Horse Riding Exercises to Improve Your Core Strength

Core strength isn’t just important for gym-goers—it’s essential for horseback riders too! Whether you’re a seasoned equestrian or just starting out, having a strong core is key to improving your riding performance, maintaining proper posture, and ensuring better control over your horse. A well-developed core helps you maintain balance, absorb the horse’s movements, and communicate more effectively with your horse.

But how do you build that all-important core strength without spending hours in the gym? In this guide, we’ll explore some horse riding-specific exercises designed to target your core muscles. These exercises are simple, effective, and, best of all, they’ll help you become a more stable, confident, and skilled rider!

Why is Core Strength Important for Horse Riding?

Your core muscles, which include the abdominals, obliques, lower back, and pelvic muscles, act as the foundation for nearly every movement you make while riding. A strong core provides stability and balance in the saddle, allowing you to:

Stay centered: Maintaining a balanced seat ensures you don’t lean too far forward or backward, which can destabilize your position.
Improve control: A strong core allows you to give more subtle, effective cues to your horse, especially with your seat and legs.
Absorb movement: Horses are in constant motion, and a strong core helps you absorb the horse’s movements, keeping you comfortable and in control.
Enhance posture: A strong core helps you maintain a more upright, aligned posture, reducing the risk of back pain or fatigue.

Let’s take a look at some of the most effective exercises you can do to strengthen your core and improve your riding performance.

Horse Riding-Specific Core Exercises

1. The Plank

One of the most effective exercises for strengthening your core is the plank. This exercise targets the abdominals, back, and shoulders—key muscle groups for any rider.

How to do it:
1. Start in a push-up position with your forearms resting on the ground and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Engage your core muscles, keeping your back flat and avoiding any sagging in your lower back.
3. Hold the position for 20–30 seconds, gradually increasing the duration as you get stronger.
Why it helps: The plank mimics the stability required to maintain a balanced seat. Holding your body in a plank position teaches your core to work together to maintain a stable position, just like in the saddle.

2. Leg Raises

Leg raises are excellent for targeting the lower abdominals and pelvic muscles, which are crucial for stabilizing your position on the horse.

How to do it:
1. Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.
2. Slowly raise both legs toward the ceiling, keeping them straight.
3. Lower your legs back down slowly, stopping just before they touch the ground.
4. Repeat for 10–15 repetitions.
Why it helps: This exercise strengthens the muscles that help maintain a steady lower body position in the saddle, which is essential for absorbing the horse’s movements and maintaining your balance.

3. Superman Exercise

The Superman exercise works the lower back muscles, which are an essential part of your core. Strengthening your lower back is crucial for maintaining a straight posture while riding and avoiding back pain.

How to do it:
1. Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended forward and your legs straight.
2. Lift both your arms and legs off the ground as high as you can, squeezing your glutes and lower back.
3. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then lower back down.
4. Repeat for 10–15 repetitions.
Why it helps: A strong lower back helps prevent slouching and aids in maintaining a more upright posture while riding, especially when sitting trot or cantering.

4. Dead Bug Exercise

The Dead Bug is a dynamic core exercise that works both your lower abs and the stabilizing muscles of your torso, making it especially effective for riders looking to build overall stability.

How to do it:
1. Lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor, keeping your back flat on the ground.
3. Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
4. Perform 10–15 repetitions on each side.
Why it helps: This exercise targets your core while requiring you to stabilize your body. It mirrors the need for coordination and balance in the saddle, helping you stay centered while riding.

5. Russian Twists

The Russian Twist targets the obliques, which are essential for controlling lateral movements in the saddle, such as shifting your weight and guiding your horse during turns.

How to do it:
1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
2. Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your sit bones.
3. Hold a medicine ball, dumbbell, or just clasp your hands together in front of you.
4. Twist your torso to the right, bringing the weight or hands toward the floor beside your hip, then twist to the left.
5. Continue twisting for 30–60 seconds, or for 20–30 reps on each side.
Why it helps: The Russian Twist strengthens the obliques, which are crucial for making subtle adjustments in your position when riding. Strong obliques help improve your ability to stay balanced during sharp turns, lateral movements, and when shifting weight in the saddle.

6. Bridge Exercise

The Bridge is a great way to strengthen both your core and glutes, helping to improve your stability and control in the saddle.

How to do it:
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Press your heels into the floor and lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes and core at the top.
3. Lower your hips back to the floor and repeat for 10–15 repetitions.
Why it helps: This exercise helps activate your glutes and lower back muscles, both of which are important for maintaining an upright position in the saddle and absorbing movement.

Additional Tips for Core Strength and Riding

Consistency is Key: Like any other fitness goal, core strength requires regular practice. Incorporate these exercises into your routine 2–3 times per week to see results.
Core Engagement While Riding: Try to engage your core muscles actively while riding. Focus on maintaining a strong, neutral spine and avoid collapsing or slouching.
Add Variability: Mix up the exercises to target different muscles in the core. The more varied the exercises, the more balanced and strong your core will become.

Conclusion

Building core strength is one of the best ways to improve your riding skills. With a stronger core, you’ll be able to maintain better posture, absorb your horse’s movement more efficiently, and stay balanced, no matter what type of riding you do. The exercises in this guide are simple, effective, and tailored to the specific needs of riders, helping you become a more confident and capable equestrian.

By regularly practicing these exercises and focusing on core engagement, you’ll not only improve your performance but also reduce the risk of injury and discomfort while riding. Stronger core muscles mean better rides, better control, and a more enjoyable experience for both you and your horse!