On horse strengthening exercises

[Mary3050]

Hi guys,

Does anyone have any on horse strengthening exercises for the rider . I have one doing lots of walk with one of mine and thought I could use the time to do some strengthening exercise.

Thanks in advance

 

[TheOldTrout]

Do you mean exercises that a rider does while riding, which strengthen the rider?

 

[sbloom]

Check out the Rider Reboot group on FB, best to do things that your particular body needs rather than generic exercises that others find useful. Even if you don't have a 1 to 1 with them (which I recommend to all my customers) you can work through their online stuff, lots of free FB lives, and find out what your body might need.

 

[Mary3050]

Do you mean exercises that a rider does while riding, which strengthen the rider?

Yes that’s exactly what I am looking for strengthen or flexibility

 

[sbloom]

You're nearly always better off with an off horse programme first, add in ridden biomechanics later, but that isn't strengthening or flexibility. Strengthening yourself on the back of the horse will always affect the horse and those affects are likely be less than positive, you should only be working on corrections to your biomechanics etc. Improve these things off the horse then you come to the horse better able to help them, I know you don't mean it like this but it's kind of like expecting them to carry you while you do a workout.

 

[Leandy]

Ride without stirrups. Focus on the correctness and balance of your position and use of the aids on each rein. Do you have mirrors to help you? You will need to be actually working the horse on a contact and correctly through transitions and lots of school figures, lateral work etc for it to have much effect on your core strength though I would think. If the horse is only walking because it is not up to that type of work then I can't really see you can do huge amounts to progress the rider until you can up the pace.