Why, When, and How to Use Exercises – Beyond Just Doing More

Many riders know the feeling: we collect more and more exercises, hoping they will improve suppleness, balance, or strength. But sometimes, instead of helping, the work becomes heavier, repetitive, or even confusing for the horse.

There’s a well-known quote, often attributed to Albert Einstein: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

It’s the same in horse training: if we always do what we’ve always done, the outcome will remain the same. To change the outcome, we need to change our approach — choosing exercises with clear purpose, adapted to the horse we have in front of us on that day.

The truth is: it’s not about how many exercises we do, but why, when, and how we use them.

Three Types of Purpose

Exercises are not just patterns we repeat; they are tools that shape balance, posture, and communication. To use them wisely, it helps to understand their three main purposes:

1. Foundational & Dialogue

These are the yields, sideways steps, first LFS, or following the feel on a rein or at liberty. Their primary role is to create a shared language. The horse learns: “When you ask like this, I try like that.”

• They build clarity and responsiveness.

• They strengthen trust and confidence.

• They lay the groundwork for all further work, because every gymnastic exercise depends on clear communication.

  
  

2. Postural

These are the exercises that help us shape the horse’s body in motion — carré work, adjusting circle size, practicing shoulder balance, or riding transitions with clarity.

• They address spinal alignment: no collapsing, no crookedness.

• They encourage an open chest and freeing the breathing spine.

• They ensure all four feet travel forward with rhythm and swing.Think of them as regular check-ups for balance and posture — the horse’s version of good ergonomics.

  
  

3. From Suppling to Strengthening

These are the classic laterals — shoulder-in, haunches-in, renvers, half-pass, and their variations — as well as the so-called “almost transitions.”

• In a forward-down posture, they supple the body, improve flexibility, and support coordination.

• With collection added, or in almost transitions, they grow into strengthening tools, building carrying power, muscle tone, and refined expression.They are a reminder that the same exercise can serve very different purposes depending on how we ride it.

  
  

Quality Over Quantity

The real art is not endlessly repeating an exercise, but using it with purpose and adaptability:

• A few quality steps can be far more effective than long sequences.

• Laterals, for example, can act as “anchors” — a few steps to restore balance, alignment, and swing before returning to flow.

• Every exercise should ultimately serve the basic gaits. If the trot or walk feels better afterwards — more swingy, more balanced, more joyful — the exercise has done its job.

• A tailormade approach is needed — not just per horse, but in every training session.

• A one-size-fits-all routine is what kills curiosity, clarity, and motivation.

  
  

Your Toolbox of Challenges

Within the PIB Membership, I’ve developed more than 30 challenges, each explained with What – Why – How, to support exactly this way of thinking.

The purpose of these challenges is not just to keep my members busy, but to:

• Create awareness and clarity for both horse and rider.

• Build deeper understanding of what an exercise really develops.

• Spark curiosity and variety in daily work — always with a clear purpose.

• Offer the knowledge to choose the right exercise for what you are observing or facing with your horse.

• Most importantly: they are about building our shared language.• The more nuanced the dialogue becomes through these challenges,• the more refined and solid the communication with the horse will be.

  
  

The range of challenges is broad:

• Sometimes it’s a nuanced request — following the feel, changing bend, or finding a subtle shift of balance.

• Sometimes it’s a more complex gymnastic question — combining laterals, coordinating yields, or refining transitions.

• And sometimes it’s about isolating one element — posture, alignment, or a single step — to create clarity before combining it again.

• And sometimes, the real deal is simply playful communication — a reminder to never forget the joy of being with our horse, instead of always doing together.

  
  

This variety is not random — it is born out of my own experiences and continuous learning with my horses, and out of what I observe and teach with my students. The challenges are evolving step by step, just as our horses and we evolve together.

What they all have in common: progress lives in the balance of nuance and complexity, always tied together by clarity and purpose.

They’re designed to vamp up daily training while keeping it purposeful, flowing, and fun for both horse and human.

An Idea Brewing…

I’ve been thinking: would it be interesting to create another dedicated e-book that ties all these 30 challenges together — organized by category, with short explanations of their purpose?

A kind of guide to enrich your exercise toolbox with purpose, something you could keep at hand in your daily work with your horse.

✨ I’d love to hear your thoughts! Would such an e-book be helpful for you?