HORSE riding is a form of exercise and it demands varied levels of fitness depending on the discipline whether it be hacking, dressage, show jumping, cross country or racing.

It is irrelevant if you ride competitively or for pleasure, riding still requires a good level of core strength and co-ordination skills to move with the horse and stay balanced.

In this article, I am going to cover warm-up exercises that can be used before exercising and this includes before getting in the saddle.

Why should we warm-up before we mount? Warming up helps prevent injury by loosening your joints and getting the blood flow moving around your body. It will help prepare your muscles for your planned riding session. A good warm-up will allow you to ride more efficiently engaging your core and co-ordination. Warming up properly will also help improve energy levels.

How do I engage the correct muscles before getting into the saddle? I would recommend dynamic stretches which is a series of exercises that will mimic the planned session, covering the muscle groups that are used for horseback riding. These exercises will engage your core and help you ride in the centre of gravity.

How will it benefit our horse? Warming up your body will take unnecessary pressure off your horse that he may endure from a rider who is not warmed up correctly. If you are stiff or tight in certain areas, this may reflect on the effectiveness of your communication with your horse.

Below are exercises that cover upper and lower body muscle groups that we use whilst in the saddle:

  • Squat to overhead reach: five to 10 reps, keep heels flat, push the hips back, avoid rounding the back, keep chest up, look straight ahead and use a smooth and controlled tempo to rise upwards, pointing fingers to the sky.
  • Lunge with twist: five to 10 reps on each side, keep front shin vertical and knees behind toes, lower rear knee within an inch of the ground. Keep torso upright and rotate body towards the leading leg.
  • Dynamic chest stretch: five to 10 reps, arms parallel to the floor, arms straight and reach as far forward as possible, return the arms simultaneously lightly clapping, keeping a neutral spine.
  • Posterior step with overhead reach: five to 10 reps alternating sides, stand tall, step backwards while reaching overhead, stretch the body up and back.

    • To view these exercises you can visit: https://youtu.be/9-lGW8gtIgQ.

    Biography

    Lisa Talbot is a HSI and fitness coach. She comes from a multi-discipline background of dressage, hunting and competition at Grand Prix-level show jumping.

    Lisa developed a passion for fitness and well-being from a young age and she has a keen interest in understanding the importance of looking after our health and how our bodies move while in the saddle.

    Her goal at LT Equi-fitness is to share her knowledge to create happy athletes, including health, well-being and fitness, to aid you with the tools to meet your goals and become a more effective horse rider.