How rider fitness, balance and position affect equine spinal welfare and what riders can do to minimise their mechanical impact.
Rider fitness and equine back welfare are directly connected in ways that the equestrian world has historically been reluctant to acknowledge fully. An unfit, unbalanced or asymmetric rider places mechanical demands on the horse's musculoskeletal system that cause pain and resistance which are then often attributed to the horse rather than the rider's position. The welfare-appropriate response to resistance, asymmetric movement and reluctance to work in a ridden horse includes assessment of rider position and fitness alongside equipment, dental and veterinary examination. Riders who invest in their own fitness and balance training are making a welfare investment in their horse as well as a performance investment in themselves.