 40-70ys old. The intervention
improved both muscular strength and muscular endurance. Exploratory analysis
suggests there is potential for this training intervention to positively impact dressage
test performance but due to small sample size and lack of control group in the current
study, future studies are needed to confirm the potential benefits.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of an 8-week, home-based isometric strength-training
program in equestrian athletes. A secondary purpose examined the effects of the intervention on
muscular strength, muscular endurance and riding performance. METHODS: 18 dressage riders
with minimum 1yr experience, riding ≥ 1hr/week, and not participating in structured exercise
training were recruited from central NC. Riders completed pre/post isometric muscular strength
and muscular endurance tests and a US Equestrian Federation (USEF) Training Level Rider Test.
The intervention was a 3 day/wk program targeting riding-specific muscles using Therabands of
progressing intensity. The intervention was determined feasible if more than 50% of riders
completed 80% or more of the 24 sessions performing 2 or more sets/exercise and at least half
the number of reps at the prescribed intensity. Dependent samples t-tests compared pre/post
scores of composite muscular strength, composite muscular endurance and riding test total
scores. RESULTS: 55.5% of riders completed 80% or more exercise sessions deeming the
intervention feasible. Significant improvements were observed for muscular strength ((pre
152.8±29.5, post 201.1±43.5), p=.000), muscular endurance ((pre 149.8±82.2, post 209.2±112.3),
p=.001) and for riding test total scores ((pre 57.8±7.4, post 60.8±5.1), p=.037). Additional
exploratory analyses revealed a significant correlation between improvements in muscular
endurance and riding test total score (r2=.285, p=.01. CONCLUSION: The intervention was
feasible and produced improvements in muscular endurance, accounting for approximately 29%
improvement in riding test performance.
Test Pre-Intervention Post-Intervention
YMCA Step Test Recovery
Heart Rate (bpm)
97.7 ± 18.9 93.4 ± 17.3*
Isometric Row (ftlb.) 19.2 ± 4.4 27.6 ± 5.1*
Hip Adduction Total 71.9 ± 19.1 110.3 ± 33.0*
Handgrip Total 61.8 ± 10.5 63.2 ± 10.1*
Composite Muscular Strength∞ 152.8 ± 29.5 201.1 ± 43.5*
Composite Muscular
Endurance∧
149.8 ± 82.2 209.2 ± 112.3*
Training Level Rider Test Total
Score (TLRT; #/100)
57.9 ± 7.4 60.9 ± 5.1*
Rider Position Component
Score (RP; #/20)
11.2 ± 1.9 11.9 ± 1.4
Rider’s Effective Use of Aids
Score (RA; #/20)
11.4 ± 1.7 11.9 ± 1.0
Figure 1 – Total number of exercise sessions completed by participants. >50% of
participants completing 18 or more prescribed sessions deemed the intervention as
feasible.
Table 1 – Physical Fitness and Riding Test Performance Scores (mean ± SD)
*<.05=significant difference from pre-intervention
∞ Composite Muscular Strength: sum of isometric row, total hip adduction and handgrip total
∧ Composite Muscular Endurance: sum of partial curl up and isometric chest raise scores
0
1
2
3
4
5
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
NumberofSubjects
Total Number of Exercise Sessions Completed
Measurement of
Isometric Peak Torque
Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics are presented in the form of means ± SD.
Dependent samples t-tests of composite strength, composite endurance and riding test
performance scores were used to evaluate changes from pre-to-post intervention.
Simple regression models were used to examine the relationship between the results of
fitness and riding tests scores. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05 for all
comparisons.
Hip Adductors Upper Body
Sport of Dressage
Youngest rider (40) Oldest rider (67)
Week 0 W 1 W 2 W 3 W 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 W 8 Week 9
Fitness
&
Riding
Pre-Test
Isometric Strength Training Intervention with Therabands
3day/week; 6 exercises per session
Progressive volume and intensity
Fitness
&
Riding
Post-Test
! Fitness tests:
• BodPod
• YMCA 3-minute step test
• Isometric strength testing
o hip adductors and upper body
• handgrip strength test
• partial curl-up test
• isometric chest raise for time
Riding test:
• USEF Training Level Rider Test (Total score: #/100)
o Sum of 5 component scores, each worth 20 points
o Evaluates rider’s performance
Methods & Experimental Design
Exercise Manual
Rider Test
Exploratory analyses revealed a significant correlation between:
• improvements in ME and improvements in RA component score (r2=.244, p=.01)
• improvements in RA component score and improvements in TLRT score (r2=.636, p=.000)
• improvements in ME and improvements in TLRT score (r2=.285, p=.01)
Poster