When a musician injures their wrist, the doctor’s advice is often simple:
“You should stop playing for a while.”
But for someone whose entire life revolves around music — whose hands are their voice — such advice feels impossible.
The same truth applies to riders. For an equestrian, the saddle is not just a place of passion — it’s where discipline, livelihood, and emotion meet.
Years of training, repetitive motion, and occasional falls slowly shape the body in unique ways, often leading to chronic strain or pain. Yet “stop riding” isn’t an option.
Instead, the path forward is awareness, balance, and preventive care — learning to protect the very body that makes the art of riding possible.
How Equestrians Can Protect Themselves
- Hydrate deeply. Muscles and joints perform best when the body is well-hydrated.
- Warm up and cool down. Gentle stretching before and after riding supports joint mobility and recovery.
- Cross-train regularly. Swimming, yoga, and gym workouts improve balance, posture, and endurance.
- Respect the elements. Protect your body from sun, wind, and cold — nature can heal, but it can also wear you down.
- Use essential nutrients. Vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, omega-3, and vitamin D strengthen bones and muscles.
- Assess your movement. Regular physiotherapy or motion screening helps detect asymmetries and restrictions before they turn into injuries.
- Train your awareness. Meditation and breathing exercises improve calmness, presence, and connection with your horse.
Riding, like music, is an expression of harmony between body and spirit.
The more tuned your instrument — your body — the more beautiful your performance becomes.
Through Equine Story, artist and equine storyteller Hakan Kaya brings a creative and investigative eye to the world of horses, examining the subtle details of equestrian life with artistic precision — turning overlooked moments into reflections of harmony, care, and beauty.
