There is a general misconception about the role of the rider in the horse and rider team. In fact, a strong, healthy rider appears effortless because of her fitness. If you are under the impression that you are to do very little when riding a horse, and that it should feel easy, you couldn't be farther from the truth.
Olympic riders go through extensive physical and mental training to be where they are.
To become the best rider you can be, you must remember that you are an athlete that is working with an animal weighing over 1000 lbs. You need alot of mental and physical strength and endurance to be able to make it all look flawless. Your horse is being trained, and conditioned. As the other half of the team, you should be too. Read on about fitness, both mental and physical, in the sections located to the left.