For riders—just like for other athletes and physically active people—it is important to pay attention to personal endurance and diet. Very often, a horse’s feeding plan is designed with extreme precision using calculators and guides, while the rider’s own nutrition is easily pushed aside and replaced with whatever happens to be within reach. Nutrition affects both stamina and immune defence, so it is worth taking a few moments to plan proper meals, especially on training and competition days.
Every body functions in its own way, and it can be surprising how many different things diet can influence. By eating foods that suit you personally, you can significantly improve your endurance during training and, through that, also your performance in competition. No one hopes to fall ill themselves—or have their horse fall ill—in the middle of the competition season, which is why taking care of your own wellbeing is important.
“A key factor in training and overall wellbeing is keeping blood sugar levels sufficiently stable throughout the day. The key to this is a regular meal rhythm. It is important to eat often enough so that the interval between meals does not become too long. If training is demanding, the problem may also be that the amount of food is simply too small,” explains Sansolin nutrition therapist Sanna Peiponen.
If the body receives too little energy, it easily shifts into a kind of ‘energy-saving mode’. In this situation, the body begins to use its own muscle tissue as a source of amino acids, and the body effectively starts consuming itself.
“In addition to quantity, the quality of food has a major impact on blood sugar levels. A balanced meal contains protein, appropriate fats, and high-quality carbohydrates. Especially when it comes to carbohydrates, quality matters. If you eat rapidly absorbed carbohydrates such as sugar or refined white-flour products, the body stores excess energy in fat cells with the help of insulin. A rapid rise in blood sugar is followed by a steep drop. As a result, hunger quickly returns and cravings—especially for sweets—appear. Snacking on sugary foods and skipping proper meals often leads to weight gain and a lack of real energy,” Peiponen adds.
A balanced meal consists of carbohydrates, protein, and fat
Main meals should ideally be built so that they include foods from 1–3 different food groups. All main meals should contain plenty of vegetables, berries, or fruit, along with protein and healthy fats.
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Supporting digestion with the right nutrition
Good wellbeing starts in the gut and with digestion. The stomach and intestines can show symptoms in many different ways. Even if you eat very healthily and in a varied way, it is essential that food is properly broken down and absorbed for the body to use. Diet has a significant impact on stomach and digestive function. Foods that promote good digestion include, among others, fresh vegetables and herbs.
A good recovery drink for competitions and training sessions is a smoothie. It is healthy, easy to absorb, and convenient to take along.
Recovery smoothie after training or competition
1 dl strawberries
½ banana
1 dl plain yoghurt or oat yoghurt
½ dl almonds
½ tbsp ground flaxseed
Blend and enjoy, or pack it with you for training.
