Episode 30: Running, Riding, Core Fitness

Listen to Episode 30: Running, Riding, Core Fitness This episode is dedicated to a listener question from Julie in New Mexico. Her question has to do with cross training. A lot of us like to do other activities aside from riding – yoga, swimming, or, […]

Beth Austin weighs in on rider fitness & core strength

As part of our Focus on Fitness, we spoke with accomplished physical therapist, Beth Austin, of Santa Cruz, California. A runner and dancer, Austin rode often as a girl and has an excellent sense of the horse-rider partnership. The therapist and seminar leader works with […]

Episode 6: Rider Fitness with Michael Lingenfelter

In just our sixth episode, Jec interviews Michael Lingenfelter, a personal trainer who works with scores of riders, especially older dressage riders. Listen to Episode 6. Here are important links that you might enjoy and find helpful: Michael’s page on Facebook and his website. Our […]

When it comes to fitness, are you an equal partner for your horse?

Editor’s Note: Amy Skinner is a regular guest columnist and has been a horse gal since age six. She works with owner/operator Jim Thomas as a trainer at Bar T Horsemanship where she rides and teaches English and Western. She also maintains Essence Horsemanship. Skinner […]

Best Core Practices

We welcome Kerry O’Brien as a new guest columnist and Rider Fitness contributor. Read more on Core Fitness here. O’Brien is a therapist certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and long-standing member of the American Massage Therapy Association. She blends […]

Developing the Intelligent, Functional Core

Continuing our conversation on Core Fitness, we spoke with accomplished physical therapist, Beth Austin, of Santa Cruz, California. A runner and dancer, Austin rode often as a girl and has an excellent sense of the horse-rider partnership. The therapist and seminar leader works with a […]

Another Core Insight from Katrin Silva

Katrin Silva grew up riding dressage in Germany before moving to the United States at age 19 to learn to ride Western. She’s been riding both disciplines for the last twenty years. Read her article on Contact here. Silva has competed successfully through fourth level […]

Core Strength Requires Understanding

Beth Watson is a physiotherapist living in Perth, Australia. Here, she lends yet another excellent point of view to our focus on Rider Fitness, especially core fitness. Clinician Wendy Murdoch suggested in a recent article that “core strength is counterproductive to good riding.” We disagree. […]

Core Strength Moves

As part of our Focus on Fitness, we talked with trainer David Stickler about core exercises for riders. He will lead a Rider Fitness elective at the Best Horse Practices Summit. Stickler majored in exercise science at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, where he […]

Savitsky and Ballou on rider fitness

As part of our Focus on Fitness, we spoke with accomplished riders and teachers, Christina Savitsky and Jec Aristotle Ballou. When not running a ranch and raising a family, Christina Savitsky is busy with Buckaroo Balance clients. Buckaroo Balance combines good riding with therapy, mindfulness, […]