Fitness

Fitness for Fun! Exercises for Young Horse Riders

Updated:

October 3, 2024

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Calling all young riders! It’s time for some Fit To Ride Fun! This article is for those of you who want to have fun, improve your riding, and ensure your horses are happy and comfortable.

Mounted Exercises to Improve a Horse Rider's Seat and Effectiveness

Updated:

August 21, 2024

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Rider fitness is fundamental to achieving a harmonious partnership with your horse and improving overall performance together. Regardless of the equestrian discipline, physical condition directly influences the rider’s ability to stay balanced in the saddle and communicate effectively with the horse.

Pilates for Equestrians

Updated:

May 16, 2024

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Enhancing Performance Through Core Strength and Balance - Equestrian sports require much more than just mastering the art of riding; they are physically demanding and engage a wide array of muscles throughout the body.

How to Master the Sitting Trot

Updated:

February 7, 2024

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Ah, sitting trot – the nemesis of so many riders of all ages, levels, and disciplines! In order to develop a balanced, independent seat that does not hinder the horse, but rather allows him to move with maximum ease and efficiency, the rider needs to have flexibility and suppleness through the legs, hips, and lumbar spine (lower back), stability in the pelvis, and strength in the core. These qualities allow the rider to maintain an upright posture that is firm and supple, not rigid, as riding is dynamic and requires a constant repetitive series of muscle contractions.

Ride with Balance, Flexibility & Strength

Updated:

January 16, 2024

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Have you ever witnessed the beauty of a wonderful freestyle, a reining pattern, or perhaps a show like Cavalia in which the rider and horse seem to be working together in such harmony that you can hardly tell where the rider ends and horse begins? For rider and horse to be “one” with each other is the desired state we strive for. What we seek is to seamlessly flow together in a beautiful stream of energy travelling together through space. If your desire is to achieve such a state, and to ride to the best of your ability, then please read on!

Pilates for Every Equestrian

Updated:

October 6, 2023

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Being fit to ride certainly has benefits for riders but there are also benefits for our horses. The horse-and-rider partnership is unique. We owe it to our horses to be as balanced and coordinated as possible to ensure their comfort and ability to do what we ask with ease. We are not all built the same and not everyone will assume the “ideal” riding posture and position. Still, we can all work towards better posture, balance, and coordination, resulting in clearer, more effective communication with our equine partners.

Exercises to Correct Common Riding Faults

Updated:

September 28, 2023

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Many people enjoy setting goals to help give focus and guidance to the year ahead. If we map out our desired goals appropriately, make them realistic and attainable, then initiate them with baby steps, there is a greater likelihood we will achieve success. When we write down our goals we are, in essence, making a commitment and a contract with ourselves.

How to Fall Off a Horse

Updated:

September 6, 2023

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In January 2003, Penny Woodworth, who lives on Vancouver Island, BC, was taking a jumping lesson. “Smallish jumps, nothing exciting. My long-time error is looking down, which I did that day. My horse stopped, and I tumbled off. Not a bad fall at all, except that I landed with one butt-cheek on the ground pole. I got up and carried on, but I was crooked and stayed that way. After a week or so, still riding crooked and feeling shooting pains down my right leg, I went for physiotherapy. I had dislocated my sacroiliac (SI) joint. Regular physio treatments and exercises finally got it to stay in place and I continued riding.

11 Exercises to Improve Your Riding Position

Updated:

April 4, 2023

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If you strive to attain a strong classical position when you ride, we’re here with exercises to help. Are you able to maintain that much sought-after ear-shoulder-hip-heel position when you ride? If so, congratulations! If not, just keep working on those exercises and be assured that over time they will help you establish better postural alignment.