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You’re an Athlete Too: Why Off-Horse Rider Training Matters
- pegasusphysiotherapy
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Why Simulators and Off-Horse Rider Training Matter: Riding Is a Sport
People sometimes get frustrated with riding simulators or physio-based exercise videos. They say:
“It’s not the same as riding.”
“Only time in the saddle makes you a better rider.”
And we get it - nothing truly replaces the feel of a real horse, with its rhythm, movement, and responsiveness. But that mindset fundamentally overlooks a crucial truth:
Riding is a sport.
And like any sport, improvement doesn’t just come from doing the activity over and over. It comes from understanding and preparing your body for the physical demands it will face.
You can prepare your body for those unique demands of riding a real horse in unpredictable situations. Rider training is becoming more popular for equestrians which is great news!
No Other Sport Trains This Way - So Why Should Riding?
In every other athletic discipline - from football to gymnastics, martial arts to skiing - athletes:
Analyse the movement patterns of their sport
Identify which muscles are working, and how
Strengthen their weaknesses outside of competition
Use drills and off-field work to improve what they do on the field
Imagine telling a tennis player they could only get better by playing more matches — not by working on shoulder strength, hip mobility, or footwork. That would be seen as incomplete. But in riding, we’ve often treated the horse as the solution, ignoring that the rider is half the equation.
You’re Not Just a Passenger - You’re the Athlete
Your horse does the moving - but it’s your job to guide, stabilise, and move with the horse.
That demands:
Strong, coordinated core control
A mobile, stable pelvis
Symmetrical leg strength and support
Balanced upper body control
Enough mobility and awareness to fine-tune your aids
And this isn’t just theory -- EMG research (electromyography) shows which muscle groups are doing the most work in the saddle and why we need to train them off the horse.
Why Understanding Muscle Use Helps You Train Smarter
By knowing what muscles activate during riding, we can tailor exercises that actually make a difference.
✅ Glutes & Hamstrings: Pelvic Stability & Power
EMG studies like Terada et al. (2004) and Douglas et al. (2012) found increased gluteus maximus and biceps femoris activity in forward and two-point seats, which are used for jumping and galloping. These muscles help control pelvic tilt and posture, and are key for absorbing movement.
✅ Quadriceps: Supporting Flexion & Balance
Both Douglas et al. and Peham et al. (2010) showed higher quadriceps activation in half-seat positions compared to sitting trot. When the knees are more flexed (like with shortened stirrups), the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris engage to support knee stability and leg control.
✅ Calf Muscles: Stability Through the Stirrups
The gastrocnemius and soleus are highly active in two-point and jump seat positions (Douglas et al., 2012), anchoring the rider’s weight through the stirrups and helping maintain balance — especially over varied terrain or fences.
✅ Core Muscles: Controlled, Not Overworked
Peham et al. (2010) and Byström et al. (2009) identified multifidus, transversus abdominis, and obliques as essential to trunk stability, particularly in postural control without gripping. Their activity is subtler than the limbs, but essential for a quiet, stable upper body.
✅ Lower Back: Not the Driver, But a Key Support
Interestingly, Terada et al. showed that lower back muscle activation is lower in two-point than sitting trot - but still crucial. The erector spinae work isometrically to support the spine and pelvis, especially if a rider overarches or lacks glute/core integration.
Why We Sometimes Work Harder Off the Horse
Let’s say we shorten a rider’s stirrups during a physio session. We’re not asking them to ride that way on a real horse - we’re using it as a controlled challenge to target deeper hip, knee, and ankle flexion. This places muscles like the quads, glutes, and calves into a shortened, more active range - which:
Builds endurance
Highlights asymmetries
Forces better postural control
Riders often say, “That was harder than riding,” and that’s the point. If your body can handle this controlled demand, riding becomes easier and more stable by comparison.
Practice Hard. Ride Easy.
The reason we sometimes push riders harder in physio sessions is simple.
We're isolating the movement systems responsible for your performance, without the horse masking your weaknesses.
You:
Learn to move with more control
Strengthen the muscles riding relies on
Build postural stability that translates into real riding results
This isn’t about mimicking riding with exercises. It’s about training your body to handle riding more effectively.
Want to Ride Better by Training Smarter?
Our rider physio sessions - and our rider video subscription - are built to:
Help you understand what your body does in the saddle
Target and strengthen the right muscles
Improve your posture, balance, and control
Because once you understand what to train - and how to train it - the ride becomes easier.
P.S. How good do the SymmFit clothes look?!
Designed to help you see your alignment and move better in the saddle and they look amazing too.
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🔬 References:
Terada, K. (2004). “EMG analysis of horseback riding position and muscle activation.” Journal of Equine Science.
Douglas, J. et al. (2012). “Surface EMG of equestrian riders during dynamic and static seat positions.” Human Movement Science.
Peham, C. et al. (2010). “A comparison of the EMG activity in riders with different levels of experience.” Equine Veterinary Journal.
Byström, A. et al. (2009). “Trunk muscle activity during riding simulated in a mechanical horse.” Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology.
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