Riding is one of the best forms of full body aerobic activity. When in the saddle, the rider’s core is essentially working the entire time. Muscles are constantly firing to keep core stability, core balance, and core support on the horse. I am not aware of one equivalent activity that has the same full body benefits as riding.

By Bridget Braden-Olson

Something I never see at barns is a rider warming up before they get in the saddle. I get it – horse life is busy and very energy-consuming – but the body works better if it is properly warmed up.

Unless your schedule allows time for a full workout, rarely will you get more than ten minutes for a warm-up. I ride in the morning hours and there is seldom time for a long warm-up.

Pelvic stability is a problem for many riders, and typically gets worse over time rather than better. It can be fixed by riding with even seat bones which increases pelvic strength, but various factors can contribute to uneven seat bones or an unbalanced pelvis.

Just like training a horse, taking your time to build the basics will make you stronger and fitter in the long run. We all know a strong foundation is the key to any horse’s training, and we’ve all been tempted to move a young horse up a few levels quicker than normal rather than taking the extra time to teach him all the basics, especially if he is talented and seems naturally ready to do upper level movements or jump bigger jumps.