Unlocking Rider Suppleness: Spotting and Soothing Stiffness in the Saddle

Practical Tips and Exercises for a Softer, More Connected Ride

Have you ever finished a ride feeling like you’ve just done an upper-body workout, or noticed your horse chewing the bit in frustration? I sure have! Stiffness can creep up on even the most experienced riders, quietly sabotaging our connection with the horse. The good news is, with a bit of awareness and a few handy exercises, you can transform stiffness into real suppleness—making riding more comfortable for you and your horse.

Why Suppleness Matters

Suppleness isn’t just for show jumpers or dressage riders—it’s the foundation of all good riding. When we’re loose and relaxed, we move with our horses, allowing them to use their bodies freely and confidently. But when stiffness sneaks in, it disrupts this flow, leading to miscommunication, discomfort, and sometimes even naughty behaviour from our four-legged mates.

Spotting Stiffness: Where Does It Hide?

Rider stiffness can lurk in surprising places. Here’s what to watch for:

• Shoulders: Raised, hunched, or jammed forward. If you notice your shoulders creeping towards your ears, take it as a warning sign.

• Arms and Elbows: Locked straight or glued to your sides, making your hands bounce or tug on the reins.

• Hips: Tight, limiting your ability to follow the movement of the horse’s back, especially at the trot or canter.

• Legs: Gripping with the knees or heels, rather than draping softly around the horse’s sides.

• Core: Braced or rigid, causing you to tip forward, arch your back, or lose balance in the saddle.

Try this: Next time you ride, do a mental scan from head to toe. If anything feels tense or “stuck”, you’ve found a spot to work on.

This diagram is an overview of how areas of tension in a rider appear and how the horses posture may respond to it:

Locked Arms: The Silent Conversation Killer

One of the most common trouble spots is the arms—especially when they’re locked. This often happens when we worry about losing control, or when we’re trying to keep the horse’s head in a certain position. Locked arms create a fixed, unforgiving contact with the horse’s mouth, sending a message of tension down the reins.

This is called “brace”—a mutual stiffening between horse and rider. When we brace, the horse often braces right back, leading to heaviness, resistance, or fussing with the bit. The conversation in the reins becomes a tug-of-war, rather than a gentle back-and-forth.

Instead, aim for soft, elastic elbows that follow the horse’s movement. Imagine your arms as shock absorbers, gently giving and taking with every stride. If you catch yourself gripping or straightening your elbows, shake out your arms and start afresh.

This diagram shows how your contact, arm position and angle affect the horse. It also delves into how your hands need to be having a soft conversation with your horse depending on gait and allowing the horses head and neck to move. Can you imagine if there was rigidity in our arms and how this would stop the soft following flow to the horse?

The Breath Factor: Why Holding Your Breath Hurts Your Ride

It’s easy to forget, but breathing is a powerful tool in the saddle. Many riders hold their breath when concentrating, nervous, or trying too hard. This has a domino effect: muscles tense, the seat stiffens, and the horse senses something’s up. Some horses will speed up, others will slow down or startle, all because they’re picking up on your tension.

To spot breath holding, notice if you sigh or gasp when you finish a difficult movement or realise you’re light-headed after a canter. Set yourself reminders to breathe deeply and evenly—your horse will thank you for it!

Concentration Brace

I don't know if you are aware, but our bodies autonomously do certain things when we are learning. Noting we can only digest up to 3 pieces of new information before we become overloaded and you stop your ability to learn and absorb the information for recall later. Check out my post on the magic of 3 here. So why is this relevant?

Have you ever been aware of what you do when you are riding and are learning something new? I know what I do! I stop breathing, and look down (this is usually what happens for kinesthetic learners as we look inside to "feel"). So what does this do to our body and the messages we send to our horse? What do they do in response to this, do you think? Yeah! Tense up or brace or try to connect into a braced hand. Ouchies! Think about how shifting your head affects the weight displacement down through the horses body. Mind blowing really!

So if you can, next time you are riding and trying to learn something, try and create some head space to sense what you do during this time and how your response may impact/influence the horse's way of moving... it is super fascinating really! Let me know what you notice/observe in the comments!

The hard part is consciously being aware of this and the cues you can use to replace this behaviour to override the tension/brace automated response. It takes time - practicing for permanency calls this out. And remember, 10,000 good repetitions make it a habit!

Exercises Off the Horse: Loosen Up Before You Mount Up

• Shoulder Rolls: Stand tall and roll your shoulders backwards and forwards 10 times each. This helps release upper body tension.

• Arm Circles: Extend your arms and make small to large circles, loosening the joints and warming up the muscles.

• Hip Openers: Try gentle lunges, seated butterfly stretches or lying hip rotations to free up tight hips.

• Core Mobility: Cat-cow stretches or gentle trunk rotations help activate your core without tightening it.

• Breath Awareness: Lie on your back, place a hand on your belly, and practise slow, deep breaths. Feel your abdomen rise and fall with each inhale and exhale.

Doing these exercises before riding can make a world of difference in how you feel in the saddle.

Exercises On the Horse: Suppleness in the Saddle

• Arm Flops: At the halt or walk, let your reins go slack and gently swing your arms by your sides. Feel the difference between stiff and loose arms.

• Shoulder Shrugs and Rolls: While walking, shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then roll them back and down.

• Leg Swings: (With care) Take your feet out of the stirrups and swing your legs forward and back, feeling your hips open up

  • Pro-tip: do this swinging in time with your horses front legs at the walk as it also helps massage the horses' ribcage.

• Breathe to Rhythm: Time your breath with your horse’s steps. Inhale for three strides, exhale for three. Notice how your seat and body soften as you do.

• Circle Variations: Ride large circles, focusing on staying relaxed through turns. If you find yourself tensing up, go back to straight lines and regroup.

Extra Tips for Rider Suppleness and Connection

• Mindfulness: Pay attention to how your body feels throughout your ride. The more you notice tension, the easier it is to release it.

• Body Scans: Pause during your ride to check in with each body part—head, shoulders, arms, hips, legs, and core. Consciously relax any stiff areas.

• Seek Feedback: Ask your coach, a riding mate, or even film yourself. Sometimes, others spot stiffness we’re unaware of.

• Don’t Rush: Take your time warming up, both off and on the horse. Suppleness isn’t instant—it builds with patience and practice.

Wrapping Up: Your Journey to a Softer Ride

Every rider—no matter how experienced—deals with stiffness now and then. What matters is learning to recognise it, understand its impact, and take practical steps to let it go. By paying attention to your body, breathing deeply, and practising a few simple exercises, you’ll find yourself riding with more harmony and ease. Your horse will notice the difference too—expect softer responses, smoother transitions, and a happier partnership all round. So, next time you saddle up, remember: stay loose, breathe deep, and enjoy the ride!

Here is a diagram for you to study, it dives more into the biology of the human and horse around where restrictions from tension can occur: