OklahomaHorses Magazine May 2022

14 OklahomaHorses • May/June 2022 everything. Working out and being fit are important, but so is fueling your body to do those things so your body can reap the benefits of your hard work.” Ground Zero No matter your age or fitness experience, it’s never too late to start to work on mobility and strength. In just over a year of working with Altschwager, Jansen feels a significant difference in her riding ability. “My goal isn’t to see how much I can lift, it’s to be fit for my horse,” Jansen said. “They say 10 pounds is a tenth of a second, so I just want to be in good physical shape so I’m capable of riding aggressively.” Two crucial areas Altschwager encour- ages all equestrians, clients or not, to focus on are trunk stability and posterior chain strength. All riders need to hold themselves upright in the saddle while controlling their hips, which is much easier said than done. “Hip mobility is incredibly important for effective cuing,” Altschwager explained. “Due to the amount of sitting people tend to do these days, most people have tight and weak hips. Pigeon pose and modified pigeon pose can help keep those hips in top shape.” The traditional exercise experience usual- ly involves isolating a single muscle group for each workout. For example, you could have a leg day, back day, arms and abs day, etc. But when you think about how your body works, the muscle groups all work cohesively, not individually. “Riding at faster speeds becomes easier and more fluid the stronger our entire body is,” Altschwager said. “It inadvertently improves our seat and control through our lower half, which allows us to feel secure in the saddle at all speeds through all maneuvers. When you strengthen your muscles, you also directly improve your balance through increased bone density and increased strength and stability in your limbs. This directly correlates to strength and stability in the saddle.” Jansen doesn’t hesitate to recognize Altschwager for changing her life in several ways, and she tells everyone who asks. Jansen said working with a coach is the best decision she has ever made. “We all get caught up in needing to work out, but if we don’t properly fuel our body, then we probably won’t get the results we want,” Jansen said. “Investing in and seeing myself as an athlete has helped me empathize with my horses more. I’ve recognized how to take better care of them from a nutritional standpoint and in how I exercise them.” Every piece of Altschwager’s client expe- rience is customized to clients’ goals and lifestyles. The aim of Western Workouts is to empower people to learn about and understand nutrition and fueling as well as the importance of good form and the types of exercise they should do to accomplish their goals. “It’s very important to me that my coach- ing is well rounded and able to address any challenge or obstacle an individual’s life may present,” Altschwager said. “It’s not about ignoring the challenges, as they’re a part of life, but more about learning how to create strategies to overcome them in all facets.” Everything about Altschwager’s person- ality dictates that she provides her clients with quality information and personalized programs. As a result, her client list is limit- ed, but there are other ways to get informa- tion from Western Workouts. Altschwager is a regular contributor to the NRHA Rein- er Magazine and to Horse & Rider Magazine and Horse&Rider OnDemand . For more information about Altschwager and Western Workouts, visit https://www. westernworkouts.com or e-mail her at Kelly@westernworkouts.com . Recommended Exercises and Stretches POSTERIOR CHAINWORK The posterior chain includes shoulders, back, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. • modified lat pulldowns • lying hamstring curls • bent-over rows • birddogs (and variations) • planks (and variations) STRETCHES • pigeon pose (and modification) • quad stretches For more information about recom- mended stretches and exercises, contact Kelly Altschwager directly at kelly@westernworkouts.com. Lindsay Bippus Real Estate Broker / Owner 12342 E. 86th St. N. | Owasso 74055 (918) 706-3857 dreammakerrealtyok.com Looking to buy or sell a horse property in the greater Owasso area? Hand the reins to Lindsay Bippus at DreamMaker Realty, Owasso’s equine property specialist!