The 10-Minute Daily Habit That Can Add Years to Your Horse’s Comfort
The 10-Minute Daily Habit That Can Add Years to Your Horse’s Comfort
Because if the core isn't working… the joints are paying the price.
If your horse has been through rehab… or if you’re managing ongoing issues like stiffness, weakness, or poor posture… you’ve likely been told: “He’s sound, just start gently.”
But here’s the truth no one talks about:
👉 Sound isn’t the same as strong.
👉 Pain-free isn’t the same as prepared.
👉 And without daily core activation, your horse’s body is being asked to do things it’s not ready for.
What happens when you don’t strengthen the core?
Even low-level activity can quietly wear down your horse’s body when the deep support system isn’t firing. You get:
Overloaded joints
Recurrent soreness
Compensations and crookedness
And eventually... breakdown
Most horses compensate incredibly well — until they can’t.
That’s why I always begin with core work.
Even before riding. Even before full turnout. Even before in-hand rehab walks.
Horses are often locked in the core
I’ve worked with rehab horses for over a decade, and the same pattern shows up again and again — including in my own horse, Azuro, who went through rehab after kissing spine surgery.
💬 The vast majority of horses I work with are “locked in the core.”
That means their stabilising system isn’t working properly. They’re holding tension through their body, bracing through their middle, and relying on compensatory muscles to stay upright and keep moving.
And the result?
They lose freedom of movement, their posture gets worse, their backs get sore, and everything becomes harder.
That’s why core mobilisation and activation is always my Step 1.
It lays the groundwork for everything else — movement, strength, comfort, healing.
Want a human comparison?
It’s the difference between dragging yourself through a ride feeling stiff, disconnected and sore afterwards, vs. what it feels like after a few months of regular Pilates.
You’re stronger, more supple, more switched on. You move better, breathe better, ride better — because your support system is doing its job.
That’s what we want for our horses.
Why daily core work matters more than a monthly massage
Think of it like this:
You wouldn’t rehab a human athlete from injury and send them back into sport without doing stabilising work, right?
Yet we expect horses to be comfortable, straight, strong, and pain-free… without engaging the system that supports all of that.
💡 That’s where a daily core routine — done on the ground, in just a few minutes — becomes your game-changer.
The key benefits?
✅ Activates the muscles that protect joints and support posture
✅ Mobilises tight areas to allow for better range and ease
✅ Improves balance and body awareness
✅ Gives you real-time feedback — a daily check-in for what’s normal or off
✅ Supports healing and makes everything else you’re doing more effective
This is how you create a body that can hold the results of rehab.
And it's how you give your horse the chance to feel genuinely good in their movement — not just “not in pain.”
How to get started
I teach a short, structured core routine in my online course:
Core Exercises for Your Horse
It’s designed for everyday use — no equipment, no arena needed. Just a few minutes and some consistent attention.
💡 This is a routine where you put your horse’s joints through their range of movement, while also mobilising the entire neck, trunk, and pelvis — activating the system that supports every step, every stride, every stretch.
This is the habit I use with every rehab case — and the one I wish every horse owner knew about sooner.
Because strength doesn’t just create performance.
It creates comfort.
It creates confidence.
And it creates long-term soundness — the kind your horse deserves.
