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Easy exercises for young riders

Mari Kirsten
Aug 15, 2016
4 min read

This article is combined by a few other authors articles but is extremely important for any horse rider.

Any rider needs to be agile and fit before attending to ride a horse. The rider require balance and lightness.

The main aim of any horse riding discipline must be to enjoy the ride whether competing in dressage or going on a quiet hack. If the horse or rider experience any discomfort the riding experience will not be pleasurable and can end up with either an injured horse or rider.

I am trying to write this article in non-horsey terminology so that parents without horse riding background can assist their children.

Key elements to focus on:

1. Balance

2. Suppleness

3. Core strength

4. Fitness

5. Correct Aids

The aim is to fix the riders position by working on the key elements from the ground and only once well establish to correct focus on the same elements on the horse.

Requirements:

Gym Ball, Mirror, A long rope to be used as reins, Buckets or stepping stones, Space to do the exercises in.

The following exercises need to be done 4 days a week minimum for the best results (Start by only repeating each exercise 5 times and then increase the repitition):

SUPPLENESS

1. Lying Knee Roll-over Stretch: While lying on your back, bend your knees and let them fall to one side. Keep your arms out to the side and let your back and hips rotate with your knees

2. Kneeling Quad Stretch: Kneel on one foot and the other knee. If needed, hold on to something to keep your balance and then push your hips forward.

3. Standing Toe-up Achilles Stretch: Stand upright and place the ball of your foot onto a step or raised object. Bend your knee and lean forward.

4. Wall strengthening exercise. Use any wall in your house and put your foot up against it about 1/2 to 3/4 of the position it would be in your stirrups. Hold for three seconds then release back against the wall

BALANCE

1. Stepping stones/buckets: Buckets to be placed 1 meter apart (depending on child's average step - 200 mm further than average step). Aim is to first walk over buckets and then to increase the speed. Remember safety first.

2. Back/Forward Pelvis Movements on a Gym Ball : Sit on the Gym ball sideways to the mirror. Sit straight, don't slouch. Put your legs slightly apart with a 90 degree angle in the knees. Hold the reins. Now looking at yourself in the mirror roll your pelvis forward and backward, slowly, stopping in the middle (neutral) position.

Notice which position is most comfortable for you and which one reminds you of your position in the saddle.

Check if you want to move your shoulders when your pelvis moves. If you do, work on separating the pelvis movements from your upper body. Start by sitting in the perfect position for 5 min and then increase the time period

3. Side-to-Side Pelvis Movements on a Gym Ball : Same position as for the first exercise, only in front of the mirror. Move the ball to the right and then to the left in a slow controlled way. Watch yourself in the mirror, you will see your left and right hips go up and down.

See if you have excess up and down movement in your shoulders.

Try to limit it as much as you can.

Which direction do you loose your balance easily?

If you have an uneven loading in your seatbones you will be tempted to slide off. For example, if your left seatbone is a heavy one, you will feel like it is very easy to move your ball to the right. The ball will practically move itself, sliding to the right from under you. To the left, it will be easy to control the ball movement.

Start by sitting in the perfect position for 5 min and then increase the time period

CORE STRENGTH

1. One Leg Extension : Lay down on your back, knees bent, feet slightly apart. Put your arms on your stomach. Raise your head slightly off the floor. Lift and straighten one leg up in the air at 45-60 degree angle. Put first leg down and lift another one. Keep breathing into your stomach. Alternate your legs always waiting for one to come back to the ground before you lift another one. Repeat 10 times on each leg and do 2-3 series resting in between.

2. Planking: Place the forearms on the ground with the elbows aligned below the shoulders, and arms parallel to the body at about shoulder-width distance. If flat palms bother your wrists, clasp your hands together. (Note: Any of the following plank variations can be performed with straight arms or in a forearm position.) Start with 10 counts planking and increase.

FITNESS

1. Jogging : At least try jogging for 15min to start or walk for 20min. Increase as the fitness levels pick up. Alternatively swim or cycle but not less than 15min.

Once all the key elements above have been mastered can the aims to the correct aids be practiced. Best is to practice this on a gym ball. This will be explained in the next blog