Exercises for Improving Rider Strength in the Saddle

By Meg Finn, USPC Instruction Department

Regardless of your riding or competition goals, time in the saddle is always time well spent. If you’re looking to improve your balance and strength, try adding these simple exercises into your routine. They make great alternatives to no-stirrup November, which will be here before we know it.

Here are six great exercises for improving rider strength.

No Stirrup, Light Stirrup, One Stirrup!

“Drop your stirrups” is a phrase feared by many. Riding without your stirrups is a great skill, but it can be a daunting task to include it in your everyday riding routine. When introducing no-stirrup work, first start at the walk. Practice dropping one stirrup at a time and getting your foot back in the stirrup without the use of your hands or eyes. When your foot is out of the stirrup, move your foot in a circular motion—flexible ankles are key.

Not too keen on the idea of trotting without stirrups? Ride with a light stirrup! Think about how much weight is in your stirrup, now decrease it. Make your foot hover above, even if for just a step or two. Losing a stirrup can happen during a ride, but have you ever dropped just one stirrup on purpose? Practice dropping the inside and outside stirrups separately. Is one side easier than the other? You will often feel more unbalanced when lacking an outside stirrup when on a circle or in a turn.

2-Point Position

How strong is your 2-point position? The 2-point can be used at all gaits. When you first mount your horse, put both feet in the stirrups before sitting gently down on your horse’s back. Begin and end your ride with a lap (or two!) of walk while in your 2-point. Once you’ve mastered your 2-point, drop and pick up your stirrups, one at a time, while in this position. Ride in a 2-point position along one side of the arena, or alternate a lap of posting with a lap of 2-point. Try 2-pointing while on a hack. Looking to incorporate 2-point into your canter? Try 2-point for 10 strides, sit for 10, 2-point for nine, sit for nine, 2-point for eight, sit for eight…keep going until you hit one. This is a great stamina exercise for horse and rider!

Touchdowns

Stand in your 2-point and fold your upper body down towards your horse’s neck in an exaggerated jumping position, opening and closing your hip angle while maintaining a flat back and strong core. I call these “touchdowns.” To add difficulty, put both reins in one hand, with the opposite arm straight out to the side. Now do your touch down. Raise your arm straight up, or out in front of you, paying attention to how your arm position affects your balance. If you know the different types of crest releases, this is the perfect time to add those in as well. Practicing these different arm movements while in motion will improve your coordination.

Rhythm

Posting the trot comes very naturally if you’ve spent enough time in the saddle. When you change that seemingly easy, natural rhythm, it becomes a bit more difficult. Changing your trot diagonal is typically done by sitting for two beats, or an extra step. This up-down-down causes us to swap from following one set of diagonal legs to another. But what happens when you change your diagonal constantly? Try this rhythm instead… Up, down, down, up, down, down, up down, down. Or rather, stand, sit, sit, stand, sit, sit, stand, sit, sit. Do this along one side of the arena, and then for a whole lap.

Is it too easy? Change your diagonal by standing an extra beat instead of sitting. Making your posting rhythm up, up, down. Up, up, down. Up, up, down…and so forth. Alternatively, you can mix and match any combination of these. Stand for two, sit for two. Stand one, sit for four. It’s also a great way to work on your sitting trot!

Change Your Stirrup Length

Do you have a different stirrup length for flat work and jumping? Try shortening your stirrups an extra hole or two for a session or two. Jockeys are amongst the fittest athletes in the world. While racing your horse might not be the safest idea, you don’t need to go fast to pretend you’re running the Kentucky Derby. Put those stirrups up and feel how much harder your legs have to work. No matter what type of saddle or style of riding, changing up your stirrup length will give you a different feel.

Ditch the Saddle

When you’ve run through all the exercises and are looking for something different to do, leave your saddle in the tack room. A bareback hack can be the perfect way to end a rigorous week of work. Confident in your bareback skills? Run through a dressage test or school over a small course or grid. We often forget how much we use our stirrups for balance.

The best tip to becoming a stronger rider is to mix it up. Try new exercises or different styles of riding. The best horse person is an all-around horse person!