Building riding fitness for a long trail ride in Kyrgyzstan

[RealFlawless]

I'm a returning rider- rode seriously as a child/teen (had my own pony and competed nationally) but then had a complete break for 30 years. I'm now returning to riding with weekly lessons at a riding school.

I have a long-term dream to do a long trail ride in Kyrgyzstan eg https://www.equus-journeys.com/riding-holidays/kyrgyzstan/celestial-mountain-trail-47707.html but I'm aware that this is a lot more than I am used to- I have a reasonable level of general fitness (regular hiking and some weights) but I know that riding fitness is a bit different and I'm really aware of how much weaker my core is at 50 than when I was a teen.

Can anyone give any advice on how to build riding fitness when I can't spend unlimited time riding? I will speak to my instructor about building in some longer rides- I know the riding school offer two hour hacks as well as lessons and am sure that simply being in the saddle for longer periods will help. But what else would you suggest?

Guidance from the operator is "You need to be an experienced rider who is used to riding outdoors for long periods. Please note that you are riding in a very remote location across rugged, mountainous terrain...You need to be fit and in good physical condition. You will be riding at altitude - between 1,600 and 4000m - with some very rough terrain to cross and significant elevation changes throughout each day. There are some sections where you will need to dismount and lead your horse downhill...Previous experience of riding a trail of several days is a definite advantage but is not required. Riders who do not ride regularly are requested to get riding fit prior to the start of their holiday."

I'd also love to hear from anyone who has done a trip like this.

That looks like an incredible ride! I've done several riding holidays over the years including long days, what I would worry about slightly with that one is the altitude which can be a killer, plus mounting/scrambling for sections then remounting which when you get old and creaky/stiff can be rough going too.

Having said that, the holidays I've done have always ended up being slightly easier than the advertising/brochure represents them, I think they do tend to slightly err on the side of caution, for good reason as a lot of people do overestimate both their riding ability and general fitness which can be a real PITA on a point to point ride where there isn't really an option for one rider to have an easier day or skip a day's riding without it impacting the whole group.

In terms of how best to prepare, sorry to give an obvious answer but there's no substitute for saddle time really, with your lessons are you doing 30/45 mins private mainly? If so is there an option for an hour's group? And the two hour hacks sound great, practice riding over different terrain and ideally getting on and off again from the ground will all help. And then outside the saddle general c/v fitness is good, so walking/running/cycling/swimming/whatever you like, that will hopefully help the altitude issue, and pilates is the closest thing to riding in terms of exercising the same muscles so perhaps add that in to your routine if you can.

Plus I'd definitely also say trying a shorter/less intense riding holiday before booking this big one would be a good idea, both to benchmark how you're doing in terms of fitness in a lower stakes way, and also to test out things like what gear you need to be really comfortable on long rides, do your boots and hat genuinely fit well enough, are your waterproofs properly waterproof etc. I find the type of saddle massively important, a normal English style GP is no way comfortable enough for 8 hour plus days for me, even with a seat saver, you want a western or stock type saddle. There are various good UK options for a long weekend, or I'd really recommend Eastern Europe which often works out cheaper than a UK holiday even once you factor in costs of flights. Some lovely Hungarian and Romanian options in beautiful scenery and a similar sense of adventure albeit different climate to your dream ride?

Thanks so much for this really helpful post. The idea of trying a shorter trip is a really good one- and also means I get to do another trip!- thank you.

On saddles, the website says "Saddles are local and consist of a basic frame over which is thrown sheep or goat skins for comfort." So very different from a GP saddle and quite hard to know how to prepare best- when I'm nearer being able to book I might email the travel co for advice.

I’ve seen some videos of those treks - it looks absolutely amazing. The scenery looks stunning. The people doing the treks had riding experience but weren’t all super experienced trekkers, by the looks. You should certainly take up Maxelly’s excellent suggestion of another trip beforehand :)

Definitely go on a riding holiday beforehand. Something like Freerein in Wales would give you an idea of where your fitness is lacking.

See if you can find a fitness or Pilates instructor who also rides to give you some specific exercises.

And have a fabulous time!

Whenever I ride regularly after a break the chafing/sore bum is the worst. I’d worry about that more than the fitness. I’d try to up the frequency. Investment in seam free clothing - looks amazing 🤩

This ride looks amazing! I specialise in riding long distances over tough terrain and would recommend firstly getting in some very long rides at home - no idea where you would get this but you want to be comfortable riding for 5-6 hours easily. Your legs will be most achey, inner and outer thighs, if you are not used to such distances. You can’t substitute for hours in the saddle really, but you can supplement it with good weights workouts in the gym. I lift heavy weights, (because at the competitive level I ride at riding is not enough to keep me strong) concentrating on quads and glutes. A decently built bum can help a lot to keep you comfier in the saddle. As others have said, bum chafe is a real issue especially if the pace will not be that quick.i find hours of walking way worse than moving at speed on the bum. Take some anti-chafe balm.

Personally I would not be preparing for a holiday by booking another holiday, this sort of fitness and strength is built up over the long term not in a couple of days of intense activity. But otoh, I’m never one to pass up on a riding holiday either. However you don’t need a separate trip to check if your hat and boots are comfortable - if you are riding regularly at all, even for only 45 mins at a time, if your hat doesn’t fit it will squeeze your head like a vice well within that 45 min ride!

All your clothing and kit can be tested on foot if you feel the need to do this - I tested out my outer clothing for waterproofness and packability, and camping gear for comfort and practicality for a particular adventure I’m preparing for on a hiking weekend in the Forest of Dean last year.

Just to take exception to @maxelly’s statement that an English saddle cannot be ridden on for 8 hours - they can, and I do. But often I find a rental horse saddle is horrendously uncomfortable regardless of the style. It’s important on arrival to make sure it’s as comfy as you can get it. I rode in Patagonia earlier this year on a saddle with no shape and no padding. It just had a layer of sheepskin on it. I had to beg an extra layer of sheepskin, which they were happy to provide but I asked them before we disappeared into the wilderness so they were able to find extra bits from their stores.