Read Time: 8 minutes
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Alyssa Schaefer
What You Need to Know About Equiband Before You Get Started
On this blog, we talk about all things horses. I often discuss the Equiband system, competition mindset, who you are both in and out of the saddle, and share horse care hacks. Horses are complex creatures, and they always seem to come up with new ways to need our help. Over my decades of caring for horses, I've developed tons of useful horse hacks to make life easier.
However, today's video is all about the Equiband itself. I've created an online course called Equi-Course Bootcamp, which guides you on how to build a program for using the Equiband.
You can check out the course if you're interested, but for now, I want to share the top three things you need to know about the Equiband before you get started.
Benefits of Equiband Training
The Equiband is a Different Type of Workout
The first thing you must understand is that the Equiband provides a fundamentally different type of workout than your horse is used to. Typically, your horse engages in endurance training through activities like walking, trotting, and cantering. Even activities like walking hills primarily focus on endurance. In contrast, the Equiband focuses on strength training, which is akin to lifting weights for humans.
When your horse uses the Equiband, whether walking, trotting, or cantering, they are being asked to build muscle in a way they have never done before. This is crucial to consider when building your Equiband program. This is why I created the EquiCourse in the first place—to help you understand its power and potential issues, and to guide you in building a safe and effective program.
If you've ever built your own workout plan, you know the importance of scaling and adjusting intensity. As a former gymnast, I spent the first half of my life focused on workout programs, and I've applied that knowledge to horse training. The missing piece in most online information about the Equiband is how to build a program that avoids accidentally over-challenging your horse. This leads us to the second crucial point.
Understanding the 50% Setting
There's a concept called the "50% setting" that is vital to understand. I have a video that explains how to fit your Equiband and another one on the EquiTracker, which I developed to help measure and track your Equiband usage.
The tightness of the Equiband's rubber bands directly correlates to how hard your horse is working. The 50% setting is the tightest recommended setting. However, if you follow the Equiband website's instructions without considering your horse's fitness level, you might start with it at 50%, which can be too challenging.
As someone who has extensively used the Equiband, I can tell you that starting at 50% can over-challenge your horse. They might become resistant or naughty because they find the workout too hard. After months of using the Equiband, my horse reached a point where he needed a break to use his new muscles in other ways. This plateau is similar to what humans experience when trying to lose weight or build muscle.
The EquiTracker spreadsheet helps you measure the band in inches and converts that measurement into a percentage, allowing you to know if you're at 50%, 60%, or any other level. This tool ensures you're not accidentally over-challenging your horse from the get-go.
Increasing Difficulty: Tension and Duration
There are two primary ways to increase the difficulty of an Equiband workout: tension and duration. The first is by adjusting the tension on the resistance bands. The difference between 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% tension levels means different challenges and difficulty levels for your horse.
The second way to increase difficulty is by changing the duration of use. In my course, I discuss how to safely increase both the tension and the duration. Initially, you should start using the Equiband for just 10 minutes per session, as it's a very different workout for your horse. Gradually increase the duration as your horse gets accustomed to the workout.
It's crucial not to increase both the tension and duration simultaneously, as this can lead to muscle fatigue and cause your horse to resent the Equiband. If your horse resents the workout, they may resist, which can lead to improper muscle development. The goal is to have your horse lean into the workout and build the right muscles effectively.
The Benefits of the Equiband
Despite these words of caution, I don't want to scare you away from using the Equiband. The results can be phenomenal, as seen in my before-and-after videos. The Equiband can significantly improve your horse's muscle development and overall performance.
However, it's essential to know what you're dealing with. Think of it like giving someone alcohol for the first time—you need to warn them about what to expect. Similarly, understanding the Equiband's potential and how to use it correctly is crucial for your horse's safety and progress.
Conclusion: Unlock Your Horse’s Potential
In summary, the Equiband is a powerful tool that provides a unique type of workout for your horse.
Before you get started, remember:
- The Equiband is fundamentally different from your horse's regular endurance training.
- The 50% setting is the highest level of tension, and starting there can over-challenge your horse.
- Increase difficulty gradually by adjusting both tension and duration, but never both simultaneously.
If you keep these things in mind while building and scaling your program, you'll be setting your horse up for success. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on the video linked. I'm excited to share more insights and answer your questions in future videos.
By considering these three key points and approaching the Equiband with caution and knowledge, you can help your horse achieve incredible results while keeping them safe and happy. If you're interested in learning more, check out the EquiCourse Bootcamp, where I dive deeper into building a tailored program for your horse. Happy training!
Getting Started with the equiband?
You don't have to do this alone!
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Find Your Community
Real talk on horse training, riding improvement, and the equestrian life from a CCI3*** eventer who's figured out a few things the hard way.
Hi, I Am Alyssa Schaefer
Professional Amateur Three Day Eventer
Hey, I'm Alyssa! 🤠
Northern California based eventer, Equiband obsessive, and the person behind Hashtag Team Fuego. I have been competing and training horses for over 20 years, bringing approximately 15 horses along from their first show up to the CCI3*** level.
The short version of my story is that I bet everything on horses at 18 and never looked back. The longer version involves a lot of early mornings, a tendon injury that could have ended Fuego's career in 2020, and a comeback that took us to a 4th place CCI3*S finish and the Adult Amateur Reserve Champion title at Intermediate in 2022.
These days I spend my time competing, developing my young homebred prospects, and creating training resources that help everyday equestrians get more out of their horses. The Campfire Chat is where I share what I am learning in real time: the wins, the work, and everything in between.
Grab a drink and pull up a chair to the next campfire chat. 🔥
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Do You Use The Equiband?
Your horse never getting to use an Equiband would be like Harry Potter never getting to go to Hogwarts.
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