Two off-horse workouts for strength, balance and symmetry

These two off-horse workouts target trunk control, hip and leg strength, balance, and the ability to move an arm or leg without losing posture. You need a wall, a backpack and a sturdy chair that will not slide or tip.

The connection to riding is practical, but not automatic. A controlled side plank can build the capacity to resist lateral collapse; it cannot teach the timing of a canter aid. Practise changes to your mounted position with a qualified riding instructor before testing them on a horse.

Rider-specific exercise research remains limited. A 2026 narrative review included 17 studies but found only two dedicated experimental interventions. It associated pelvic orientation, dynamic trunk control and symmetrical weight distribution with rider–horse mechanics, while noting that much of the evidence came from small or observational studies (Frontiers in Sports and Active Living review). In a separate 60-day pilot study, the two riders who completed additional conditioning showed more regular left–right pressure measurements, but such a small intervention cannot establish that one routine works for every rider (pilot study).

How to schedule the workouts

Alternate the sessions twice a week, leaving at least one day between them:

• Tuesday: Workout A
• Friday: Workout B
• Optional third session: Repeat the workout you performed first that week, provided you have recovered

Two sets of each exercise, including the warm-up, should take about 25 minutes. A third set will take longer. For the first two weeks, use one set if you are new to resistance training or two if the movements already feel familiar.

This schedule is consistent with guidance for healthy adults to train the major muscle groups at least twice a week. Home routines, bodyweight movements and resistance bands can all be effective; regular participation matters more than a complicated plan (ACSM resistance-training guidance).

Rest for 30–60 seconds between sets. Finish while you could still perform about two controlled repetitions rather than grinding to failure.

Three-minute warm-up

Complete 30 seconds of each movement, then repeat:

1. Brisk marching with relaxed arms
2. Bodyweight hip hinges
3. Shallow squats to a chair

The British Horse Society advises riders starting a fitness routine to build up gradually and identifies cardiovascular fitness, core strength, flexibility and balance as useful areas to train (BHS rider-fitness guidance).

Workout A: Resist collapse while the limbs move

1. Dead bug — 6–10 repetitions per side

Setup: Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees. Reach both arms toward the ceiling.

Action: Exhale and slowly lower one heel toward the floor while taking the opposite arm overhead. Return, then change sides.

Checkpoint: Your ribs should not flare and your lower back should not lift farther from the floor as your limbs move. Shorten the reach if either happens.

Riding link: Targets trunk control while the limbs move, a capacity relevant to maintaining posture while using the hands and legs independently.

2. Supported split squat — 6–10 repetitions per side

Setup: Place a sturdy chair against a wall and stand beside it in a staggered stance. Keep both feet pointing mostly forward and use the chair only as much as necessary.

Action: Lower straight down by bending both knees, then press through the front foot to stand.

Checkpoint: Keep the front knee tracking in the same direction as the toes. Your pelvis should remain level rather than dropping or twisting.

Riding link: Builds single-leg strength relevant to mounting, rising trot and supporting your weight through both stirrups.

3. One-arm supported backpack row — 8–12 repetitions per side

Setup: Put a light load in a closed backpack. Brace a sturdy chair against a wall, support one hand on it, soften your knees and hinge forward with a long spine.

Action: Pull the bag toward your lower ribs, pause, then lower it without rotating your torso.

Checkpoint: Keep the working shoulder away from the ear and do not open your trunk toward that side.

Riding link: Develops upper-back and trunk endurance while the arm moves, capacities relevant to supporting the arms without fixing or lifting the shoulders.

4. Side plank — 15–30 seconds per side

Setup: Lie on one side with your elbow beneath your shoulder. Begin with your knees bent; use straight legs only when the bent-knee version is steady.

Action: Lift your hips until the shoulder, hip and knee—or ankle—form one line. Breathe normally.

Checkpoint: Do not roll the upper shoulder backward or let the waist sag.

Riding link: Trains the trunk to resist side-to-side collapse through the waist.

5. Calf raise with a slow lowering phase — 10–15 repetitions

Setup: Stand behind the braced chair with your feet parallel.

Action: Rise onto the balls of both feet, pause, then lower for a count of three.

Checkpoint: Maintain pressure through both the big-toe and little-toe sides of each forefoot rather than rolling the ankles outward.

Riding link: Builds lower-leg endurance for maintaining a stable base without deliberately forcing the heels down.

Workout B: Control the pelvis and compare sides

1. Chair squat — 8–12 repetitions

Setup: Stand just in front of a sturdy chair, with your feet at a comfortable width.

Action: Send your hips back and bend your knees until you lightly touch the chair, then stand. Hold a closed backpack at your chest when bodyweight becomes easy.

Checkpoint: Keep both feet planted and avoid shifting your hips toward one side.

Riding link: Builds hip and thigh strength relevant to rising trot, a light seat and mounting.

2. Supported single-leg deadlift — 6–10 repetitions per side

Setup: Stand beside the braced chair on one leg, with that knee slightly bent.

Action: Reach the free leg behind you while hinging at the standing hip. Return by pressing the floor away and bringing your pelvis upright.

Checkpoint: Keep your belt line approximately level. Reduce the range if your pelvis opens to the side.

Riding link: Provides a controlled way to compare left and right hip control and balance. For further options, use these single-leg exercise progressions.

3. Glute bridge march — 6–10 lifts per side

Setup: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift into a bridge.

Action: Without shifting your pelvis, lift one foot only a few centimetres, replace it and change sides.

Checkpoint: Imagine headlights on the front of your pelvis; both should continue pointing at the ceiling. If your hips drop or twist, use a standard two-leg bridge.

Riding link: Trains pelvic control while each leg works separately.

4. Incline push-up — 8–12 repetitions

Setup: Place your hands on a wall or a countertop that cannot move. Walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line.

Action: Bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the surface, then press away.

Checkpoint: Move your trunk as one unit. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and avoid dropping your hips.

Riding link: Builds shoulder-girdle and trunk capacity relevant to supporting the arms without relying on the reins for balance.

5. Single-leg balance with reach — 20–30 seconds per side

Setup: Stand within fingertip distance of a wall. Lift one foot just clear of the floor.

Action: Reach one hand forward and then to each side while keeping the standing knee soft.

Checkpoint: Keep your pelvis level and make the reach smaller if the standing foot repeatedly grips the floor. Master firm ground with your eyes open before adding difficulty.

Riding link: Develops balance and awareness of different left–right strategies. It does not make a rider fall-proof or replace mounted safety training.

Progress without sacrificing control

When you reach the top of the repetition or time range with every checkpoint intact for two sessions, change one variable:

• add a third set;
• place a little more weight in the backpack;
• use slightly less hand support; or
• progress from a bent-knee to a straight-leg side plank.

Return to the lower end of the repetition range after adding load or choosing a harder version. Record repetitions and hold times separately for left and right, but begin with equal work on both sides. A persistent difference, pain or limitation following injury calls for assessment by a qualified healthcare professional rather than simply loading the weaker side.

Finish with easy breathing and a gentle hip stretch if it feels useful. This half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch includes setup and side-to-side checks. Stop an exercise if it causes sharp pain, dizziness or loss of control.

These sessions address rider-focused strength and balance, not all-round conditioning. Add walking, cycling, swimming or another suitable aerobic activity according to your current health and riding demands. For general health, the World Health Organization says any activity is better than none and uses at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week as the adult benchmark (WHO physical-activity guidance). For more ways to combine trunk, hip, balance and cardiovascular work, see rider fitness off the horse.