For this article, I interviewed yoga for riders specialist Louise Sattler of Galloping Yoga. We discussed various concepts and exercises that come from the yoga tradition and align very nicely with sport and conditioning practices for developing flexibility. For a busy rider, the exercises below are accessible and easy to do almost anywhere.

A strong core is especially important because riders ride mostly with the torso. Whether you realize it or not, your limbs are completely secondary aids to your seat, weight and torso orientation.

You might think that a professional rider can afford to take time to cross-train because they are, after all, a professional athlete. I work with some pros on a weekly basis and I have to tell you, you probably have more personal discretionary time available than they do.

By warming up and correcting posture before you get in the saddle, you are much more likely to be able to achieve the ear-shoulder-hip-heel alignment you are looking for and prepare your joints to better absorb the motion of your horse. Here are three stretches I recommend as pre-ride stretches to help a rider work out any tightness from sitting or driving during the day, or from a previous ride.