This was an original article designed especially for Heels Down Mag.
When it comes to sitting the trot, how important is core strength? What can I be doing in and out of the saddle to help improve my core strength? How does a lack of core strength affect my horse?
“Love this question. Your core is very important as a rider, especially when you’re sitting a gait like the trot. Core strength helps you remain stable and secure in the saddle, allowing you to maximize the two purposes of your seat to
1.) absorb the motion of your horse’s movement and
2.) use your seat, weight, and movement to influence the horse’s way of going (think half halts, medium gaits, collection, etc). Core strength and control are what allow us to have an independent seat!
When you have a strong core and you are using the proper muscles to ride, you can give clearer, more refined aids, which means that you will have better communication with your horse. When your core is weak or you aren’t engaging the correct muscles for riding you will feel less stable in the saddle and your aids will be harder to coordinate. You might end up using your hands to balance without realizing it, and you may have trouble keeping your hands steady when you ride. When you are out of balance, it makes it much harder for your horse to balance.
Out of the saddle, even a little bit of cross-training can do wonders to help you stay fit as a rider. Yoga, Pilates, Walking, Biking, and other full-body activities that require balance and proprioception can help your core stay strong. When you do workout off your horse, make sure to target muscles like your glute meds and transverse abs. These are key muscles that keep you stable and secure in the saddle (i.e. these are the muscles that allow an independent seat!). In the saddle, knowing where these muscles are and how you can activate them is super helpful!”
