How to cope when the menopause affects your riding life

The annual World Menopause Day (18 October) was founded to raise awareness of menopause and improve the experience of women across the globe. Although perimenopause and menopause remains one of the least discussed topics in women’s sport, it presents unique challenges for riders at every level.

Former advanced event rider and veterinary physiotherapist Antonia Bealby used to think nothing of squaring up to gaping ditches or schooling flighty racehorses. But that suddenly changed five years ago. Menopause is common to nearly all women of a certain age, but the impact of menopause on horse riders is specific to the unique demands of the sport.

“It came like a bolt out of the blue. I started getting horrific anxiety and palpitations,” reveals Antonia, who was 45 at the time. “I’d always been a reasonably laid-back person, but I was shaking and sweating. My core felt like it had deserted me and I didn’t feel safe or confident on a horse any more.”

Antonia’s symptoms had all the hallmarks of perimenopause, although at the time she didn’t realise it.

“Once I had a diagnosis and I knew what I was dealing with I could start doing something about it,” she says.

A combination of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and some simple lifestyle changes gave Antonia back her mojo. Now, aged 50, she says she is feeling as “strong and confident as ever”.

Menopause, which signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years, and perimenopause, a phase that can last for 10 years before the menopause itself, with similar debilitating symptoms – is rarely talked about as often as it should be, especially in sporting circles. Initiatives such as British Equestrian’s female health campaign are seeking to address this, but there is still a way to go.

The fact that in equestrianism, more so than in almost every other sport, athletes are still competing at an elite level well into their 40s, 50s and even 60s means there is a substantial window of time where athletic performance has the potential to be significantly affected by perimenopause and menopause.

So, what are the main symptoms that affect riders? And, more importantly, what can we do about them?

Understanding menopause in horse riders

Knowledge is power, according to female health and fitness specialist Dr Jenni Douglas, who is a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Hartpury University and runs her own online coaching programme, Empowered.

“Once you understand how your body is changing, there is plenty you can do to optimise your performance,” she says. “If you go into the menopause with a scientific understanding of what is going to happen, you can then do your best to offset these changes for as long as possible.”

Perimenopause can begin as early as your late 30s or early 40s and is characterised by fluctuating hormone levels and irregular menstrual cycles. During this time, the main sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, start to go haywire before they eventually fall right away.

“HRT, which replaces dwindling hormones, has its place and can be incredibly effective at relieving symptoms and protecting bone and muscle health, but it doesn’t suit everyone and nor should it be thought of in isolation,” says Jenni, who highlights the importance of exercise and diet as key management tools.

“Muscles, joints and ligaments are particularly affected by hormones and when our oestrogen levels start to deplete, this has a big impact on bone density and muscle mass,” she explains.

With reduced bone strength comes a greater risk of breaks and fractures.

“This is especially important in relation to riding and the effect of trauma,” says Jenni. “You are at much greater risk of breaking a bone if you fall off in your 50s than in your 20s, and you’re not going to bounce back as quickly.”

Exercises for horse riders to help offset the challenges of menopause

Although living a horsey lifestyle has many health benefits, riding itself is a relatively non-weight bearing sport.

“You don’t get the same bone adaptations as you would if you were doing land-based exercise like running or lifting weights,” explains Jenni. “This is where strength training comes in.”

“People think it’s going to be hard and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Strength training can include anything that involves pushing, pulling, twisting or turning against resistance, such as gravity or weights.

“To enhance muscle mass you need to increase the load gradually – whether this is through more reps or adding weight – and this is where riders can really benefit from a structured training plan.”

Jenni adds that going to the gym is not essential – and there are plenty of exercises you can do even out of the saddle to build strength.

“There are lots of little workouts that you can incorporate into your day-to-day routine,” she says. “You could do 10 to 15 squats while you’re filling water buckets, or 10-12 inclined press-ups on your tack room counter while you’re waiting for your kettle to boil, for example.”

Oestrogen also has a protective effect on the heart, so when levels fall it can affect our long-term cardio health.

“Sometimes, riding alone isn’t enough to protect heart health during menopause,” says Jenni, who recommends incorporating 10–15 minutes of brisk walking, short bursts of skipping or running uphill into your routine.

“Start by doing this a few times a week and gradually build up so that you are doing around 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, alongside strength training.”

The right diet for menopause

Like bone and muscle health, fat distribution affects men and women differently, and changes as we age.

British Equestrian’s human physio and athlete health lead Ash Wallace, who works with numerous elite female riders across the disciplines, says: “Riders sometimes complain that they are eating the same things as they have always done, yet they are putting on weight. This is because the body is no longer able to process carbohydrates as effectively and so it stores them as fat.”

The best way to manage this is through making simple diet changes.

“Aim to get your carbs through vegetables and try to cut down on pasta and starchy foods,” advises Ash. “And if you’re someone who eats a lot of fruit try to stick to berries, and avoid fruit that is high in fructose, like bananas and mangoes.”

Calorie reduction should not be the aim – if you’re not eating well but still working as hard, then you’re not giving yourself a chance to recover properly. Instead, focus on eating well, incorporating a variety of foods, including those that support bone and heart health, like high-quality protein, plenty of fruit and veg, omega-3s, plus plenty of calcium.

“It can also be a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement for bone health, especially in the winter when there isn’t much sun,” says Ash.

“Although I’m not big on taking supplements, increasing your magnesium intake can help with sleep, as can drinking a shot of tart cherry juice – which is high in sleep-inducing melatonin – just before bed.”

Painful joints, arthritis and old injuries often flare up in menopause, as oestrogen protects joints and decreases inflammation.

Ash explains that intolerances can change with time and affect the body’s inflammatory processes.

“A lot of people find their bodies can’t tolerate highly processed foods or alcohol as well as they used to,” she says. “We become a little bit more sensitised to things that cause inflammation, which can then affect all sorts of body processes.”

Cognitive changes, from confidence to brain fog

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Tracy-Louise Appleyard, who is also a keen rider, says that cognitive changes, including anxiety and a loss of confidence, are very common.

“They can manifest in different ways – some people might lose their nerve in the saddle, while others suddenly decide they don’t want to drive their lorries anymore,” she says.

“Recognising that the cause could be hormone changes, as opposed to a mental health issue or ‘just old age’, is crucial so that women can get the right support and treatment.”

Tracy-Louise’s observations as a clinician are backed up by the results of a study carried out by British Equestrian level four coach, University of Gloucestershire student and saddle fitter Steph Bradley, who looked at the effect of perimenopause and menopause on riders.

Around 75% of the 1,600 female riders who took part in the study said their enjoyment of the sport had been affected by anxiety and confidence issues.

“It’s not only riders who need to understand that their hormones might be behind their symptoms, but coaches need to recognise this, too,” says Steph. “They need to be prepared to say: ‘It’s OK that you’re not up for this today, let’s focus on something else.’

Brain fog can be a particularly frustrating problem in menopause for competitive riders.

“Forgetting your dressage test is annoying, but sudden mental blocks can also have serious repercussions,” points out Steph. “At top-level eventing, for example, you need to be mentally on your game. It’s important that riders recognise when to seek help.”

Action plan

While subjects like forgetfulness and weight gain can make for relatively easy lorry park banter, other menopause-related symptoms are less openly discussed.

“Pelvic and genital discomfort is something that women don’t like to talk about, but it’s a very common problem among female riders – as it is for cyclists,” says Tracy-Louise.

“Problems like dryness and irritation in the genital area can make sitting down anywhere exceptionally uncomfortable, let alone in a saddle.

“There has been a lot of discussion on the subject in women’s cycling, but while cyclists can get some relief by wearing padded clothing, this is not an obvious option for riders.”

There are some padded underwear options for equestrians, but many riders don’t know they exist.

For some, medical intervention may be the best course of action.

“Discomfort can be greatly improved with the application of topical vaginal oestrogen, which is absorbed locally,” says Tracy-Louise.

Paying attention to clothing can make a big difference to temperature regulation and comfort, especially where hot flushes are concerned.

“Hot flushes and horses don’t mix well, especially when you’re weighed down with all the protective gear,” points out Tracy-Louise. “I always advise people to wear layers which they can take off, and to choose modern, breathable fabrics.”

When it comes to offsetting the effects of perimenopause and menopause, small changes can make a big difference.

“It is important to remember that menopause is not a disease, but a natural stage of life,” concludes Dr Jenni Douglas. “And while it comes with its challenges you have the power to influence it.”

Case study: “We’ve got each other’s backs”

When company director and former three-star eventer Emily Brodrick-Stewart found herself hurtling towards a surgery-induced early menopause at the age of 37 she admits that she was “floored” by the symptoms, which “just kept coming”.

“I was exhausted all the time and I really struggled to keep on top of work and competing,” recalls the now 48-year-old, who made the decision to switch from eventing to showjumping.

“I liked the challenge of trying something new, plus I found only having to concentrate on one discipline easier to fit around work.

“I also used to be a real gym bunny and go really hard on cardio workouts, but my body started telling me that I needed to do things a bit differently. Now my workouts are gentler and focus on strength and flexibility.”

While Emily acknowledges the contribution that exercise, diet and hormone therapy have made to restoring her riding mojo, she says that having the support of friends going through the same thing has been “the biggest game-changer”.

“There are three of us who go jumping and we call ourselves the ‘Dorset girls’ because we met at a clinic in the West Country,” she says. “We remind each other to send in our show entries, pack our breeches and take our vitamin D.

“We have a WhatsApp group where we plan our training and stay-away shows, and we help each other once we get there,” she says. “To know I’m not the only one struggling to remember the course or how many strides there are in a combination is really reassuring. We’re all going through the same thing, and we’ve got each other’s backs.”

If you would like more support, here’s where you can find more menopause advice for horse riders.

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