Fit for Your Horse

     We often consider the fitness level of our horses, but neglect the fitness level of the riders. This may be a big mistake, as the fitness of the rider has a big impact on the performance of the horse. Horseback riding is a team sport, the team being the horse and the rider. In every team sport, the success of the team depends upon the fitness of all the individual team members. An unfit team member can hold the whole team back. You might now be thinking that you are not really interested in ‘performance.’ You just want to enjoy your horse on the trail. But just as keeping your horse in good condition will increase his longevity so will keeping yourself in good condition. An unbalanced and unfit rider places more strain on the horse. Therefore, you may be able to prolong the years that you and your horse enjoy the trails together by looking after your own fitness. This article provides some basic information and exercises for rider fitness, which may help riders and horses work

in harmony for many years.

Core Strength 

     Core strength is necessary to remain in the saddle during movements of the horse, especially during gaits that have a moment of suspension, such as trot and canter. There are many exercises that help strengthen the important muscles of the core, namely the external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique, and rectus abdominus muscles. Common exercises include planks, sit-ups, and crunches. More advanced exercises may be done on an exercise ball, which also improves balance.

Plank

With weight resting on forearms and toes, keep the spine straight all the way 

from the top of your head to your tailbone. Aim to do three sets holding for 60 seconds each. If this is too difficult, you may modify the exercise to leave your knees on the mat.

Sit-up

Start with feet resting on mat comfortably apart and about a 45 degree angle at the knee with upper body resting on the mat. Slowly raise upper body off the mat towards your knees until trunk is in full flexion. Avoid pulling on your head and neck. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Aim to do 3 sets of 25, but it is more important to do them slowly and correctly than to do more repetitions.

Freedom at the Hip

     Another requirement to moving with the horse is a full range of motion, also termed flexibility or freedom, at the hip. Stiffness at the hip joint will result in more vertical bounce of the rider, placing more stress on the back of the horse. This will have negative effects on the performance and health of the horse. A bouncing rider is also more likely to fall. In order to move with the horse, the rider must have mobility and strength in the hip. There are many exercises to keep the muscles at the hip flexible and strong. There are a few examples below. Try doing these exercises before and after you ride.

Kneeling hip flexor/ITB stretch

With one knee on the mat, and the foot of the other leg flat on the ground in front of you, lunge forward until you feel a stretch through your hip and at the front of your thigh. Keep your core and glutes tight with pelvis tilted forward. Hold the stretch 

for 30 - 60 seconds on each leg. 

Half-split Hamstring Stretch

Start on hands and knees. Bring one leg forward. Move weight back and then 

lean forward with hands on the ground or resting on blocks or books until a stretch is 

felt at the back of your thighs. Hold the stretch for 30 - 60 seconds on each leg.

Frog Pose

Begin on hands and knees. Spread knees apart. Flex feet with the big toe side of the foot resting on the mat. Move forearms onto the ground. Pull pelvis back towards heels. Hold for 30 - 60 seconds. This is not a good exercise if you have knee pain.

 Hip Rotation Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Slowly lower one knee towards 

the ground. When the stretch is felt, hold for 30 - 60 seconds before bringing your 

knees back together. Repeat with the other leg.

Exercises on Horseback

     In addition, there are some exercises that can be done in the saddle to both improve core strength and increase flexibility at the hip. These exercises are usually performed without stirrups. This requires the rider to engage their core more in order to stay balanced in the saddle, and allows the rider to move their legs freely through the exercises opening up their hips. When teaching exercises without stirrups, I often also put the horse on a lunge line. I find it is helpful for both the horse and the rider, if the rider does not have the reins to impulsively use for balance. This is especially important for riders with more balance issues.

Leg Lifts on Horseback 

Holding your leg away from the horse, slowly raise your knee up towards your core and then back down to a relaxed position. Focus on doing the exercise slow and controlled rather than focusing on how high you can lift your leg. You should tighten your core as you are raising your leg. Alternate between legs. Once you get the hang of the exercise standing still, you may perform the exercise at walk, trot, and canter.

The Frog on Horseback

Pull your knees and thighs away from the horse to open up your hips. Again, focus on controlling the exercise and advance to performing the exercise in walk, trot, and canter.

The Bicycle Forward and Backward on Horseback

Move your legs in a circular motion as if you were pedaling a bicycle. You may “pedal” both forwards and backwards. The axis of rotation should be at the hip rather than the knee. Remember to tighten the core and progress to performing at walk, trot, and canter.

     Of course, there are many more muscles involved in horseback riding, and there are also more physical skills to train and develop. However, core strength and flexibility at the hip are a good place to start. I hope these exercises will help you be more fit for your horse. Remember, not every exercise is good for every person, so pick out the exercises that are best for you. Avoid any exercises that cause pain.

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