http://www.activateyourseat.com/

Activate Your Seat, Edinburgh (2026)

16/04/2026

Stirrups feel uneven? Try these! ⁣
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And these will also help with collapsing a hip, loading seat bones unevenly, improving seat aids, improving leg aids, improving control of pelvis and hips in the saddle……⁣
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Gluteus medius control is so important for riders, not just in its role in moving the hip, but also in its major role in controlling the movement of the pelvis as we move the opposite hip. ⁣
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All riders need to work on their gluteus medius strength and control so as they can improve their symmetry and the symmetry of their aids in the saddle.⁣
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All the exercises in the level 1 Activate Your Seat online exercise video done against the resistance of the bungi are designed to target your gluteus medius and improve its strength, symmetry and control. The level 2 video has harder progressions for gluteus medius, and some targeted upper body and trunk exercises. You can purchase from my website www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio). ⁣
I post worldwide 🌎 ⁣
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Here are 3 extra exercises to work on gluteus medius strength and control and improve your symmetry in the saddle. All can be done without the bungi, but the bungi adds targeted resistance to build strength and control in the gluteus medius muscles. ⁣
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💫 Modified fire hydrant - raise one knee up in front and then move that leg out behind and out to the side (think of a dog cocking its leg….). Adding the bungi around the inside of the thigh is a good progression from the level 2 version of this exercise.⁣
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💫 Side lunge into curtsy lunge - aim to keep the hips level throughout and don’t let the standing leg side tip up when you go into the curtsy lunge - this is HARD!!⁣
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💫 Hip dips - stand on one leg and slowly drop and raise the opposite hip. This works gluteus medius on the standing leg to control the angle of the pelvis. Adding the bungi around the inner thigh of the standing leg increases the resistance. ⁣
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Aim for 8-12 reps on each side and 2-3 sets.⁣
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👷‍♀️ Remember you are your own health and safety officer so start where you can and progress as able.⁣
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Which side do you find hardest? ⁣
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💙 Breathe bette

15/04/2026

Do you ride with uneven stirrups? ⁣
Or do your stirrups always feel uneven? ⁣
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Do you know why? ⁣
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This can be due to a variety of reasons; saddle slip, altered gait patterns in the horse, asymmetries in the horse causing saddle slip, or rider asymmetries. ⁣
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This post is about rider asymmetries.⁣
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If it is a rider asymmetry there are usually two reasons for this:⁣
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📌 A structural issue such as a scoliosis of the spine or a true structural leg length discrepancy where either the thigh or shin bone is shorter than on the other side.⁣
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📌 A functional issue such as muscle imbalance at the pelvis which can cause a functional leg length discrepancy. A functional leg length discrepancy is more common than a true structural discrepancy. This is usually due to an imbalance in the pelvis muscles. Weakness in gluteus medius will often make the rider feel their opposite leg is hanging too long as they can’t control the level of their pelvis, and they will compensate by shortening that stirrup. See my previous posts on how gluteus medius controls your pelvis in the saddle. ⁣
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So what do we do?⁣
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I only recommend riding with uneven stirrups if you have a marked true structural leg length discrepancy or a marked spinal scoliosis. You want your seat bones to be level, so get an instructor or friend to photograph you and check and then you can adjust your stirrups accordingly. If you have a minor true structural leg length discrepancy less than around 2cm often putting an insole or small heel raise inside your boot works best.⁣
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I do NOT recommend riding with uneven stirrups if you have a functional leg length discrepancy. This will put uneven pressure through your seat bones and this will make symmetrical movement impossible for you and your horse.⁣
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✅ By working on strengthening the muscles around your pelvis, especially gluteus medius, you can make yourself straighter in the saddle and keep your stirrups EVEN.⁣
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✅ In the Activate Your Seat exercise programme done against the resistance of the bungi, every exercise targets gluteus medius improving strength, symmetry and balance in the saddle.⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better, ride better⁣
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Maeve

14/04/2026

“You just need to ride more”⁣
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⁣Nearly every time I post on social media about the benefits of off horse exercise I get at least one message or comment saying “you just need to ride more”…..⁣
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But I totally disagree. ⁣
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For a start one horse owners can’t ride more - it wouldn’t be fair on the horse!! ⁣
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And every other sport in the world now recognises the benefits of cross training, why can’t equestrians?? ⁣
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Take a look at any other sport: rugby, football, golf, cycling…. All those athletes cross train to improve at their own specific sport. It helps with their performance, and also helps reduce their injury risk. ⁣
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Doing exercise OFF the horse will directly benefit you ON the horse. And it will benefit your horse too. ⁣
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As a physiotherapist, I strongly believe that all riders should work on their fitness, strength, balance and symmetry OFF the horse to improve how they move on the horse. ⁣
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Yes to improve your skill on the horse you need to practice in the saddle, but having access to that range of movement and the ability to control that movement is achieved off the horse. ⁣
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Cross training is essential to improve performance and help reduce pain and injury risk, for both horse and rider. ⁣
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That’s why I designed the Activate Your Seat exercise programme done against the resistance of the bungi. I understand that equestrians are busy people and I wanted to design an exercise programme that was targeted, and time and cost effective. The exercises take 20 minutes to complete.⁣
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You can purchase your bungi plus access to the online exercise videos at www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio).⁣
⁣I post worldwide 🌎 ⁣
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👇 How do you cross train to improve your performance in the saddle? ⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better, ride better⁣
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Maeve ⁣
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12/04/2026

First event of the year ✅ ⁣
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Sweet dressage for 31.8⁣
Two poles down⁣ in a bog
But a storming cross country round where he felt keen, enthusiastic, and fabulous! ⁣
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Thank you for a brilliant day out ⁣
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And thank you to for getting up in the middle of the night to plait and provide an emotional support Labrador ⁣
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Lots of things to improve on bit a fabulous first run of the year 🥰⁣
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10/04/2026

⁣🌟 Client Focus Friday 🌟 ⁣
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“The Activate Your Seat program has added much needed strength and flexibility to my tight hips which contributes to my horse’s relaxation and way of going. ⁣
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I feel stronger and more flexible, and my range of motion has improved both in and out of the saddle.⁣
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In addition my balance and ability to move in the saddle makes my mare super happy!”⁣
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Kathy Monaghan, USA⁣
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⁣Love this! Thank you Kathy, I am delighted both you and your horse are feeling the benefits of the programme!⁣
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🤩 There are now 250 five star reviews on my page, thank you! ⁣
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⁣As a very small business, your reviews, shares, comments and recommendations really do mean the world to me so thank you so much 🥰⁣
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💫 To purchase your bungi and access to the online exercise video head to my website www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio). ⁣
I post worldwide 🌎 ⁣
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Happy Friday!! ⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better, ride better⁣
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Maeve ⁣
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09/04/2026

A lot of riders really struggle with their position when they move into a dressage saddle.⁣
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We need a much more open hip angle in a dressage saddle than a gp or jump saddle. This allows the legs to hang longer. And to achieve this we need strength and length in the psoas, the main hip flexor muscle.⁣
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The psoas is the only muscle in our body that connects the spine, pelvis and hip, and therefore is key to developing a good seat. A strong and supple psoas helps deepen the seat, allows the rider to follow the horse’s movement, and improves the rider’s ability to communicate with their horse.⁣
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Improving psoas control and endurance by eccentric training (resistance training into a lengthened position) improves the control and precision of our seat aids, achieving an independent seat and allowing our leg and rein aids to be more controlled and precise.⁣ And allowing us to achieve a more open hip angle and still maintain an upright and relaxed posture in the saddle.⁣
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As a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 25 years experience of assessing and treating riders, I developed the Activate Your Seat exercise programme against the resistance of the bungi as this is THE best way I have found to improve psoas strength and control.⁣
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The exercises here are from my level 1 video. This is the foundation to building a stronger, more supple seat.⁣
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To purchase your bungi plus access to the online exercise video head to www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio).⁣
I post worldwide 🌎⁣
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If you have ongoing hip pain when riding, please seek advice and an assessment from a registered physiotherapist. ⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better⁣, ride better⁣
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Maeve⁣

07/04/2026

A dressage saddle requires a much more open hip angle than a gp or jump saddle. This allows the legs to hang longer and your seat to feel deeper. And to achieve this we need strength and length in the psoas, the main hip flexor muscle.⁣
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The psoas is the only muscle in our body that connects the spine, pelvis and hip, and therefore is key to developing a good seat. A strong and supple psoas helps deepen the seat, allows the rider to follow the horse’s movement, and improves the rider’s ability to communicate with their horse.⁣
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Improving psoas control and endurance by eccentric training (resistance training into a lengthened position) improves the control and precision of our seat aids, achieving an independent seat and allowing our leg and rein aids to be more controlled and precise.⁣ And allowing us to achieve a more open hip angle and still maintain an upright and relaxed but controlled position in the saddle.⁣
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As a Chartered Physiotherapist with 25 years experience of assessing and treating riders, I developed the Activate Your Seat exercise programme against the resistance of the bungi as this is THE best way I have found to improve psoas strength and control.⁣
⁣
⁣To purchase your bungi plus access to both online exercise videos head to www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio).⁣
I post worldwide 🌎 ⁣
⁣
If you have ongoing hip pain when riding, please seek advice and an assessment from a registered physiotherapist. ⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better⁣, ride better⁣
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Maeve⁣

05/04/2026

Still battling with the weather…⁣
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Still trying to leave the poles up…⁣
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Still blasting up hills when we get a chance…⁣
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Still being consistent with my bungi and running…⁣
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Still juggling work, kids, horse, dogs…⁣
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Still keeping on keeping on…⁣
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Less than a week to our first event!! ⁣
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03/04/2026

⁣🌟 Client Focus Friday 🌟 ⁣
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“I’m a returning adult rider and hadn’t ridden regularly in (cough) 25 years until last year. I was recommended Activate Your Seat by my trainer and one of her long-time clients and I LOVE IT!⁣
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Before I started riding again, I considered myself a decently active person, but it was humbling to realise that everything I was doing (running mainly, some yoga and strength) wasn’t really translating to fitness and strength IN the saddle.⁣
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The Activate Your Seat program has been a wonderful, critical addition to my riding. It allows me to do something to improve my riding on days I can’t get to the barn, and it has really helped me get stronger and more supple in my quest for independent seat, leg, and hand aids.⁣
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The breathwork has also been key (since apparently I don’t breathe at all during a gymnastics round 🤣). Above all, I like Maeve’s emphasis on consistency and her instructional videos are super!”⁣
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Julia Roberson, USA⁣
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⁣What a fantastic review! Thank you Julia, I am delighted to hear you have found so much benefit from the programme. ⁣
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🤩 There are now 250 five star reviews on my page, thank you! ⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣As a very small business, your reviews, shares, comments and recommendations really do mean the world to me so thank you so much 🥰⁣
⁣
⁣
💫 To purchase your bungi and access to the online exercise video head to my website www.activateyourseat.com (link in my bio). ⁣
I post worldwide 🌎 ⁣
⁣
⁣
Happy Friday!! ⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better, ride better⁣
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Maeve ⁣
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02/04/2026

Your abdominals have two main functions in the saddle - to resist the forces placed upon you from the horse, and to help you absorb the forces from the horse. They are not prime moving muscles when we are in the saddle.⁣
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🏇 I like to build a foundation of strength and control in my riders hips and pelvis first, as this is the contact point with the horse. Once that foundation is in place, then I add these two exercises to improve their ability to resist rotational forces, and to build strength and control in the rotational movement plane. There are literally thousands of core exercises available, but these two give you a lot of bang for your buck 💵⁣
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These target:⁣
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🎯 oblique abdominal control⁣
🎯 spinal strength and control⁣
🎯 lateral hip stability and control⁣
🎯 hip rotational control⁣
🎯 upper body control⁣
🎯 diaphragm and deep abdominal synchronisation⁣
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💥 Pallof press is an anti rotation exercise designed to improve your ability to resist external forces. It looks easy but it is not!!⁣
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- Stand with feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent.⁣
- Hold the bungi or a heavy resistance band at belly button level with reasonable resistance on it. ⁣
- Inhale to start, exhale as you push the arms out straight making sure you keep your torso still and don’t let the resistance twist you.⁣
- Inhale as you return the arms to the start position.⁣
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💥 Resisted rotation is designed to improve your strength and control in the rotational plane of movement.⁣
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- Start with feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent.⁣
- Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, inhale to start, and exhale as you twist your body keeping weight evenly spread in both feet. Allow your hips to follow the movement.⁣
- Inhale as you slowly return to the start position, don’t allow the bungi to ping you back!⁣
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Repeat 8-12 times, 2-3 sets. Remember to turn and face the opposite way to work the other side!! Compare both sides, this will give you a good indication into which side you collapse on…⁣
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These two exercises are from my level 2 video. You can purchase your bungi plus access to both online e

01/04/2026

As riders, and as a society, often the focus is all about the abdominals….⁣
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The aim of a flat toned stomach, the goal of a defined six pack….⁣
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Will that improve our performance as riders? ⁣Does that make us healthy?⁣
Will it makes us happy?⁣
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In my opinion, NO!!⁣
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Having a visibly defined six pack as a female is not necessarily a healthy goal. Some women will have a genetic predisposition to have more defined muscles, but for the vast majority of us having a visibly defined six pack would likely mean we are underweight, in constant calorie deficit, and not very healthy. And that won’t make us happy!⁣
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A flat stomach or a visibly defined six pack is not a sustainable outcome for most of us females as our abdomen shape and size will fluctuate over our menstrual cycle.⁣
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For the majority of women achieving and maintaining a visible six pack will often mean they are underweight and their body goes into starvation mode and their menstrual cycle stops.⁣
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Why do we as a society place such a high value on one muscle group?⁣
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For riding, and for most sports, our abdominals are not prime mover muscles. We don’t need to forcibly flex our middle when we are on a horse!⁣
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On the horse, our abdominals need to assist with absorbing the movement of the horse, and resisting and controlling external forces. They don’t need to be switched ON permanently, they will work without us needing to consciously tense them. In fact consciously tensing them leads to a more braced and fixed rider, rather than one that can move with the horse and absorb the movement of the horse.⁣
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Our abdominals assist to stop the horse pulling us forward, they assist to stop us tilting to one side, and they assist us turning or resisting rotational forces in the saddle.⁣
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Bracing our abdominals makes us tense as riders, unable to breathe using our diaphragm, and less able to absorb the movement of the horse.⁣
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So let’s do less bracing and more breathing, let’s worry less about how flat or toned our stomachs look and focus more on how healthy, strong and symmetrical we can be!⁣
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What do you think?⁣
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💙 Breathe better, move better, ride better⁣
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Maeve⁣
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Activate Your Seat

16/04/2026

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