Training Like a Thoroughbred
What Soccer Players Can Learn from Elite Racehorses

Soccer players are, without a doubt, one of the most athletic people in sports, right? After all, they are running for 90 minutes non-stop and sometimes even more. The endurance and stamina it take to become a professional soccer player are mind-bending.

These athletes are pushing the limits of what humans can do, which kind of reminds us of racehorses. Athletes run for around 10 km, and there is constant action on the field. We are talking about a sport where speed, agility, and stamina are really important, which is why it makes sense to compare them with racehorses.

On the other hand, horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world that has been around for thousands of years. Throughout these years, the sport introduced some practices that will help trainers squeeze every bit of performance from horses while maintaining the safe limits.

So, I think that soccer players can learn a lot from racehorses. Let’s dig deeper and find out what.

What Makes Elite Racehorses Champion Worthy?

The first question is, what makes horses special? How are some horses capable of storming down the field, setting record-breaking times, while others are more of trotters? Well, some horses are bred for speed and stamina, and this has been happening over centuries, which means that speed and endurance are in their DNA.

If you look at all the Belmont Stakes past winners, you can spot that each of the horses are bred only for racing.

They weigh about 1,000 pounds and can hit speeds up to 40 mph. They train for a couple of hours every day, and their peak performance comes between the ages of 3 and 5. Training racehorses is all about science and includes high-intensity sprints, endurance work, and, of course, recovery just to avoid injuries like shin soreness.

Trainers use tech to keep track of their vitals and fine-tune their workouts.

Soccer players, on the other hand, have a similar routine. However, there is one big difference. Horse races last for about 2 minutes, so they are trained more for a burst of performance and acceleration, whereas soccer matches last 90 minutes, so players need to balance their energy more efficiently.

As we mentioned before, they average from 10-12 km per game, with 5% of that at high intensity, which is around 20-25 km/h.

Just like racehorses, soccer players train every day, and we can break down the success behind a soccer player in four key areas - speed, endurance, recovery, and skill.

Speed

Speed is obviously very important in both sports, but what can soccer players learn from horses? Well, thoroughbreds build speed through interval training, which mixes short, near-max sprints (75% of max speed) with recovery periods.

Trainers gradually increase the distance or speed every 7-10 days, which boosts anaerobic capacity without overtraining them.

Soccer players can use this strategy. So, instead of endless 100-meter dashes, they can try racehorse-style intervals, where they do a 30-second sprint at 80% max speed, followed by 60-second jogs for 6-8 reps.

Liverpool’s training under Jürgen Klopp used similar high-intensity intervals, helping players like Mohamed Salah sustain late-game surges.

Endurance

The next phase that is also important is endurance. Even though races are short, 1.5 miles, it is very hard for horses to run at full speed for that long. On the other hand, soccer matches last 90+ minutes, so endurance is crucial to making sure that athletes conserve their energy throughout the game.

Did you know that horses actually start their training with slow-speed, long-distance work? But why? Don’t they only run for 1.5 miles? Well, yes, but this builds up endurance, boosts aerobic capacity, and increases oxygen uptake and heart strength.

Soccer players can borrow the same approach. So, in early pre-season, they can do long runs 5-15 km at 50-60% of max heart rate. This should be done 4-5 times weekly, and the speed should increase after the first week.

This is nothing new in the world of soccer. After all, legendary coaches like Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola use something called “steady-state” runs to prep players just to make sure that they are ready for high-tempo games.

Such trainings have a low risk of injury and builds endurance, which is very important in games.

Recovery

Training is useless without recovery. Okay, maybe not useless, but it increases the risk of burnout or injury, which is a huge problem in both sports. That’s why in horse racing; trainers keep horses on a strict recovery schedule.

Horses get daily massages, tailored diets, and rest days where they can do whatever they like.

Soccer players, on the other hand, also need recovery. That’s why some players choose to go in ice baths after matches (10-15 minutes at 10°C), which reduces muscle soreness. They also go under strict massage routines, making sure their muscles are not tensed up all the time.

Lastly, racehorses focus on strategies. They do test runs to see patterns that will help the horse run faster, and the same goes for soccer players. Strategies and skill improvement is crucial for staying on top of the league.