When you create clear, realistic riding goals and take steady steps toward them, you’re far more likely to see results. Putting those goals in writing helps make them stick—it’s a promise you make to yourself. This season, consider focusing on your body position to become a more balanced, effective rider.

Just west of Calgary, Eagle Feather Riding offers a peaceful escape where riders of all ages can develop trust and confidence with their horse in a calm, natural setting. Set against the stunning backdrop of Alberta’s foothills, this unique riding program focuses on connection, mindfulness, and learning the fundamentals of bareback riding.

The primary goal of a rider fitness program is to build stamina and strength appropriate to the discipline. All riders should have a strong core, good balance, good general flexibility, and a fairly high level of proprioception (awareness of where your body parts are in relation to your body and movement).

As a rider, it can be tricky to discern exactly how much influence our structural alignment is having on our horse and our riding. The conversation about posture can be a complex and even frustrating one. In part, this is because we innately know that what is happening in our bodies can’t help but influence our horses, given their sensitivity to changes in weight and pressure, and the near impossibility of a rider being posturally “in tune” with their horse at every moment.