Struggling with 'shoulders back' while riding? Try this simple way to open your chest without force. All equestrians have likely heard the words ‘shoulders back’ or ‘chest open’ (and perhaps other more entertaining lines!) during their journey to becoming a better rider. But what does this really mean, and how can riders achieve this without adding negative tension to their position? Interestingly, the answer to this question came to me during a yoga class! While helping students achieve correct posture during downward dog, the instructor demonstrated how to open the chest through a simple rotation of the upper arm. Try this simple exercise: Stand with both arms extended directly in front of you, palms facing down. Rotate both hands outwards so the palms face the sky, allowing the upper arms and shoulders to rotate naturally. Drop your arms to your side - bend your elbows. Maintain this upper arm/shoulder position and only turn the forearms until your thumbs are facing the sky...

Horse welfare is a shared responsibility, but not everyone plays their part. Whether intentionally or due to a lack of knowledge, certain behaviours negatively impact the wellbeing of horses across all disciplines. To truly improve equine welfare, we need to focus on three key groups: Sporting bodies and the government Those who know better but don’t do better Those who don’t know better Let’s take a closer look at how each group influences horse welfare—and what must change to create a more ethical equestrian culture. 1. Sporting bodies and the government must lead the way Governing organisations set the standards for horse care, competition, and training. However, if the system rewards winning at all costs and fails to enforce ethical treatment, horse welfare suffers. Reforming the system to reward responsible horsemanship and penalise harmful practices is essential. When ethical behaviour becomes the expectation rather than the exception, the entire culture of horse sports will impr...