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Sports training

Horse riding warm-up: hips, back and balance before you get on

Riding works your hips, back and legs in positions most of us don't use the rest of the week, and in one small study all the junior show jumpers had tight hip flexors. No warm-up has been tested on riding injuries, so this one is ours, built on our warm-up guide: get warm, move your back and hips through their range, wake up your glutes and balance, then rehearse your jumping (two-point) position. Start with your hat: fastened, fitted, and replaced after any hard fall. You don't need any equipment.

10 minBeginner10 movesA wallHip flexors · Shoulders · Back · Abs · Glutes · Quads
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Raise

  1. Standing march60 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoBrisk, arms swingingHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Arm circles10 each way
    Beginner · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoEasyHarder: Shoulder CARs (controlled articular rotations)

Back

  1. Cat-cow6 slow rounds
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoMove one segment at a timeHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
  2. Thoracic rotation6 each side
    Beginner · 3D demoTurn from your ribsEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch

Hips

  1. Standing hip CARs2 slow circles each leg
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip flexors, Hip abductors · 3D demoHold a fence or wallHarder: 90/90 hip lift-off
  2. Cossack squat4 each side
    Intermediate · 3D demoSit into one hip with the other leg straightEasier: Sit squat (partial squat)Harder: Pistol squat
  3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch20 s each side
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes · 3D demoTuck your tail underHarder: Couch stretch

Activate

  1. Glute bridge10
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs · 3D demoSqueeze at the topEasier: Pelvic tilt into bridgeHarder: Glute kickback (quadruped hip extension)
  2. Single-leg stand20 to 30 s each leg
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoStand tall on a soft kneeEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single-leg reach matrix

Your position

  1. Hip-hinge practice8, then hold your jumping position 2 × 20 s
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoHips back, chest forward, heels down, eyes upHarder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Tips

  • Hat first: fastened so it can't move in a fall, within its 3 to 5 years, and replaced after a severe impact, as the Pony Club's rule says. A body protector for jumping and cross-country, boots with a heel and stirrups that fit your boots.
  • Then the mounted warm-up your instructor sets, starting in walk (our suggestion).
  • If you fall and hit your head, no more riding that day: if in doubt, sit them out. In our reading of the NHS's list, a head knock in a fall from a horse, which is a fall from more than 1 metre, is a 999 call.
  • Riding on the road: hi-vis on you and your horse. Children under 14 must wear a riding helmet on the road by law.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

Find more moves like these

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Questions people ask

How long does the horse riding warm-up: hips, back and balance before you get on take?

About 10 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 4 of its 10 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.