From Shovel to Saddle: How Barn Chores Trigger Back Pain
- Ashleigh
- Sep 22
- 3 min read
(And What to Do About It)
Why small shifts during stall cleaning can make or break your ride
This weekend marked three full days of barn work.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt… better after. Not worse.
That’s new.
Because normally, barn chores leave me stiff, sore, and bracing before I even get to ride.
But this time?
I used my breath
I lifted with my legs
I rotated both ways
I paid attention (even when tired)
And guess what?
My back didn’t freak out.
My energy lasted longer.
And I actually got faster at the work, all without wrecking myself.
But It Wasn’t Always This Way…
Even just last week, I was so sore after chores I could barely ride.
My low back would tighten up before I even put my foot in the stirrup.
And I’d chalk it up to being out of shape or just “getting older.”
But that wasn’t the whole story.
I was stuck in what I now call a bracing cycle: overusing my spine, under-using my breath and core support, and repeating the same one-sided movement pattern that left my back yelling, “Seriously?! Again?!”
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone.And you’re not broken.
You might just need my free quiz:
This is a quick, targeted way to figure out what’s really going on in your body - to translate your symptoms into a solution. You'll get a score, 0-42, and access to the EquiForm Supported Rider Guide so you have the exact four steps you need to start creating better body support and decrease muscle tension from the inside out, pronto.
What’s Really Happening During Barn Chores to Trigger Back Pain (and what to do about it!)
Cleaning stalls may not look like a back-breaker, but ask any rider who’s done it for years:
You bend from your spine instead of your hips
You shovel only from one direction
You haul heavy buckets without engaging your core
Over time, this builds what I call a unilateral rotation pattern: basically, your body gets really good at twisting one way and forgets the other.
That causes:
One side to get short and tight
The other to get long and strained
Both to scream for help when you try to sit tall in the saddle
Your body isn’t failing you.It’s just doing what it’s practiced...a lot.
But Small Shifts = Big Relief
Once I adjusted even a few things this weekend, everything changed:
I lifted my chest and dropped my hips to lift with my glutes and legs.
I switched shovel sides every few stalls (I KNOW - this is complete heresy to most people. It feels like an alien has taken over your body. But even just a few pitchfork loads in each stall makes a huge difference!
I balanced my rotation patterns before starting, while the water buckets filled, and at the end of my shift.
I breathed into my low ribs instead of clenching
The results? My barn chores did NOT trigger back pain!
I had:
Less low back tension (especially the low right side)
No aching spine at the end of the day
Enough energy to actually ride
And a stall-cleaning time that beat my usual record (yes, I was proud)
Want Your Own Reset Plan?
Take the quiz. Seriously.
Because you might be a few shockingly simple tweaks (not an exhausting or interrupting routine) away from:
A more supported spine
A smoother ride
And barn chores that don’t leave you in a pain spiral
You don’t have to be perfect.
You don’t need to retrain your whole body in one day.
But you can stop bracing and start supporting: one chore, one breath, one better movement pattern at a time.
And if you're feeling stuck, frustrated, or just curious why your back pain hasn't budged?
After 90 minutes, you'll walk away with:
Easier lifting heavy buckets, without throwing out your back.
Stall cleaning biomechanics that won’t wreck you for the rest of the day.
Your spine finally getting the message: it’s safe to stop bracing.
Your muscles stopping moving in the same crooked pattern over and over.
You knowing exactly what your body needs instead of guessing (or ending up on a heating pad popping Advil).
Comments