Top Equestrian Fitness Plan Resources

If you’ve ever finished a long riding lesson or, weekend horse show, or maybe a weeklong trail ride you know just how tired your muscles feel. It is no surprise since as all equestrians know riding isn’t just about the horse, it’s about the rider too! A strong, balanced, and flexible body makes riding smoother, safer, and way more fun. That’s where having an equestrian fitness plan comes in.

But don’t worry, this isn’t about making you run endless laps. It’s about finding workouts that match what riders really need: balance, core stability, flexibility, and endurance. Luckily, there are lots of amazing trainers, programs, and websites that have created rider-specific fitness plans. I’ve rounded up some of the best so you can explore and find what works for you.

As always I am still not a medical professional, physical therapist, or personal trainer so always discuss your workouts with the professionals and make sure you are only following advice from qualified people.

Free online & Printable equestrian Fitness Plans

If you’re excited to start building your own equestrian fitness plan but want something simple you can use right away, there are a few great free printables and challenges available online. These are perfect to print out and stick in your tack trunk or hang up at home so you can follow along without needing to be on your phone.

Here are some free rider fitness plans you can grab today:

• EquiYoga Free 7-Day Rider Fitness Challenge: A printable challenge combining yoga and fitness exercises designed specifically for equestrians.
• Horse Learner Fitness Free 7-Day Core Activation Challenge: A week-long printable program to strengthen your core for better balance in the saddle.
• Dressage Rider Training Free Rider Fitness Guide: Nicola Smith’s rider fitness guide includes exercises and a printable outline designed for equestrians.

Common Elements in an Equestrian Fitness Plan

While each of these resources offers something different, most rider fitness plans include:

• Core strength work (planks, Pilates, and stability exercises)
• Lower body strength (squats, lunges, bridges)
• Balance training (yoga, stability balls, balance boards)
• Flexibility and mobility (especially for hips and shoulders)
• Endurance/cardio (to help with stamina in long lessons or shows)

Strathorn Farm

Image from Strathorn Farm.

Strathorn Farm has a really great article on equestrian fitness, how to build a fitness plan, and even a free 6 week equestrian workout plan. They give insight into different cardio, upper body, lower body, core, and even some stretching exercises. 

Plus they discuss what muscles are important to horseback riding, why the muscles are important, and they give you videos on how to do some of the exercises so that you have a reference when doing your workout.

Price: Free

10 Free Rider Specific Exercises To Improve Your Riding

Image from Amalia Dempsey

Okay so it isn't a printable fitness plan but it is 10 Free Rider Specific Exercises To Improve Your Riding! These exercises are from Amalia Dempsey (who also has a paid 8 week rider exercise program if you like her exercise content). While you can't see the exercises until you sign up she does tell you what each one helps with. For example exercise one is about improving your lower leg while exercise 7 is to improve your shoulder position and posture. 

Her focus appears to be on rider biomechanics and helping equestrians understand how their body moves while you ride. It looks like a great way to get some rider specific exercises to build into your fitness plan or to build an equestrian fitness plan around.

                                                                  Price: Free

Equestrian Fitness 

Image from Equestrian Fitness

Don't want to mess around with a free equestrian workout plan or trying to put together your own horseback rider fitness plan? If so you might want to check out EquestrianFitness. There is a 4 week program, 12 week program, and 1:1 coaching available. 

Each program offers a range of benefits besides just scheduled workouts such as meal inspiration, access to the EQF community for support, and a free habit/workout tracker. 

Price: Depends on the plan you choose

Train With Shelby

Image from Train With Shelby

Train With Shelby offers a range of fitness programs along with group coaching option and a 1:1 training option. The programs include rider yoga, rider fit, body in balance, fit + strong, and bosu balance so chances are there will be something to fit your needs. The really nice thing about the programs is that it tells you if they are bodyweight or not and for what level they are designed for so you can feel more confident in your selection.

Price: Depends on what option you go with

WeHorse

Image from WeHorse

WeHorse is a great online platform that brings you pretty much everything horse related. Whether you are looking for equestrian workouts, movement awareness training, tips to refine your aids, or something completely different like groundwork with your horse, Masterson Method, in hand work, etc they probably have a video on it. 

Having such a range is so smart because you aren't just paying for a workout plan instead you are paying for a huge range of resources to help you improve your fitness and learn new horsemanship skills.

Price: Free 7 day trial - then around $30/month or about $215/year

Johanna J Equestrian Physio

Image from @johannajequestrianphysio YouTube channel

I came across Johanna J Equestrian Physio recently when researching this article and she has a ton of great stuff. No she doesn't seem to have an equestrian fitness plan per say but she has YouTube videos, a free 6 week riding position challenge, a free eBook to improve your riding seat, and online coaching/classes although it looks like she hasn't started the classes yet. Overall it definitely looks like there are some great free resources you can use to add to your current horseback rider fitness plan or to start creating one.

The eBook appears to be a separate link so I put both the link to her website (above) and link to the eBook (below).

Price: Free eBook, YouTube videos, and 6 week challenge - with paid coaching and classes

Equitopia

Image from Equitopia of some of their popular courses

Equitopia is an amazing educational platform dedicated to horse and rider wellness. I definitely think out of all the platforms out there that they are the ones bringing the latest equine related findings whether it is basic care, saddle fitting, developing horses for riding etc. They have a whole series of online equine courses, most of which are less rider focused, but there are some that focus on riders physical and emotional states.

Price: Have a $9.95/month or $99.95/year

Amanda Wilson Training

Image from Amanda Wilson Training

Amanda Wilson Training offers a series of courses that cover a wide range of topics such as body control work, foal handling, and body language when riding. In her course signup page she also mentions gaining insight into the sports psychology of riding which is a very important part of rider fitness that sometimes gets overlooked. 

She also offers a range of clinics if you want to work with her in person.

Price: $24/month with 3 month minimum

Building Your Rider Fitness Journey

Creating an equestrian fitness plan doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym—it just means being intentional about building strength, balance, and flexibility to support your riding. The resources above give you plenty of options, whether you want a structured program, a personal coach, or free workouts you can try at home.

Remember, every rider’s journey looks a little different. The most important thing is to find a fitness plan that feels fun, fits your life, and helps you feel more confident in the saddle.

So, which of these resources are you going to explore first? Maybe Amalia Dempsey’s 8-week plan, some fun free videos from Evention TV, or a structured online course from Equitopia. Whatever you choose, you’ll be taking steps toward becoming a stronger, healthier, and happier rider.