Equine Rider Fitness

Horse Riding Exercises

Thursday 16 September 2010

Horse riding depends on the health and fitness of the both the horse and the horse rider. For this reason, it is vital that you keep in a fit state. Horses will find it much easier to carry a rider who is physically fit, rather than someone who is wobbly and unstable whilst riding. In fact, if you’re out of shape, you could harm the horse quite a bit.

As a horse rider, you should be well balanced. This is something that can easily be affected through no fault of your own. Just by sitting at a desk throughout the day, you could end up with bad posture and an imbalanced riding position as a result. In addition, you could favour one side more than the other. This is perfectly normal, but can lead to an uneven distribution of weight in the stirrups.

For this reason, it is vital for any horse rider to be seen by an osteopath specialising in sports injuries. This will help you to get your body into good alignment.

Once you have achieved this, one of the best exercises for horse riders to maintain it is Pilates. This strengthens core muscles and will improve your stability and balance. Other exercises for horse riders include:

• Yoga, which is great for flexibility

• The Alexander technique

• Brisk walking

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Skipping

• Hula-hooping

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