7 Exercises To Improve Lower Body Strength And Balance

Strengthen your seat, improve your posture, and ride with more control and confidence.

As dressage riders, we know how important symmetry, balance, and control are in the saddle.
We spend hours developing these qualities in our horses — but how often do we truly work on them in ourselves?

The truth is, many rider imbalances come not just from the horse — but from our own weakness, tightness, or lack of stability, especially through the glutes, hips, and lower back.

That’s where these lower body strength and balance exercises come in.

They’re designed to:

• Strengthen the muscles that support your seat and spine
• Improve pelvic control and lower-body stability
• Identify and correct one-sided weaknesses
• Enhance your posture, balance, and coordination — both in and out of the saddle

Let’s dive into 7 rider-specific exercises you can do at home, even in your breeches.

1. Glute Bridges

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back

Glute bridges are one of the most important foundational strength exercises for riders. They train your glutes to activate properly — which is essential for absorbing movement and maintaining posture in the saddle.

How to do it:

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides.

Press through your heels to lift your hips off the ground.

Squeeze your glutes at the top, hold for a moment, then lower slowly.

✅ Focus on squeezing the glutes, not arching the lower back.

🔁 12–15 reps

2. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core — one side at a time

This variation exposes side-to-side imbalances — perfect for riders who collapse on one seat bone or lean in the saddle.

How to do it:

Set up like a regular glute bridge, then extend one leg straight out.

Press through the heel of the grounded foot to lift your hips.

Keep your pelvis level — no tipping or twisting.

✅ Switch legs and notice if one side is harder — that’s where your work is.

🔁 10–12 reps per side

Horse Stance Pointer Combo

Great for improving balance as well as muscle coordination through our cross link chain of our postural muscles. Again this is a great exercise to highlight any imbalances and understand which side of your body is weaker than the other and where the work needs to be put in.

1. Set yourself up on all fours, with your hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
2. Keeping your spine super still lift up your arm straight ahead with your thumb up.
3. If you can stay balanced with your hand, then add in your opposite leg.
4. Try lifting up an opposite hand to leg at the rate of your breath and lower back down again. The focus being staying stable and still.

Try doing it 12-15 reps each side.

Lower Locust Leg Squeezes

Great for toning and strengthening your lower back, glutes and hamstrings. If you are new to this sort of exercise, start with just one leg or do two and rest after each rep.

1. Laying down on your stomach with your head down, point your toes and lift your legs up off the ground.
2. Think of lifting the leg straight from your hip and not bending your knee.
3. Take your feet wide and then draw them back into together all while keeping the legs hovering off the ground.

Try repeating 12-15 reps

Squats

Being able to squat is incredibly beneficial for not just your riding but for all the day to day tasks of horse care. So if you haven’t squatted in a while start with the chair squat and then work your way towards taking this away and doing full squats without it.

1. Standing with your feet parallel and hip distance apart.

2. Lower your bottom back while keeping your weight in your heels, don’t let your knees come forward past your toes.

3. Imagine a chair is behind you and push your bottom backwards. Only go as low as you can maintain good form

4. If this is too much, try sitting on a chair and then standing up from this and lowering back down again.

Try doing 12-15 reps.

Toe taps

Another great exercise to highlight how good your balance is and showcase any imbalances. Start with back foot on the ground as you tip forward and progress to lifting this up and keeping it up for the entire set.

1. Standing up nice and tall with your neutral spine, allow yourself to bend at your hips while you reach opposite hand to leg keeping your neutral spine and good posture.

2. If its too much with back foot lifted, allow this foot to just step back and keep it on the floor. Work your way towards lifting it up.

3. Once you reach forward, lift back up again and place both feet on the ground hip-distance apart and then repeat.

4. Aim to move at the rate of your breath and focus on smooth form with balance verses speed.

Aim to do 12-15 reps each side

Step Lunges

Great exercise for developing lower body strength and working on even balance through both sides. Start by just lunging on the spot, then progress to step lunges. Be sure to push through the front heel and keep the body upright.

1. Standing up nice and tall with your neutral spine, allow one leg to step backwards.

2. Then bending your back leg allow yourself to lower down towards the ground. Only lower as far as you can maintain balance and if you need hold onto something for extra support.

3. Aim to keep the weight evenly distributed between both the front and the back leg, while your torso remains upright.

4. Work your way towards lowering your back knee all the way to the ground and back up again.

Try doing 12-15 reps each side.

These lower body dressage exercises improve overall strength and balance around our lower body and all the muscles that help support our pelvis. Too often we spend all our time focusing on our horses balance and strength.

Notice what happens when you put just as much effort into your own balance and strength.

Want to Build a Stronger Seat?

The DRT Strength Roadmap includes progressive programs for riders who want to:

• Improve riding posture and balance
• Strengthen their glutes for better seat control
• Build sustainable strength — without burning out

Click here to explore the Strength Roadmap and start with our Glutes + Core focused training days

It’s not just about looking stronger — it’s about riding with more connection, stability, and confidence.

Your seat isn’t just where you sit — it’s where your power begins.

Let’s train it that way.

Want more?

Get started today with our free guide, build the foundations first and start to take your riding to the next level.

What more to help you with your riding? Here are some articles you may find useful.

Why Do We Need Strong Lower Abs For Riding?

6 Leg Exercises To Improve Dressage Rider Leg Strength

6 Exercises To Improve Posture For Dressage