06/20/2025
Core strength is essential for correct and safe riding. It is from our core that we can most effectively apply the seat, hands and legs aids. The left image shows a rider with a firm effective core. The right image is of a collapsed core. Such a collapse can be momentary or chronic. We all have had moments when for one reason or another our core has collapsed. It's no big deal if you recover your core quickly.
As a riding instructor, the most challenging students are those who have minimal core strength. The difficulty is teaching the fundamental use of the aids when there is little or no core from which the aids must draw the strength required for effective precision. Horses experience floppy legs and hands or a gushy seat as "noise". A rider cannot achieve specific responses from aid cues if the horse interprets their aids as noise. Many horses get confused or irritated by constant noisy aids.
Many instructors care about a student rider's weight. I do not. I have had students show up for lessons that look fit, but they have only starved themselves into looking trim and fit, and they lack core strength. And I have had students show up that appear to be overweight and out of shape that have a well developed core strength. My advice, therefore, to all students is, "Get stronger" and forget about your weight. I have a horse for you regardless of your weight.
I will recommend a very good book on this. While it is often misunderstood, Riding Logic by Wilhelm Museler addresses core. It is a German translation with a few antiquated words. Unfortunately, Museler uses, or the translator choose the term "brace your back", when today the word "brace" has a new negative meaning. When the book was written in 1933, core as we understand it today was unknown. Regardless of the translation, Museler offers insights and techniques to use the aids effectively by integrating core strength. The book is only a 120 pages and it is very useful for all disciplines.
Riding Logic free PDF -www.archive.org/details/ridinglogic00muse
