Make 2026 the Year Your Horse Moves Straight, Strong, and Comfortable

January always brings a quiet shift.

The days are still short. The ground may still be frozen. Riding can feel a little uninspiring.
And yet — this is actually one of the most powerful times of year to support your horse’s body.

Because what you do now doesn’t just affect the next few weeks.
It shapes how your horse will feel, move, and cope when spring riding really begins.

Spring Riding Is Built in Winter (Even If It Doesn’t Feel Like It)

Many riders wait for better weather to “start again.”
But by then, old patterns are already well established:

• Crookedness becomes more obvious

• One rein feels heavier or less connected

• Long and low only appears when you really work for it

• Comfort feels inconsistent

Winter is where you change the foundation, not chase quick fixes.

Straightness Isn’t About Perfection — It’s a Lifelong Pursuit

Every horse has a dominant side.
Just like humans are right- or left-handed, horses naturally load one side more than the other.

Straightness isn’t about making crookedness disappear.
It’s a lifelong pursuit of symmetry — helping your horse move as evenly and efficiently as possible, with minimal compensation.

Just like Pilates in humans, the aim isn’t perfection.
It’s about improving strength, balance, coordination, and body awareness so movement becomes more supported and less stressful on the system.

We do this by activating the weaker areas, while mobilising and rebalancing the compensating patterns, allowing all parts of the body to begin working more equally together.

Over time, this approach helps reduce overload, protect vulnerable areas, and support long-term soundness — rather than constantly chasing or masking problems.

Why “Long & Low” Should Be the Result — Not the Aim

This is something I see again and again.

Riders trying to create long and low, instead of training the body that allows it to be easy and become default.

True long and low isn’t a posture you put your horse into.
It’s a reflection of strength, balance, and straightness.

When the topline is weak, the core isn’t supporting movement, or the horse is compensating through one shoulder or hip, good posture has to be 'created' — and it never truly lasts.

When the body is trained correctly, long and low becomes the default, not the reward.

January Is the Time to Decide How You Want This Year to Feel

If you’re honest, you probably don’t want another year of:

• Guessing what exercises to do

• Jumping between ideas

• Wondering if you’re helping or just managing symptoms

January is an invitation to do things differently.

To move away from isolated exercises…
And towards a clear, progressive approach that supports your horse’s whole body over time.

Training With Structure Changes Everything

When posture, crookedness, strength, mobility, and movement are addressed in the right order, things start to feel clearer:

• Your horse moves more evenly

• Warm-ups feel more effective

• Work feels calmer and more connected

• Progress becomes noticeable and sustainable

This is where a guided pathway makes all the difference.

Your Next Step

If you’re ready to support your horse with structure, progression, and expert guidance, the
Strength & Straightness Programme brings everything together in one place.

It’s designed to help you:

• Understand your horse’s posture and crookedness

• Build strength and coordination progressively

• Train movement patterns that support long-term soundness

• Feel confident you’re working with your horse’s body, not against it

👉 Explore the Strength & Straightness Programme here: CLICK HERE

If you’d prefer a smaller starting point, the Core Exercises for Your Horse course is a supportive foundation to begin building strength and awareness before stepping into the full programme.

👉 Start with Core Exercises here: CLICK HERE