In this article, I will show you the common stretches that can be performed before and after you ride to help prevent knee pain when riding.
It’s important to note that Riding itself doesn’t cause knee pain, it simply highlights an underlying issue. If you haven’t already, check out my article on the causes of knee pain in horse riders.
Overview of Causes of Knee Pain in RidersThe most common reason for knee pain in horse riders is due to muscular tension around the quadriceps. The quadriceps tendon runs over the knee cap and attaches just below.
Tightness in the hamstrings can also cause knee pain because the hamstring tendons run over the back of the knee and attach to the lower leg bones (tibia & fibular).
Because the tendons run over the knee joint they can cause pressure which makes it feel like there is a problem with the knee itself. Actual knee issues such as arthritis can be officially diagnosed by an MRI or X-Ray.
When a rider experiences knee pain when riding and/or generally the most common reaction is to limit movement and exercises. This can actually contribute to the pain you are experiencing and over time, make it worse.
Even if you have a confirmed diagnosis of arthritis in the knees. Not stretching and exercising will contribute to the pain you are experiencing.
Stretches to Prevent Knee Pain when Riding
Is it really just 2 stretches? yes! stretching out the quadriceps and hamstrings before and after riding will really help you reduce knee pain when in the saddle. If you can do these stretches daily to, whether you ride or not, then you will experience less and less pain in the knees overall.
Quadricep Stretch
There are two versions of the quadriceps stretch. There is a basic stretch for those that really struggle with their range of movement and a more advanced stretch for those that have good mobility.
Both stretches are highly effective.
Option 1 – Easier
Hold for 30 seconds on each leg
Place a hand on the wall/fence or use a broom to balance yourself.
Keep your standing leg soft at the knee (not locked out)
Bend the knee behind and grasp the front of your foot (or use a lead rope/band to help you)
Gently pull the foot towards your bottom
Make sure that your upper body remains as straight as possible
Avoid tilting the pelvis
Option 2 – Harder
Hold for 30 seconds on each leg
Place the front of your foot on a mounting block, low wall, or bench (about 1meter high)
Rest on a broom or stick in front of your body, to help balance yourself.
Slowly bend your standing knee so you dip downwards keeping the bent knee pointing downwards
Go as low as you can comfortably until you feel the stretch in the front of your bent leg
Make sure that your upper body remains as straight as possible
Avoid tilting the pelvis
Hamstring Stretch
Again there are two versions. An easier one for those that have a limited range of movement in their hip and a stretch for those with greater mobility. If you don’t feel the stretch in the back of your leg, the hamstrings, move back and forth slightly, gently, till you do. Everyone is different so you may just need to ‘adjust’ yourself slightly.
Option 1 – Easier
Hold for 30 seconds on each leg
Place one foot around 1meter in front of your body
Keep the back leg soft at the knee (not locked out)
Rest on a broom or stick to the side of your body, to help balance yourself.
Bend forward from the hip, keeping your back straight throughout
Keep foot flat on the floor or lift the toes to intensify the stretch
Option 2 – Harder
Hold for 30 seconds on each leg
Place the heel of your foot on a mounting block, low wall or bench
Keep the chest high
Keep the back leg soft at the knee (not locked out)
Rest on a broom or stick to the side of your body, to help balance yourself.
Bend forward from the hip, keeping your back straight throughout
Keep the leg straight to feel the stretch closer to the knee
Bend the knee and bend forward from the hip to feel the stretch closer to your bottom
The Golden Rule for Horses and their Riders
The golden rule of horse rider welfare and fitness, as well as horses, is ‘Lengthen, Strengthen, REPEAT. When a horse gets a muscular/tendon injury. They must of course rest first then lengthen the muscle/tendon and strengthen over time. Lengthening can be therapy and/or walking in hand to start and is built up over time. Gradually increasing the time, intensity, and complexity (such as different terrain, up and down hills, pole work, in hand core work). This rehab work is done to ensure that the muscle/tendon can deal with the demand of being a horse and riding/competing, if applicable.
For riders, we typically spend the majority of our life sitting, standing, or moving with short strides. This causes the muscles in the legs to become shortened and tight. When muscles become shortened and tight they pull on the tendons that attach to the tibia bone.
You can learn more about how muscles can cause knee pain 👉 HERE
How to Prevent Knee Pain when Riding
Being active by walking the dog, doing yard duties etc do not use your muscles or joints through their full range. It is important to perform exercises that condition your muscles within their full abilities to prevent issues from arising.
Whilst stretching these muscles will help to elevate pain/discomfort caused by tight muscle tendons pressing on the knee joint it will take time. To alleviate it quicker you should consider strengthening exercises. This will also help to prevent knee pain when riding, and in general, long term.
Do you suffer from Rider Knee Pain during and/or after time in the saddle? Or perhaps you suffer from knee pain every day and riding makes it worse? In this article, I am going to explain some reasons why you may be suffering and how you can determine the cause and manage the pain.
Causes of Knee Pain
Causes of knee pain include arthritis, strained ligaments, tendonitis, and muscular tightness. You could have any of these that are more noticeable through riding but riding itself doesn’t cause knee pain.
Arthritis
There are 3 types of Arthritis:
Osteoarthritis
This is the most common of the types. Osteoarthritis wears down the cartilage which is the cushioning between the bones in your knee joint. Without the cartilage, the bones rub together which causes pain, stiffness and restricts movement.
Post-Traumatic Arthritis
Following a trauma like a break or an impact. The cartilage starts to thin and the bones rub together and cause the same symptoms as Osteoarthritis. It may be years after the trauma before you notice.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is an autoimmune disease where your unhealthy immune system triggers inflammation in your joints even though there is no need for the body to do so. It believes there is an infection, an injury or a foreign invader when there is not.
When you believe you have arthritis you will visit the doctor who will check if the joint is swollen/inflamed, the range of movement and ask a number of questions. The one key point to remember is.
To diagnose arthritis of the knee officially, you will need an X-Ray and/or MRI.
You cannot diagnose without. It is an assumption.
Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is a piece of connective tissue that sits below the thigh bone (femur) in the knee joint. It acts as a shock absorber and enhances the stability of the joint. They are often caused by sharp sudden changes in direction such as in football or running. The cartlidge also thins as we age.
In a meniscus tear, you will often experience intermittent knee pain which can be sharp. This is because when you bend and straighten the leg the flap of the tear can get caught on the knee bone. Sometimes it will stay caught for a period of time which causes constant pain until the flap returns. Other times the flap just ‘flicks’ as the knee bends and straightens which causes the sharp shooting pain. Not always, but you may also experience swelling.
There are a number of movement tests that can be performed to assess if you have a meniscus tear although these are not reliable as the tests may not move the flap at that given time. Similar to arthritis. The only way to know for sure is to have an X-ray or MRI
Ligament Sprain
Similar to a meniscus tear, you can strain your knee ligaments by sudden changes in directions, twisting of the knee, or over-reaching. A sprain may also be caused by impact.
There are 4 ligaments within the knee joint.
Posterior cruciate Ligament (PCL) - Controls backward movement of the shin bone
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) - Controls rotation and forward movement of the shin bone
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) - Provides stability to the inner knee
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) - Provides stability to the outer knee
Tendonitis
When a tendon becomes inflamed it causes swelling, pain, and discomfort. There are many causes of tendonitis such as strain, overuse, injury, or too much exercise. To determine if you have tendonitis a doctor will take a small amount of fluid from the joint to test. Tendonitis can occur anywhere in the body but for the knee to be affected it is normally associated with those that run or cycle long distances and those that play jumping sports such as basketball where the force of hitting the grounds strains the tendon.
Muscular Tightness
The quadriceps tendon (front of thigh) sits over your kneecap and your hamstring (back of thigh) attaches to the back of the knee
When these muscles, either individually or separately, become tight. The muscle shortens pulling the tendon taut across the joint which applies pressure to the knee area. This pressure can make it feel like the issue is within the knee itself. Inflammation doesn’t usually occur from muscular tightness but it is possible. Especially if you have tight muscles and riding is aggravating those tight muscles.
Tightness in the quadriceps and hamstrings can occur in many ways. Such as being inactive, sitting for long periods of time. Repetitive exercises which target these areas but are never stretched/massaged.
Muscular tightness can be assessed formally by Soft Tissue Therapist.
How Do you Find out Why You Have Knee Pain?
As you can see from the possible causes above the knee pain symptoms you may be experiencing are all similar. If you are concerned that it is possibly anything other than muscular tightness then go to your doctor and ask for an X-ray or MRI. There are other methods but these are the most common. Such tests are the only way you will know for sure.
Assuming that the doctor has cleared you, muscular tightness may be the cause of your knee pain. A Sports or Soft Tissue therapist can identify which muscles may be causing you the issues.
Alleviating Knee Pain
In case you have tendonitis then you will need to reduce activities and reduce the inflammation by applying an ice compression. If it doesn’t improve your doctor may discuss steroid injections or surgery. Because of its nature, you will need to be guided by your doctor and work with them until the issue is resolved. Be strong and if you are not getting answers. Ask them to refer you to a specialist.
If the cause of your knee pain is arthritis or muscular tightness the best way to manage pain is to actually lengthen the muscles surrounding the knee joint through stretching and massage and improve the strength in your legs. The more you move, the better it will become. Having regular Sports massage or Soft Tissue therapy (not holistic massage) will also improve the tightness in the muscles as well as aid recovery in the muscle fibers.
You can of course take pain relievers and anti-inflammatories but on the understanding that this will simply mask the problems. It will not solve them.
Will Riding Make my Knee Pain Worse?
As mentioned above. Riding doesn’t cause knee pain but it will highlight that there is an underlying issue. Without knowing what that underlying issue is and then dealing with it then yes. Riding will make the knee pain worse.
The truth is many riders don’t know the real reason for their knee pain. It has not formally been diagnosed, rather just ‘labeled’. When you have tight leg muscles and/or arthritis of the knee then not exercising and having regular sports massage only makes it worse over time. Riding will become more and more uncomfortable.
Read our next article to learn how to Prevent Knee Pain when Riding
An equestrian workout is exercise aimed to specifically improve your riding. Using a range of variety to help ‘condition’ the rider’s body for the sport.
An equestrian workout is different from general fitness. Being fit generally means having the ability to perform everyday tasks with ease.
Whilst any form of fitness is beneficial, there is a difference between being fit and fit to ride. For you to become a conditioned rider you must train the muscles riders use, in the variety of ways the muscles operate when in the saddle.
What is an Equestrian Workout - And Why It Matters
Sports like horse riding, at any level and in any discipline, require the rider to have the appropriate strength, mobility, and awareness to meet the demands of the sport.
An equestrian workout is designed specifically to prepare your body for those demands — not just to improve general fitness, but to improve how your body actually functions in the saddle.
Because there is more to riding than simply not being out of breath.
Riding requires coordination, balance, control, and the ability to move your limbs independently while maintaining stability. This is what allows you to communicate clearly and effectively with your horse.
Unfortunately, activities like running, cycling, or yoga — while beneficial for general fitness — do not provide the full stimulus needed to support riding. They don’t train the specific movement patterns, control, or muscle coordination that an equestrian workout develops.
What Does an Equestrian Workout Actually Do?
An equestrian workout focuses on conditioning the muscles and systems your body relies on when you ride.
This includes developing:
Muscular strength
Cardiovascular fitness
Mobility
Coordination and reaction
Muscle recruitment (how muscles work together)
This is what rider conditioning really is — using targeted exercise to improve how your body performs in the saddle, not just how it looks or feels off it.
Why Riders Need Equestrian Workouts Specifically
Whether you are a leisure rider or a competitor, following a structured equestrian workout approach is important — not just for you, but for your horse.
Horse riding requires multiple muscle groups to work together to keep you balanced, stable, and aligned without collapsing or relying on the horse for support.
Without this, riders often compensate by:
Pulling on the reins
Gripping with the knees or thighs
Collapsing during transitions
Losing balance in the saddle
These are not conscious choices — they are physical responses to a body that isn’t fully prepared for the demands of riding.
If your body hasn’t been conditioned correctly, it can also lead to:
Slower progress in your riding
Increased fatigue
Aches and pains after riding
An effective equestrian workout helps prevent this by preparing your body to meet those demands properly.
How Your Body Affects Your Horse
When you are not in control of your body, it directly impacts your horse.
It can lead to:
One-sidedness
Uneven muscle development
Tension or soreness
If you collapse during a transition, your body will instinctively try to stabilise itself. Most riders do this by gripping or using the reins.
This is a natural reaction — but it is not an effective one.
To stabilise correctly, your body needs coordinated activation from multiple muscles, including:
Glute medius
Transversus abdominis
Multifidus
Obliques
Diaphragm
Erector spinae
This level of control doesn’t happen automatically. It requires targeted training — which is exactly what an equestrian workout develops.
Why General Fitness Isn’t Enough
One of the biggest misconceptions is that general fitness translates directly to riding.
It doesn’t.
Running improves cardio but not rider-specific strength
Yoga improves mobility but not control or stability under load
Cycling builds strength but limits mobility and coordination
Each form of exercise has benefits — but none of them fully prepare your body for riding on their own.
An equestrian workout bridges that gap by combining all the elements you need in a way that directly transfers to the saddle.
How to Build an Effective Equestrian Workout Routine
To become properly conditioned for riding, your training needs to develop:
Strength to maintain posture
Coordination so muscles work together
Cardio fitness to sustain performance
Mobility for independent movement
You can achieve this by combining different types of exercise — for example:
Strength training + mobility work
Cardio + coordination-based training
But the key is not just doing more — it’s doing the right type of work.
That’s what makes an equestrian workout different.
It is structured, specific, and designed to improve how your body performs when you ride.
The Bottom Line
Riding well places a significant demand on your body.
If your body isn’t prepared for that demand, it will compensate — and those compensations are what show up in your riding.
An equestrian workout doesn’t just make you fitter.
It improves your control, your balance, your communication, and ultimately, your partnership with your horse.
Because better riding isn’t just about what you do in the saddle.
It’s about what your body is capable of producing when you’re in it.
Start Understanding Your Body First
If you want to improve your riding, the first step isn’t doing more — it’s understanding what your body is currently doing and why.
✔ What I look for when assessing riders ✔ How your movement patterns affect your riding ✔ Why your body responds the way it does in the saddle
Ready for a Structured Equestrian Workout?
If you’re ready to go beyond awareness and start improving how your body actually performs in the saddle, my rider-specific programs are designed to give you that structure.
These are not generic workouts. They are targeted equestrian workouts built to improve:
✔ Strength ✔ Stability ✔ Coordination ✔ Balance ✔ Control
Clare Gangadeen is the founder of horse rider fitness business RiderCise®. In this blog, she takes us all the way back to 2012 when a nasty fall changed her life forever.
I have loved horses and riding since I was a little girl, so it was a dream come true when I finally bought the horse of my dreams in 2012. Annick is a beautiful Friesian mare with huge expressive paces and the most incredible nature. I was so excited about our future partnership. As a fit and experienced rider, I didn’t foresee what was going to happen next.
A scary fall that lead to some reflection…
Annick became scared of a flapping label on a back protector I was trying. I had left the label on to return it, should the protector catch on the cantle of my saddle. Being only a green 5-year-old, she took off around the school with such power and speed. I lost my balance due to her sheer power, scaring her even more and causing her to go faster. My saddle slipped which caused her to start bucking, and I hit the ground with enormous force. As she travelled past me, she kicked me with her hind on the peak of my hat. She only missed my face by centimetres.
Winded from the impact of hitting the floor, I got to my hands and knees and tried to breathe. I looked at Annick who was standing by the gate looking back at me which fear, concern and confusion.
Annick wasn’t at fault, I knew that I was responsible for not being in better control of my body. Had I been better balanced and stable, I could have reacted better to her spooking at the label. That means I wouldn’t have contributed to her fear, which provoked her more.
As a fitness specialist, I’ve spent years working on myself to ensure I was strong, lean and had an aesthetic look to my body. However, I wasn’t conditioning myself with riding in mind. I wasn’t holding up to my side of the partnership.
The fall not only shattered my confidence but lead me to question my abilities as a rider. I clearly was not as rider fit as I thought I was.
Could being ‘rider fit’ have helped?
The muscles we use for riding are different from those used in other popular fitness activities and sports. Of course. It’s far better to be a rider who goes for the occasional jog or spin class than do nothing at all. But being rider fit requires strength, balance and mobility to independently move your body in the way the riding requires. No single form of exercise offers that.
Riding, at any level and in any discipline is demanding. It requires the individual to be sensitive, yet reactive to an independent dynamic animal. No other sport requires that. When we ride we need to be in control of our bodies. To communicate effectively yet gently. To react to response, immediately. And to act as a partner, not a hindrance.
Not only does rider fitness improve your riding ability and performance. It also helps protect the rider against the severity of injuries that can occur, if the horse suddenly spooks, stops, spins or bolts!
“I know that the one thing my unfocused training had provided was. It prepared my muscles, ligaments and joints to deal with external stress. Other than suffering concussion for 10+days I didn’t have any sprains, bruising or bone breaks.“
A rare combination of riding and fitness expertise
As a personal trainer and soft tissue therapist with over 15 years of experience in the fitness industry. It was only natural that my thoughts turned to rider fitness. I know the benefits of being fit. But I also know first-hand the difference of being ‘Rider Fit’.
I founded RiderCise®to help riders become the rider they want to be. Like I wanted to be that moment I saw Annick staring back at me from the gate. I’ve tapped into everything I know from my background in the fitness industry with expertise from my riding journey. And that of the coaches and instructors I’ve worked with and learned from.
“I truly believe that you need the rare combination of true fitness expertise and an understanding of the role of the rider to create targeted rider fitness workouts. And that’s where I come in!“
How RiderCise has Changed My Life
I am not an elite rider. I am not a professional rider. But I do consider myself to be on a journey to becoming the rider I want to be. Through rider fitness, I have learned to control my body to allow me to feel. I feel when my horse needs more or less from me. I know when I need to allow them to find their way. And when I need to guide them. I am able to ride independently with softness and balance. So that they may find theirs.
This is not something that has happened overnight but something I have worked on every since founding RiderCise. By working the muscles that I use in the saddle, on the ground. I have developed the strength I need to control my body. The awareness of how I am riding to correct myself. I have become a better rider.
I have developed rider skills. Skills that I want to pass on to every rider, across the world. No matter where you are on your journey. You can improve with the RiderCise workouts.
Rider Fitness Workouts – On Demand
Every Rider Fitness Workout I design has the objective of helping a rider improve their riding. For them and their horses to be able to enjoy riding with ease. Reduce riding aches and pains. And boost performance.
As a rider and owner I know how much time horses take up. But I also know how important rider fitness is, to all riders. Horse owners are some of the busiest people around. They’re often juggling jobs, families and an all-consuming passion with the occasional snippet of downtime! I get that.
RiderCise On Demand allows riders to follow along with me. In the comfort of their home. On any device with an internet connection. Anywhere in the world. This makes rider fitness truly accessible for everyone.
My aim is for riders to take as good care of themselves as they do their horse. RiderCise® changed my life forever. Will you rise to the challenge and allow RiderCise® to change your life?
I would love to hear your views so do not hesitate to contact us. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest. And don’t forget to content follow our Social profiles on Facebook, and Instagram.
Working out how many calories you need is fairly straightforward. There are many calculators available online that will help you do this quickly and easily.
It’s important to point out first that in order to succeed at changing your calories to meet a goal you have to understand exactly where you are currently. The reason being is if you are consuming way more calories than you should be then cutting them drastically suddenly means you could be setting yourself up for failure.
I only recommend cutting calories drastically and suddenly when you have the professional guidance and support of a coach who knows what they are doing. Not only to make sure that the new calorie/macro amounts are sufficient for you. But many underestimate the emotional and mental effect cutting calories can have.
Calorie Baseline
To set yourself up for success it is important to acknowledge and accept:
You are making a lifestyle change, not dieting
In order to make a lifestyle change, you need to learn the values of food
You have to understand what you are currently consuming
Changes should be made gradually so it’s achievable
If you can accept the above then you are well on your way to losing fat, forever! If you don’t yet know what you are consuming each day then I highly recommend you start here:
Once you have a good understanding of what you are consuming, it should paint a clearer picture of where you may be going wrong. Now let’s look at how you go about adjusting your input (food) to smash your fat loss goals.
What is BMR
BMR = Basal metabolic rate: is the total number of calories that your body needs to perform basic, life-sustaining functions. These functions include breathing, circulation, cell production, nutrient processing, protein synthesis, and ion transport. All that before you have even gotten out of bed, let alone fed the horses!
To find out your BMR you calculate your height, weight, age, and gender. It does not take into account lean body mass and the amount of fat vs muscle you have so using this method will be very accurate if you don’t have lots of fat or muscle. If you do, it is a good starting point if you just want a rough idea.
Men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
Women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161
So, let’s take me as an example:
I weigh 68kg, 161cm tall and 37years
680 (10 x 68kg) + 1006.25 (6.25 x 161cm) – 185 (5 x 37) – 161 = 1340.25 BMR
You can use this calculator to figure your BMR if you would prefer – it is much easier.
Once you have your BMR number, let’s move on to the next number you need.
What is TDEE
TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure: is an estimation of the total number of calories you burn per day on top of your BMR through activities and exercise. It also includes energy spent on digesting foods known as TEF and general movements known as NEAT.
I would say at this point, understand it but don’t get too caught up in it. Keep it simple for now.
There are a few ways to calculate your TDEE but I am going to keep it simple:
Status
Description
TDEE Number
Sedentary
Not riding and a desk job
1.2 x BMR
Lightly active
Riding 1 – 3 days per week
1.375 x BMR
Moderately active
Riding 1-2 horses, 3 – 4 days per week
1.55 x BMR
Very active
Riding Several Horses per day, 5 – 6 days/ week – Actively Competing Regularly / Exercising
1.725 x BMR
Extremely active
Riding Several Horses per day, 5+ days per week – Actively Competing Regularly / Exercising /Active Job
1.9 x BMR
KEY INFORMATION – We all tend to think we do more than we do! Be conservative with your TDEE for true success.
The Magic Calorie Number
Now that you have your BMR and your TDEE you can calculate how many calories a day you need to lose body fat. To lose body fat, you must consume less than you expend.
Calories needed per day for maintenance: BMR x TDEE
Using me as an example again:
I go to the gym 6 days a week for a minimum of 2 hours and I ride two horses 4-6 times a week for about 45mins each in addition to working as a Personal Trainer and Soft Tissue Therapist, I can spend lots of time on my feet so I would be extremely active.
My TDEE Calculation is: 1340.25 BMR x 1.9 = 2546 calories per day
Start with taking 200 calories from your TDEE per day.
If you want to be more aggressive then take 500 calories
Remember: If you cut calories drastically and suddenly it is less sustainable. Your mental willpower will give before your body does. I STRONGLY urge you to go for a lower number, making it more achievable.
I always prefer to underestimate that be generous when calculating this. Going forwards and increasing calories is much easier than going backward and decreasing them!
Calories needed per day for fat loss: BMX x TDEE – 200 calories = The Magic Calorie Number
Using me as an example again:
TDEE Calculation is: 1340.25 BMR x 1.9 = 2546 calories per day
How do I split the calories between the macros
If you remember my post about Body Types, it provides you with a macro ideal based on your body type.
But as I have said in my blog – The Truth about Dieting the majority of people will respond to a balanced diet of all macros
Ectomorphs: A ratio of roughly 50% of calories should be from good carbs (not sugars) and 25% from both protein and fats.
Endomorphs: A rough ratio of 30% of calories should be from carbs and 35% for both protein and fat.
Mesomorph: An equal ratio of 1/3 Protein, Carbs, and Fat but this needs to be adjusted depending on you feel and look over a period of time – 1-2months
Get in Touch
I would love to hear your views so do not hesitate to contact us, subscribe to our newsletter for free, or click here to get in contact for any questions or queries you may have. Keep up to date with the latest content by following our Social profiles on Facebook, and Instagram.
