My post-riding routine for loosening hips and back

By the time I bring Archie back to the float after a full day of riding, my body usually feels as if it has been holding one long, careful brace. A dressage test asks for quiet control, show jumping keeps me alert through every landing, and cross-country adds hills, uneven ground and plenty of gripping with the legs. I enjoy the work, though my hips and lower back often remind me about it later.

My stretching routine is simple enough to do beside the arena, at home, or in a motel room after travelling to a competition. It takes about fifteen minutes when I am tired and a little longer when I have time to settle properly. I focus on breathing, gentle movement and releasing the muscles that have spent hours stabilising me in the saddle.

This is a personal recovery habit rather than a treatment plan. I never force a stretch, bounce into a position or try to push through sharp pain. If something feels unusual or keeps returning, I would speak with a qualified physiotherapist, preferably one who understands riders and the demands of equestrian sport. The aim is to feel more comfortable after riding, not to win a flexibility contest.

I start with easy movement

I do not stretch the moment I dismount. First, I walk Archie, help him cool down and finish the ordinary post-ride jobs: removing tack, checking his legs, offering water and putting everything away. That gentle walking gives my own body time to come out of riding mode. I often take a slow lap around the grounds while he grazes, which works well after a competition when both of us need a quiet reset.

Once I am ready, I spend two or three minutes moving rather than holding a position. I roll my shoulders backwards, swing my arms loosely and walk with a slightly longer stride. Then I make small pelvic tilts while standing, gently tucking and releasing my tailbone. These movements help me notice where I am stiff without asking cold muscles to stretch deeply.

At home, I might put the kettle on and move around the kitchen before getting down on the mat. In Australia, a post-ride arvo can be hot enough that I am still flushed after packing the float, particularly at venues inland from Sydney or Melbourne. In that situation, I drink water first and wait until my breathing has settled.

Releasing the hips after hours in the saddle

My hips usually need the most attention. Riding keeps them bent for long periods, and I can become quite fixed through the front of the hip without realising it. I begin with a half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch: one knee rests on a folded towel, the other foot is in front, and I keep my spine tall. I gently draw my pelvis underneath me before shifting forward a small amount.

The important part is keeping the movement modest. If I arch my lower back to chase a bigger stretch, I am usually compensating rather than opening the hip. I hold the position for around twenty to thirty seconds on each side, breathing slowly, then ease out and repeat once if it still feels useful. The sensation should sit across the front of the hip and upper thigh, never as a pinch deep inside the joint.

After that, I use a seated figure-four stretch. Sitting on the floor or the edge of a firm bench, I place one ankle across the opposite thigh and hinge forward from the hips. I keep my back long instead of collapsing towards the leg. This targets the outer hip and gluteal muscles, which can feel tight after lots of transitions, jumping efforts or a day spent riding defensively on a fresh horse.

I change the position slightly depending on the day. After a flatwork session, the front of my hips may be the issue. After cross-country schooling, my glutes and outer hips often feel more worked, especially if the course has steep slopes or deep going. The stretch is the same basic shape, but I stay longer where I feel the most useful release.

A gentle sequence for the back

For my back, I prefer controlled mobility over long, intense holds. I start on hands and knees with a few slow cat-cow movements, moving from a comfortable rounded spine into a gentle extension. I coordinate the movement with my breathing and keep my elbows soft. This helps loosen the whole spine after holding my trunk steady in the saddle without trying to crack anything.

Next comes a child’s-pose variation. I sit my hips back towards my heels and reach my hands forward, then walk my hands slightly to the left and right to create a mild stretch through the sides of my back. If my knees or hips are tired, I place a cushion underneath me or rest my chest on a bolster. The supported version is particularly welcome after a long drive home from a show.

I also lie on my back with my knees bent and let both knees travel slowly from side to side. My shoulders stay relaxed on the floor while my pelvis rotates gently. This is less about reaching the ground and more about restoring easy movement through the lower back. I keep the range small if I have done a lot of jumping or landed heavily.

Area that feels tight	Movement I use	Typical duration	What I pay attention to
Front of the hip	Half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch	20–30 seconds per side	Pelvis stays gently tucked
Outer hip and glutes	Seated figure-four stretch	20–30 seconds per side	Hinge forward without rounding
Mid and upper back	Slow cat-cow movements	6–8 cycles	Movement follows easy breathing
Lower back and pelvis	Knees side to side while lying down	8–10 slow reps	Shoulders remain relaxed
Whole back and sides	Supported child’s pose	30–45 seconds	No pulling or forced reach

Adding movement for the spine and shoulders

The upper back can become surprisingly tired during a competition. I spend hours looking ahead, carrying my hands quietly and keeping my shoulders organised, then I may spend the rest of the day lifting saddles, opening gates and packing gear. I use a doorway chest stretch to counter that rounded feeling. With my forearms resting lightly against the frame, I step forward until I feel the front of my chest open.

I follow it with slow thoracic rotations. Lying on my side with my knees bent, I reach both arms forward and then sweep the top arm across my body, allowing my chest to turn towards the other side. I let my eyes follow my hand, but I stop before my lower back starts twisting to create extra range. Three or four repetitions per side are enough for me.

When my neck feels tense, I avoid pulling on my head. Instead, I let my arms hang, draw the shoulder blades down and make a few gentle turns from left to right. I sometimes add a relaxed chin nod, as though making a very small yes movement. This is useful after concentrating through a tricky test or trying to keep my eyes up over a show-jump fence.

I noticed that saddle fit, stirrup length and riding position all affect this area. If I am constantly bracing to stay balanced, stretching afterwards only provides temporary relief. A lesson with my coach can reveal habits that I cannot feel from the saddle, just as surely as a sound equipment check can explain why a horse is moving differently. I have written about changing my bit, and the same principle applies here: small choices in communication and balance can alter the whole feel of a ride.

Using the routine after different rides

After dressage, my routine tends to be slower and more symmetrical. I pay attention to hip flexors, inner thighs and the muscles around my shoulder blades. A test can look quiet from the outside, but maintaining a consistent contact and precise position for several minutes takes plenty of muscular control. I use the half-kneeling stretch, figure-four and thoracic rotations, then finish with a few relaxed breaths lying on the floor.

Show jumping usually leaves me wanting more gentle back mobility. I repeat the knee-to-side movement and spend time on my glutes, especially if the round included big efforts or I was riding strongly between fences. I do not stretch aggressively straight after a fall or a hard landing. I check myself properly first and seek medical advice if pain, dizziness or restricted movement gives me cause for concern.

Cross-country has its own pattern. The terrain, pace and balance demands can leave my calves, hip flexors and lower back feeling worked in a different way. I walk for longer before stretching and drink regularly, particularly during a warm Queensland or New South Wales event. On a cool Victorian morning, I still wait until my body is warm; chilly air is not a reason to rush into deep positions.

At a competition, I keep the routine practical. A yoga mat in the float, a folded saddle cloth for kneeling and a water bottle are usually enough. There may be no quiet studio, just a patch of grass beside the truck, people calling “good on ya” across the yards and someone looking for a missing girth. The movements still work when the setting is busy.

Making recovery part of horse-care time

I find it easier to stay consistent when my recovery is linked to Archie’s routine. Once he is settled, I put my own boots aside, change into comfortable clothes and do the first few stretches before I get distracted by cleaning gear or checking tomorrow’s times. This keeps the habit attached to riding rather than leaving it until I am already on the sofa.

Heat can help when I am generally stiff. At home, I may have a warm shower before stretching, or use a heat pack across my back for a short period while I organise the evening feed. I do not use heat to mask an acute injury, and I avoid falling asleep with a heat pack in place. On particularly hot days, a cool shower and gentle walking feel better than adding more warmth.

Sleep makes a noticeable difference too. After a late finish at a regional event, it is tempting to scroll through results, repack the float and stay up thinking about every stride. A few minutes of breathing with my legs supported on the couch helps me switch off. I breathe in through my nose where comfortable and make the exhale a little longer, allowing my shoulders and jaw to soften.

Food and fluid are part of the same picture. I keep easy options in the float because service stations and venue canteens do not always have a useful meal available when the class finishes late. Water, a sandwich, yoghurt or fruit are more practical than relying on coffee and a meat pie to carry me through the drive home. My body recovers better when I treat it as part of the athlete-and-horse partnership.

Keeping the habit realistic

I do not complete every exercise perfectly after every ride. On a normal weekday, I may manage the hip-flexor stretch, figure-four and knee rotations in ten minutes. After a demanding event, I take longer and include the back sequence. If I am exhausted, a short walk, a few pelvic tilts and some calm breathing are still worthwhile.

The most useful test is how I feel the following morning. I want to get out of bed, walk down to the paddock and move normally before riding again. I also pay attention to patterns: repeated one-sided tightness, numbness, weakness or pain that changes my position in the saddle deserves proper assessment rather than another stretch.

My coach has helped me separate ordinary post-ride fatigue from a position problem, while a physiotherapist can assess issues that a rider cannot diagnose alone. I keep notes when something persists, including which horse work I had done, how long I drove and whether the discomfort was in my hip, sacroiliac area, thoracic spine or shoulders. That information is far more useful than simply saying I felt “a bit sore”.

For me, the routine works because it is gentle, portable and connected to real riding days. It fits around Archie, travelling, Australian weather and the unglamorous jobs that follow a competition. A few deliberate minutes after I leave the saddle help my hips and back recover, so I can return to the yard feeling ready for the next ride rather than carrying the whole day in my body.