Why “Core Work for Horseback Riders” Is Confusing, and What to Try Instead

Jeanne & Elsa love how the Internal Pressure System works for their rides!

If you’ve been around barns for a while, you’ve heard many variations of these ideas before:

“Engage your core.”

“Strengthen your core.”

“Core stability.”

“Brace your core.”

Familiar? Cool.

Translation? 

Any number of things! Depending on who you ask, you'll get myriad solutions, as well as differing opinions about just what makes up this mysterious "core."

Let’s not get super granular - if you want an anatomy lesson, book a session with me and we’ll dive in (my pleasure!).

But here’s the gist:

All these phrases get at one essential truth: as riders, we need strength and support from the center of our bodies to allow our limbs to move freely, softly, and in sync with our horses. Whether you’re schooling dressage or hacking out on trails, your core directly affects your position in the saddle and how clearly your horse can understand and respond to your aids.

And yet... we’re human.

We bring our same compensations, tight hips, tense shoulders, or nagging back pain into the saddle and our horses feel every bit of it.

So, what’s a rider to do?

Opinions abound. But since you’re here, let me offer a simpler solution:

Build your Internal Pressure System.

What’s your Internal Pressure System?

Great question.

Imagine a basketball.

Fully inflated, it bounces and moves effortlessly.

Why? The pressure inside supports the ball’s structure.

Now imagine dribbling a deflating one...

Sad plop. No bounce. No support. No structure.

That’s what riding with a weak internal pressure system feels like.

Your body works the same way. When internal pressure is too low, you start to see leaks (literally and figuratively):

• Back pain

• Pelvic floor dysfunction

• Shoulder tension

• Tight hips

Now put that unstable system on a 1,200-pound moving animal.And you think things will improve... because you want them to?

If wishes were fishes, my friend.

And let’s be honest: if clenching your abs or tucking your pelvis was enough to fix it, you wouldn't be here, looking for something better.

Help Your Core Work for Horseback Riders

When you build internal support through breath, you begin to chip away at years of compensation.

That’s my jam.

I teach riders how to breathe anatomically (lower ribs move, not belly or chest), which builds intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and activates your deep core muscles 23,000 times a day, with every breath. Wild, right?

The Results?

• Better posture – Goodbye to that spot where your spine hollows or arches.

• Less muscle tension – Muscles stop doing jobs they were never meant for.

• Quieter aids – Support comes from your center, not your tense shoulders.

• Improved balance – Because you can’t build mobility on a shaky foundation.

• Resolved asymmetries – Tilted pelvis, twisted spine, or uneven stirrups? Yup, those too.

• More energy – Survival mode off. Thrive mode on.

• Clearer communication with your horse – Because they feel everything. When you ride with internal support, your horse isn't confused by the many and mixed signals you're potentially sending. You're clear, they're clear, it's double-clear for you.

So, rider:

Inflate the basketball.

Build your internal pressure system.

Ditch the tension. Part with the pain.

Ride better.

Your horse will thank you.

Here for this idea? Fabulous.

I have a 90-minute Breakthrough Session that has your name all over it. We'll deep-dive into your movement, posture, breathing and riding mechanics; give you 2-3 custom strategies to start making changes pronto; and develop a continuity plan when you love how you feel. Book yours here.