Sofa to Saddle

There is a common goal with every rider I have ever worked with, which is something along the lines of “spending more time in the saddle.” Unfortunately, often there are times where we spend an extended period out of the saddle. As riders we’ve all been there, either due to an injury to yourself or to your horse, or having/caring for children, or life sort of “getting in the way.”

I designed the program to be the equestrian equivalent of a “couch to 5K”. The idea is that for whatever reason you have spent some time not riding, and are looking to increase your strength and flexibility out of the saddle in ways that will directly benefit your riding.

This is a 6 week program, with 4 days of workouts provided, with one day being a stretch day. It can be done in conjunction with other workouts, it should take about 20-30 min, and is progressive, meaning each week builds on the next. You will need a resistance band, and access to a small step. I have labeled the workouts day 1, day 2 etc, but they can be done in any order in that given week. As always, please consult your medical provider before beginning any new exercise routine, and if any of these exercises don’t feel right, or are causing you pan please stop!