Jemma Whitlam Equestrian Coaching

Jemma Whitlam Equestrian Coaching Riding and fitness coach. Improving equestrians performance to be the rider their horse deserves

As a personal trainer you’d think I’d be on it with the training. Never missing a session, practically living in the gym...
05/07/2025

As a personal trainer you’d think I’d be on it with the training. Never missing a session, practically living in the gym.

Recently though, I’d lost my love of training a bit and was trying to bring the fun back. But then life got very hectic and I didn’t have a plan that was fitting around that so I wasn’t managing to “fit it in”.

It’s the reason I created Reignite 28.
28 days of 15 minute workouts that are easy to fit in around real life.
I’m doing it alongside my clients and I’m loving it. I can always find 15 minutes and sometimes I even end up carrying my session on and doing a bit more.

No matter how long your training sessions are the key is the programme.
- Hitting the different muscle groups and movement patterns,
- progressing the exercises
- and making sure each muscle group gets chance to rest.

Using supersets and circuits you’d be amazed at how much you can still get done in a 15 minute home workout and having a plan and a structure (and my own videos to follow along to) makes it dead easy to just crack on.

This weekend I’m opening the doors again, because I’m loving it so much and so is everyone in the group.

So if you want 28 days of core focussed, structured workouts,
that don’t need any equipment
and are easy to fit into your life,

comment 28 below and I’ll send you the info.
It’s £28, an absolute no brainer…

I’m currently at The Amplifier Action Day with my coach .The theme of today’s event is “Becoming The Leader That Your Cl...
04/07/2025

I’m currently at The Amplifier Action Day with my coach .

The theme of today’s event is “Becoming The Leader That Your Clients Deserve”, and we’re talking about the importance of sharing and celebrating our wins.

So in the interest of leading by example, here are my top 5 wins of 2025 so far:

1. Amazing trip to Nice with my oldest friends to celebrate turning 40 (great time, great food and the best company)

2. Spent Easter weekend in Great Yarmouth with family (swimming, beaches, theme park and lots of fun)

3. Hit my financial target for q2

4. Did a keynote talk in front of over 150 people (and freaking loved it)

5. Launched stuff (programmes, bootcamps etc)/ tried stuff/ put more stuff out there without pinning all my self worth on whether they went well or not

What win have you achieved that you are most proud of from this year?

I refuse to make the same mistake again.Years ago, someone asked me.“If you could do anything with this, what would it b...
03/07/2025

I refuse to make the same mistake again.

Years ago, someone asked me.
“If you could do anything with this, what would it be?”

And I froze.

I had an answer, but all I could think of were reasons it wouldn’t work.
I’d love to do that, but…

I’m not experienced enough.
I haven’t competed at a high enough level.
No one knows who I am. (Etc etc blah blah).

All the little whispers from that voice in my head that thought it was protecting me.
Really, it stopped me trying.

I didn’t go for it.
And now, I’ll never know if I could’ve made it happen, because I never tried.

That voice didn’t stop me from failing.
It stopped me from even having the chance to succeed.

Luckily I have the tools (and the support) now to shut that insidious little voice up (most of the time).

So this time I’m going all in because I know in the long run that is the safer option, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

I don’t want to get 10 years down the line again and wonder what I was capable of, if I could’ve made it work.

What is the little voice in your head trying to talk you out of right now?

You don’t have to listen to it. In fact, you’ll probably be better off in the long run if you don’t…

Me and Roxy made it out for the first time this year. A fun afternoon of showjumping training. Back for more tomorrow. M...
11/06/2025

Me and Roxy made it out for the first time this year. A fun afternoon of showjumping training. Back for more tomorrow.

Might even look for a show to go to soon.

23/04/2025

Tension doesn’t have to be your normal.
Whether it’s stress, sore muscles, or just needing a moment to reset, your body will thank you for taking time out.

✨ Appointments available Friday this week (25th April) and Tuesday (29th) and Friday (2nd May) next week.
📍 Rothwell, Northants
📩 Message to book.

It’s always beach weather. You may just need to wear some extra layers…
21/04/2025

It’s always beach weather. You may just need to wear some extra layers…

I do miss this and I sometimes love the idea of getting back to it but I’m not sure if I’d actually have the guts to do ...
20/04/2025

I do miss this and I sometimes love the idea of getting back to it but I’m not sure if I’d actually have the guts to do it at this level anymore…

I used to get my adrenaline kicks week in week out and I now wonder why i sometimes feel a bit lost and not like myself and dare I say it even a bit dissatisfied at times (can’t believe I just admitted that).

The thing that I’ve found has helped me through it is other ways of getting that adrenaline rush. Physical challenges that I wasn’t 100% sure that I’d be capable of (the buzz when you smash it and find you can is pretty unbeatable).

We get to a certain age and/or become mums and forget that we still need to get a kick out of life.

Those of you who are like me, who love adrenaline, who get a kick out of being just a little bit scared or nervous, pushing yourself just out of your comfort zone…

Are you still doing stuff that gives you that kick?

I’d not I’d love to know why?

Is it time?
Needing people to do it with?
Not feeling fit enough or strong enough?
Worrying that your body isn’t as capable now?
Being scared of actually testing yourself in case it’s harder than you think it “should” be.

I have a tough mudder lined up later in the year but think I need a couple of other things lined up and I’m looking for people who might want to join me for some fun. If that might be you then let me know. Either in the comments or send me a DM just letting me know you’re interested.

Sun, sea and sand. It doesn’t get much better (ok, maybe the wind could have died down and it could have been a smidge w...
18/04/2025

Sun, sea and sand. It doesn’t get much better (ok, maybe the wind could have died down and it could have been a smidge warmer).

Looking forward to a long weekend of beach, swimming (maybe even in the sea…) and family time to switch off and unwind a bit (not something I find that easy).

Obviously no pics of me as I was the only one taking photos 😂.

17/03/2025

Over the past couple of weeks I have spoken with many owners who talk about horses injuring the same limb time and time again, not necessarily the same injury but injuries sustained to the same limb. This could be tendon and ligament injuries or joint inflammation/pain. I hear them say the injuries are not related, that its just the horses weak limb/area etc etc. Its the horses conformation thats caused it. Or, its to be expected because the horse does X job.

Then there are the injuries that only get so far through a rehab plan and cannot get past a certain point.

In my opinion, we need to start looking at these injuries from a different angle.

1. Why does that horse keep injuring the same limb or have reoccurring pain in joints?.

I would say that there is clearly some over loading of that limb and that will come from way higher up than the limb itself. The injury itself is the end result of a long line of biomechanical adaptations the body has made which has resulted in the limb bearing more weight than it should. There is only so much time a structure can be over loaded
before there is structural failure. This is simple engineering. Simple physics.

So, to prevent further damage we need to source the root of the biomechanical adaptations and start there. AT THE SOURCE.

By doing so we can prevent further damages as we aim to 'level up' the weight distributed so that it is within parameters that the structures can cope with. We therefore prevent further structural failure. This is totally possible with an 'outside the box' approach.

I have done it and I know a small group of others who have taken this approach with great success.

2. We need to rewrite the 'rehab programme' to one that actually helps the horse to heal.

If we have a poor posture that unevenly distributes the weight so that structural parameters are being exceeded, causing structural failure, why do we think exercising the horse for X length of time and increasing that length of time will be useful for 'rehab' in these cases?.

Think of it this way...

You have a poor postural stance that causes you knee pain when you exercise.

You rest, the pain and any tissue traumas heal/subside.

You feel better. So, you begin to exercise.

The pain and tissue traumas come back.

Why?

Because you did nothing to change your posture which was the root cause of the knees being over loaded beyond their loading parameters, causing tissue damage and pain.

If however, you learnt how to make postural changes that would off load the knees and then today you took 10 strides in that new postural balance and 15 tomorrow, 20 the next day and so on you would in a couple of weeks have retrained your brain to movement in a new state of postural balance.

As you build up the steps of good posture and it becomes the norm for your body you can increase the amount of steps you take and increase the 'work' you do, whatever that is for you. It could be jogging a few strides, dancing, returning to a sport you do or running a marathon.

If however, you stayed in your old postural pattern that over loads your knees and increased your exercise by a time scale only it wont be too long before you are back to your knees being inflamed and hurting. Once again being loaded beyond their structural parameters. You have changed nothing except the time scale.

So why do we increase the time scale of walking/riding/lungeing/horse walker for the horse on 'rehab' while it is still going to execute the taken steps with a poor balance which continues to overload the injured area?. 🤷‍♀️

🤓 Everything taught at my clinics, in lessons and to owners undergoing the rehabilitation of their horses with me aims to get the rider understanding the horse better from an anatomical and biomechanical approach and to learn how to improve the horses balance and posture for soundness.

If we aim for this approach maybe we can ditch the conventional incremental time 'rehab' plans. Sound horses do not need rehabbing.

I really love helping people to keep their horses sound.

DM for more details.

Please feel free to share this post 👍

What will you do differently this season to make it better than last year?I bet you think you already have the i’s dotte...
13/02/2025

What will you do differently this season to make it better than last year?

I bet you think you already have the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed in your horse’s training but what about you?

How about adding in some strength training? Just 90 minutes of your week, training at home with no need for loads of equipment is enough to make a huge difference to your performance in the saddle. Better balance, more stability, less likely to fall off, more chance of jumping clear rounds and riding that lovely harmonious dressage test you know you want.

I know you think it’s just about core strength but honestly there’s more to it than just doing a weekly pilates class. Having a proper rider strength and conditioning programme will be time much better spent (trust me I know there’s not much spare time in your week).

Want a quick insight into how you can train to improve your performance and become the rider your horse deserves? Comment “perform” below to get me free guide. Ride like a pro: train like an athlete.

I love my job. While I may be incredibly passionate about helping riders off horse to get stronger and fitter I still ab...
28/01/2025

I love my job. While I may be incredibly passionate about helping riders off horse to get stronger and fitter I still absolutely love coaching as well. Last night’s Pytchley pony club showjumping training ended with a birthday party with party hats, pizza and birthday cake. What a fab way to end a Monday.

This is what riding is all about, no matter how competitively or seriously you want to take it, it still has to be about fun, partnerships, building friendships and just enjoying yourself.

Amazing ponies and really fun partnerships to coach all evening. Makes my job so much fun.

24/01/2025

Sore, stiff upper back and shoulders affecting your riding? Try these…Horse care and yard jobs can be tough on our bodies and so many of us carry tension in our upper back and our shoulders. The problem for riders is that this tension passes down the reins and means our horses are also going to be tense which isn’t what we’re going for.If your aim is a more supple, free moving horse (which I really hope it is) then use these mobility exercises to ease that tension, remove the stiffness and allow your contact to be elastic, soft and supple so you create lightness in your aids. A combination of stretching, mobilisation and strength work is vital for you to become the best rider you can be, the rider who performs well for their horse and therefore their horse can perform for them. Hit follow if you’re looking for more hints and tips to improve your performance and become the rider your horse deserves. rider

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