Discover a Better Way to Get Riding Fit
Movement for Riders
Online Guided Program
Would you love to feel fit and strong in and out of the saddle?
To improve your riding so you can have a balanced position, independent seat, and quieter hands?
Do you feel that you “should” exercise but are tired of programs that leave you tired and sore?
I want to share a better way for riders to improve their strength, mobility, and coordination. This will improve your riding and will help you feel better through all your daily activities.
A few minutes a day of fun, simple movements can make a powerful difference – increasing stamina, balance, and reducing pain in the back, hips, knees, and ankles – all common areas for riders.
I will be sharing my personal routines for overcoming old injuries, practicing for riding (even when I can’t be in the saddle) and preventing soreness on long riding days.
Before we get started, a quick question for you.
Have you ever considered how your horse feels when you are stiff and sore?
Our movement (or lack thereof) directly affects our horses. When we are not moving well, they will change as well. Shorting their stride, dropping their back, maybe even going crooked.
When we can be more fluid, even, and better in our own movements, our horses improve too.
This was especially important for me to remember this week.
I just got back from a pack trip to Northern Mongolia. We had some long days in the saddle and it was important that I didn’t get stiff, as this would negatively affect the Mongolian horse I was riding, Khan, in his ability to carry me through the difficult terrain we were crossing.
In case we are just meeting now,
I’m Callie King, instructor, trainer, and founder of HorseClass. I help riders, especially new and returning riders, feel confident and secure.
I have studied and practiced different movement arts for over 10 years, but my own search for a way to feel better in the saddle began after a back injury made riding, even for short periods, painful.
With much time, learning, and practice, I began to feel better in my own body than ever before, and I saw there were obvious links between how I was already teaching riders and the insights and exercises I was learning through my movement study.
I saw how riders who had more body awareness, and were active and exercising outside of riding, progressed faster and gained riding skills more easily.
As I shared my movement practices at the events and clinics I was teaching, I noticed how the riders started each riding session more relaxed and balanced.
For the past 18 months, I have been creating a simple program of the most beneficial exercises I have found and several groups of students have helped me with testing these daily follow along sessions.
This week, before and after the days’ riding this past week in Mongolia, I would do a few minutes of my movement practice, simple exercises to keep riding my best.
I want to share these with you, but first, come along with me to learn a few concepts about movement, pain, and the challenges with some “normal” exercise routines.
Part 1
No Pain, No Gain? Think Again…
Learn How the Nervous System Regulates our Movement
Ok, so the key takeaway from the video above is that our nervous system is what regulates our experience of how we feel, including pain, balance, and strength.
Our movement and how we feel as we move is part of the bigger picture of our overall wellness.
Just as our horse’s diet, hoof care, pasture time, and social interactions affect their movement and behavior, they affect ours too.
Let me explain another concept from Dr. Cobb, called the “threat bucket” and how this affects our pain and mobility levels.
The “Threat Bucket” Concept
When we understand the concept of the threat bucket, we can see how other factors in life affect our movement. But also how functions in our body (vision, vestibular system as two examples) also affect our movement.
When we want to move better – more mobile, strong, and balanced – it is important to take the steps we can to improve our general well being.
It is also important to do any exercise at the right challenge level – in intensity and duration – for YOU.
I will guide you through a technique to find that “right” challenge level as we progress through this training.
Key Takeaways to Remember:
1
Pain, Range of Motion, and Strength are controlled by the nervous system, not just the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues, so we should first train smart, not hard, to see better results.
2
You can change how you feel and how you move much more quickly than you may have thought possible!
Ok, let’s get moving!
Follow along with me in this simple, 5 minute Movement for Riders routine.
Movement for Riders
Online Guided Program
Part 2
Why Boring Exercise is Bad for You
Understand why training for the unexpected is so important for riders and join me in the next guided movement session.
Riding is a whole body activity.
It requires a variety of different physical skills. First, we need to have balance to stay centered on a moving horse. Then we need to be coordinated to use our reins without pulling, and move our legs to give signals to the horse without changing the rest of our body.
We need the strength in our stabilizing muscles to remain in good alignment, so we don’t get knocked out of balance, but also so we don’t start tensing our large mobilizing muscles.
Riding is a bi lateral movement – we want to use both sides of our body evenly, not overweighting one seatbone, using one leg more strongly, or pulling on one rein (we actually don’t want to “pull” on the reins at all).
However, for the majority of people, we go through our day with a dominant hand, and doing a lot of habitual activities and movements.
For many of us in modern life, our days are much more sedentary than before. We work with our minds rather than the physical effort of our bodies.
Our bodies are excellent at adapting to how they are used, which means that if we aren’t regularly using certain movements, we can lose the ability to perform those movements.
i.e. another reason learning to ride can be more difficult later in life – we have less body awareness if we are less active – particularly the areas of our body most important for riding.
Improving movement does not need to start with complicated exercises, but simply with more activity. The key is consistency and increasing the difficulty of what you are doing as you are ready.
Let’s look at how a foundation of activity and functional movement can transform how you feel AND how you ride!
Layers of Movement
I get that a lot of what I have shared so far may not be new info for you. Most of us know we “should” move more, do more exercise, etc.
So here’s a question:
I get it!
There are a lot of routines that are either boring because they move too slow, frustrating because they go too fast, they leave you feeling tired and sore, or you don’t notice any results.
In order to be consistent (and therefore to see results), it is important to find a routine and a practice that is right for you.
That you enjoy.
That you feel good after doing (to keep you coming back for more!)
That is the appropriate challenge level for you.
By going through this training, you are already moving ahead. The single best thing you can do for your body and movement – stay consistent! Do something each day.
We can do this together in the New 30 Day Movement for Riders Challenge starting next week.
But for now, keep reading and follow along with me in the short movement sessions here!
Before we do our short movement session for today, there’s one other concept that is important for us as riders… we need to prepare for the unexpected.
And that doesn’t come from doing the same rote exercises over and over.
Variety can make our practice more fun and also more effective.
Let me explain:
Training for the Unexpected
In the video above I talked about why it is important to do different movements to explore what’s possible for you, what feels good, and to train your body to adjust and respond to the unexpected.
In the video below, we will be doing a fun and simple movement you can do almost anywhere that is great for improving body awareness, knee and back pain, even improving cognition!
Follow along here:
There’s one movement we did in this session above that I encourage you to do more of today – walking backwards.
I have been doing this for a few years, and in the beginning I thought it was a weird fad, but it felt good so I kept doing it.
Turns out there is some solid research on the benefits of this really simple movement. You can read more here if you are interested.
Movement for Riders
Online Guided Program
Part 3
How to Find Your Right Challenge Level
Learn a simple test to find the right challenge, intensity and duration, for YOU. Plus join me in the next guided movement as I finish up my ride in Mongolia!
No matter your age, your injuries, your current fitness level, and your riding abilities, you can improve your movement!
Until recently, the medical community thought that the brain is adaptable only until about age 25.
Then it’s all downhill from there.
Neurons start to die and no more growth or major changes can occur.
That’s just not true.
Research has debunked this belief, showing that the brain and neural system throughout our bodies is constantly adapting, all through our lives.
This is good news for us as riders!
It means that no matter what age you started riding (or returned!), or how one-sided or uncoordinated you feel now, you CAN change!
It does take effort, but not “work out until you are sweaty and exhausted” effort, just consistent effort to do key movements each day.
In my experience as a riding instructor, nothing affects a rider’s abilities to learn and improve in their skills more than their level of body awareness.
When we are connected to our bodies, we have a sense of our center, our balance, and fluid movement that transfers to the saddle.
All the techniques of riding, rein handling, seat and leg cues, are learned and refined faster and more easily.
The effort you put in to improve your movement and body awareness will go far beyond your time in the saddle.
Imagine the other activities you do each day, which of these could be more enjoyable if you felt more strong, mobile, and fit?
Movement is Life.
It’s not about how much you can do, or what you can do, as one of my teachers, Jonathan Fletcher says, “if you have a body and a willingness to learn you can do movement”.
Now, remember back to Part 1 of this training, where we talked about the nervous system and how it affects our balance, mobility, and strength.
The right exercises, at the right level, can make an immediate difference in our movement.
The key is to pay attention to how you feel and how your body responds to different movements.
There is a technique to test different movements, that’s what I want to share with you in this next video:
How to Test What Movement is Right for You
What did you think of this eye movement exercise? Pretty wild how a movement so small can have such an impact! We do more of these kinds of eye exercises in Movement for Riders. (I’ve been experimenting with practicing these mounted too.)
Now for our next follow along session – this one is focused on spine health, we are going to do some easy twists, circles, and hangs to take care of your back. (I needed this one after a long day of riding, and an almost tumble off a reindeer.)
Movement for Riders
Online Guided Program
Join this challenge for:
- 30 Follow Along Movement Routines Just For Riders
- Science of Movement Class
- Exercise Index
How do you feel after these few movements?
Leave a comment below! If you have any questions, I am happy to answer those too 
136 Responses
I cannot view these videos. The takeaway box comes up tok quickly blocking the arrow to start the video.
If you watching on your phone, try turning your phone sideways (landscape) – I had the same problem and that was an easy fix!
This was an issue our web guru, Mark got fixed
Thank you for your patience!
I liked these movement as they can be done anytime and pretty well anywhere, I hate being tied down to classes
Callie manages to keep things simple but achievable x
Thank you! That was exactly my objective, to keep these easy and doable!
You were standing on what appeared as a slight slope. Is a flat area better or is not necessary?
Flat area better, but not 100% necessary. I chose the view here, haha!
I am really enjoying this information and these simple but impactful activities
So glad you are finding these helpful! I do believe it is often the most simple that can be the most impactful!
Just completed Part 3. Love, love, love this information and these activities. As an older rider who is chronically stuck at beginner level these are effective, doable, easy to incorporate into daily routine. I can see how these will help connection to our body awareness and thus increase confidence and stability in the saddle
Thank you Dorothy! I am so glad you are enjoying these!
Just completed Part 3. Love, love, love this information and these activities. As an older rider who is chronically stuck at beginner level these are effective, doable, easy to incorporate into daily routine. I can see how these will help connection to our body awareness and thus increase confidence and stability in the saddle
yes these are very helpful for me to help strengthen my core, and help me with my posture. also the standing circle movement to improve balance is awesome for me. my balance is really bad since my back injury. thanks so much.
You are very welcome and so glad that they are helping you.
THUMBS UP !!
I liked the back and spine exercises very much.
yes me too. I found them easy for me to do without being painful
That is great news!
These are good exercises. We all need to slow down and think about how our body works. In our daily living routines we forget that we can develop imbalances. All these exercises can be done in the barn or even pasture. Thank you for sharing.
Well said, agree 100% !
Well said, agree 100% !
Glad you found these helpful, and I agree completely with your comment!
Hi. I am experiencing the same difficulty. I cannot view the videos. I have tried my phone and ipad. I would apreciate your advice. Thank you.
Janet Lee
Hi Janet, I wanted to make sure you were able to see these now? We had an issue early on, but our web guru Mark got it fixed for us!
This was not whatI was expecting when I tuned in to these classes! The exercises are simple, but also found some of them more challenging than I imagined, especially being active in yoga and riding regularly. I love how easy they are to take with you to the farm, too!
Hi Andrea, Great to hear from you! I am glad you enjoyed these and found them unique from what you were expecting
I wasn’t able to watch the videos, do I need to purchase access? I have knee replacements and really want to loosen up more.
Hi Veronica, these videos are completely free! Let me know if you still have trouble accessing them.
what I found really useful is using these exercises to reduce tension. I tend to hold tension in neck and shoulders and for this shaking has been perfect and I do it every time before riding. I am pretty flexible and tenacious but the involuntary tension has and still is a big obstacle for me especially in the dressage arena.
This shaking exercise has been one of the most popular that I shared so far! I agree with you, being able to release tension is one of the most important parts of good riding.
love this
Glad you enjoyed!
Exercises and movement before mounting the bourse are both necessary and beneficial to horse and rider.
I wish there was something to warm up my older horse before starting a lesson in the ring?, besides just walking
Yes! In hand work can be very beneficial, send me an email at support@horseclass.com. I have some resources on this to send you
Callie, I would also like to receive the resources for beneficial in hand work for warming up my older horse. He is a 28 yr old stallion and I take him for hand walks but would like to have some good tips.
Yes! We will send these to you!
Me as well? I sent an email. My horse is 24. We don’t really do that much.
Yes! We will send you the info from our In Hand program with Patrick King
Hi Callie,
I would love to have a look at the horse exercises too please. regards Sue
We will send these over!
I loved these easy and simple movements. Really great for loosening up – anytime – like after sitting at the computer for a length of time. I can’t wait to try them before my next ride.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed these!
Loved the exercises. Simple but very effective. I’m feeling warmed up, loose, and ready to go.
Thank you for sharing these videos. Always helpful
we definitely need to remember to slow down to breathe. Take time to look after our mental and physical health
Our horses deserve our full awareness and focus
Hi Sandra, they do deserve our best!
I liked these exercises. Very simple and effective to do anytime
Simple and consistent is the best!
I liked these exercises.
I liked the exercises. I’m doing P T as I am now 10 wks post hip surgery and these look good for a warm up and co down. Probably can’t do the lunges– haven’t in a while!
Thank you
Remember you can modify, you don’t need to go as low as I demonstrated for the lunges, a little step will still get you feeling the movement!
Thank you so much for these lovely exercices. They realy feel very nice and I think it s aside a good physical preparation also a good mental preparation. To get into your body with awareness. Thanks a lo!
Thank you so much for these lovely exercices. They realy feel very nice and I think it s aside a good physical preparation also a good mental preparation. To get into your body with awareness. Thanks a lo!
You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed these! More to come
I loved it! These are fantastic exercises to feel relaxed and ready to “flow” with your horse while riding. I appreciate its simplicity and successful results. I like the awareness that comes from these movements and I feel more in touch with my body.
Hi Teri! Thank you for your comment, this was exactly what I wanted to share through these exercises
The warm up feels great. This will help my 69 yr old body move better during riding.
Thank You!
Yes! Even a short and simple warm up can make a big difference!
I liked these exercises, and the information about how the nervous system affects movement. Thank you.
Glad you are enjoying this!
I appreciate the whole system approach. Even if the exercises are a bit easy, the focus on the why of doing them and the thoughts that go with the movement are complex and valuable beyond the usual “gym routine”. Made for a great mid-day break from my desk work too!
Yes, I like teaching the why first and then the how becomes easier! Through this free training, the exercises will be slow and easy, but there are lots of more advanced versions too
Really nice format. You would find body mapping interesting. https://www.bodymap.org
It is related to Alexander Technique.
Good start not to slow – not too fast
Yes! That was exactly my objective
hi, it realy helped with siffnes along my spine and my thighs.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing this!
Callie, Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. For me “shaking” is the best one- it may look too easy and not worth trying but it works great. I feel waves of calmness flowing through my body while doing this shaking. I also like to mix it with little the turns to lef and right
I absolutely love the shaking movement too! There is so much you can do with this – I love setting a timer for however much time you want to spend, start with between 5-10 minutes and then simply close your eyes and do the movement. It is a form of active meditation
love these Callie!!
Thank you!
I love learning
I agree!
I am so impressed with you, Callie, and grateful for the content you share with us. Thank you. I don’t think my responses (from the given options) captured my desired feedback. I do regular stretching (mostly in the morning and evening) and ride my horse for a limited period, typically ~45 min, to fit in with my life schedule. With this kind of routine, how can one prepare for a longer (day-long) ride or even begin to prep for an endurance ride?
Hi Jen! I am so glad you are enjoying these videos! To prepare for a longer ride, I would begin by spending more time in motion, walking, jogging, generally getting your body used to being in motion for longer periods of activity. Then start riding for longer periods. of course, keep doing your stretches and paying attention to your body, sometimes when we start doing longer repetitive movement of any kind imbalances or habits of using our body in a certain way can show up with pains, tension in different areas, etc. Then you can work on these areas, correct the imbalances, and add more time again. I have done long distance running as well as riding, and this was my general process of training.
So difficult to get this kind of approach to movement! I have really enjoyed these and can see myself practising them daily.
Thank you, Callie
Yay! That consistency is exactly the objective and what will make the biggest difference
thankyou thankyou, im getting fitter and this will help emensely. you have a gentle way of doing and explaining different things. love your work Callie, have followed you for years and your way of doing things is so positive
Yay! I find these gentle movements to be equally as important as the challenging cardio or “fitness” routines. They really help to balance the more difficult work and keep the body happy.
I enjoyed the exercises! They were simple but effective!
Hi Jeanne, I am so glad you enjoyed these!
I love these movements!!!!!!!
I could maybe use a little more challenge with some of them, but I love them!!!!!!
I’m guessing that my body is tense and tight and these movements released some of the tightness!
So glad you are enjoying these
Through the free training I kept most of the movements very simple and easy, but as we get into the challenge, there will be more difficult versions too!
These movements are great for me. I have been doing regular exercises but this set opens a completely different range of things I can do whenever, whereever I am if I just have a few minutes to spare.
Also they don’t make me sweat so I don’t have to set up an exercise situation.
Most of the exercises are about right for me – but of course I can still improve quite a lot.
Thank you for this support.
Hi Gabi! Thank you for your comment! I am so glad you are enjoying these videos and finding the movements helpful and beneficial!
Having trouble submitting comment as keeps saying it is a duplicate
Hello Callie I have your book, have watched lots of your basic riding videos which I think are excellent. I rode as a child and teenager, started again at 52 with friends horse for 3years or so and then bought my own 10 years ago. Realised I had little formal riding training and can become very nervous. I do Pilates once a week but found these videos about exercise really helpful, doable and liberating.
Than you Sarah! I am so glad you are enjoying these videos and finding them helpful!
Thank you so much for these exercises. They and simple and beneficial. As we get older “balance” is the key to not falling and getting a broken bone. I’m going to add these exercised to rotate into my exercise routine.
Great that you can add these into what you are already doing in your routine!
Hi,
I can’t get the videos to work at all I’m afraid. Is it because of my location? (Germany). Just started riding again as a senior and would really appreciate some exercises.
Many thanks
Gill
Hi Gill, sorry to hear you are having trouble with the video! We have students from around the world, so there shouldn’t be a problem for Germany. I will send you an email to try and work out what the issue may be!
I really like the exercises. I am quite active with running, walking, yoga and riding. I’m going to walk backwards more often! I need to remember to warm up my body more for riding. Thanks Callie!
Glad that you enjoyed these exercises!
Thank you so much! I can feel my body much better now, just because of these few easy exercises. It just feels good and you have a very nice and soft approach to people
Thank you! Glad to have you here in the group for this training!
good simple exercises to loosen up the body and can be done anywhere.
Callie, thanks for these varied exercises! I am going to start the walking backward today! The balancing exercise is also especially interesting to me because it’s simple and as a 69 yr old I need to spend more time on balance exercises, for sure.
I absolutely love the exercises. I am a chiropractor and i’m always teaching and showing people about movement.. However, I do not do enough of this kind of stretching before I ride my horse. Thank you for the reminder and for your gracious time.. I also would love the in hand work to warm up my stiff horse before riding.. Fabulous about your trip to mongolia!
Hi Debra, Glad you enjoyed these video! I will send the info for the in hand work too!
Hi all,
Castle Thank you so much for creating these videos for us! It’s so good to remember to slow down and get connected to ourselves before we go out and try to connect with our horses. They feel it all!
They do feel it all!
opps! Callie ( darn spell check!)
Great exercises for me with improved balance and range of motion. Thanks.
Glad these are helpful!
Hi Callie! Fun exercises but I hope I am doing them correctly. The videos are short and it is a bit difficult to see exactly which area of the body we are concentrating on. I am a senior and quite fit. I exercise daily and also walk my dog daily and of course take care of two horses! I am looking forward to the next video.
Hi Patricia, yes, these videos are short demos just designed as a brief intro to the idea of this kind of movement and way of thinking about exercise. Follow along the best you can and don’t worry about copying exactly what I do. The objective is more about feeling your own body and movements in these.
Love these exercises. Thank you Callie !!
Glad you are enjoying these!
What a great idea! I do tend to reduce my movements when I experience an unexpected movement by my horse, who’s responding to a trip or a outside influence. I like the idea of training to not only combat that reduction, but also expand my ability to move fluidly.
Yes! We can train for the unexpected. It is a key component of any kind of martial arts training too. Lots of repetition of core movements first to create good habits and then practicing in many scenarios.
Really enjoyed these exercises and information. These can easily be incorporated easily into a daily routine. The scenery behind Callie is amazing!
I couldn’t resist looking for the most beautiful spots to do these movement sessions to share with you!
I have been doing most of these exercises and will definitely add the upper torso movements. Love it.
Fantastic!
I feel looser.
Last set was in such a beautiful place.
Thanks much!
Yay! I am glad this made a difference for you!
Is there a way to download the videos for quicker access? They are very beneficial. Thanks!
Hi Mindy, unfortunately these videos are not available for download, we just have them here streaming on the site at this time. Have you been able to watch them here sucessfully?
Thank you Callie! I have followed you for several years. I have suffered several injuries and emotional losses for the last few years. I appreciate you sharing your journey and wisdom.
Thank you for sharing this Kenya, I am so glad to have you as part of our community here
A few years ago you put out a video called, I think, WHy Smart Horses Get a Bad Rap. It was very good.
Thanks
Steve Simmons
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed this!
Hi! I don’t have a horse and haven’t ridden in a few years. But I watch your videos and am constantly learning. I am 71 years old and my husband is 84. Is there a way I can save these videos so I can cast them to our TV? I would appreciate any help there. Keep up the great work! Thanks.
Hi Chris and Bill, I am so glad you enjoy these videos! Unfortunately we don’t have specific videos posted anywhere such as youtube that would be easy to cast to the TV. There is an option on the video player to make them full screen so they appear larger on your computer. Is this helpful?
all great stuff…I love the path you are traveling and sharing with all.
will you b e at the equinecaffaire in Springfield MA this Fall.
Hi Stephanie, I will not be at Equine Affaire, but it is a great event, I have presented there in past years. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing these exercises, Callie! I’m a disabled rider (Parkinson’s) and have issues with being off balance in the saddle. I’m looking forward to trying these new movements before I ride my lesson tomorrow. The information you presented gives me so much hope; especially with the mind / body association!
Hi Julia, I hope your ride goes well today! So glad these exercises have been enjoyable and helpful for you!
thank you Callie. I love these videos. I recently took a 10 session beginner Tai Chi class and I recognize some of the Secret exercises. I love it when things come together. I am going to try to do these every day. I know if I can do it every day for 3 weeks I’ll be committed to keep going.
Yes! Staying consistent to create a new routine is key!
Thank you Callie for sharing your expertise and passion and in a a fun way! I was familiar with many of these exercises from tai chi and yoga. Your explanation on how these routines prepare us for riding was insightful. I’ve noticed that when I make the time to prepare mentally and physically the horse I ride becomes much more responsive and we both enjoy our time together.
Hi Rachel, glad you are enjoying these! I agree completely that a little prep goes a long way in riding!
These exercises, along with Pilates are really helpful. I find Pilates works for me better than yoga and after 4 knee surgeries, I have not had knee problems. The exercises force you to slow down (important for me) so you can focus on where to feel the stretch. Thank you!
Finding a form of exercise that works for you and that you enjoy is most important!
Hi can you teach a fear of your horse hurting you class
We do have this class – Finding Calm with Lisa Pulliam. I’ll send you an email with more info
Thanks for these exercises!
I finally saw them today!
Yes, I am adding tennis and bowling for movement. And light cardio online. And meditation for calming.
Hello Krystal, So glad you are finding these excersises helpul.