Do Barn Chores Count as Training? And what is the Physical Activity Paradox?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're likely aware that riders (or any athlete, really) need to be doing some kind of dry-land training to supplement their riding. If not for the performance aspect of it, at least training to give your horse the same courtesy they give you; namely, showing up as a active partner, not a passive burden.

But, in the comments, the DMs, and sometimes even in person, one of the biggest pushback comments I get to this statement is, "But I do barn chores/muck 25 stalls/get 30k steps in a day... I don't need to go to the gym too!".

In this podcast, we'll talk through why that statement doesn't hold up against what we know from research, from principles of tissue adaptation, and more. We'll explore the differences between recreational and occupational physical activity, highlighting a principle known in research as the Physical Activity Paradox.

Takeaways

• Occupational activity is shown in research to have a more neutral health impact, and may even lead to more injuries than benefits.
• Recreational fitness has clear health benefits for function, health, disease prevention and longevity.
• This discrepancy is known as the Physical Activity Paradox.
• For similar reasons as to why this paradox exists, barn chores alone aren't enough for building mobility and strength.
• Barn chores, like other manual labour jobs, are often too low load or low intensity, too repetitive, too single sided, and don't offer enough recovery time between bouts to see true tissue adaptation (like strength or mobility gains) past a certain point.

• Our bodies only adapt to be capable of what we ask of them.
• If we make our chores = our training, our bodies will only adapt to be capable of the daily tasks, not more. Leaving us operating close to our threshold on a daily basis.
• Dry-land training should prepare you for daily demands, meaning it needs to be performed in a way where we are building up our body's capacity to exceed what is required for day to day tasks.
• In this way, we build up a "buffer zone" with our training, working to "over-engineer" our bodies for the daily demands of chores and riding.

Keywords

equestrian fitness, physical activity paradox, strength training, riding performance, occupational activity, recreational sports, equestrian training, injury prevention, cardio training, equestrian health

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Life Updates

04:38 Understanding the Physical Activity Paradox

10:39 The Implications for Equestrians

14:38 Training for Daily Demands

16:59 Conclusion and Call to Action

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Empowering equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines with evidence-informed rehab, strength & conditioning, care and education.

In this episode, we discuss the core values and mission behind the training system. We'll talk through the importance of treating equestrians as athletes, the need for evidence-based training, and the significance of empowerment through education.

I outline the journey of building this training system, the challenges of identifying quality programming, and the importance of commitment and capacity in training, while also highlighting the principles of structured autonomy and lifelong development, aiming to create a stronger equestrian culture.

Takeaways

• The equestrian industry lacks a focus on treating riders as athletes.
• Rider's also struggle with identifying what good quality training actually looks like, and building the habit of training consistently.

Values

• Empowerment Through Education: We don’t just tell riders what to do. We show them why it matters. Knowledge builds confidence, autonomy, and long-term results.

  Athlete Identity: Riders are not passengers. They are athletes, and deserve training systems that reflect the strength, skill, and resilience that role demands.

  Commitment That Respects Capacity: Progress matters, but it also has to be sustainable. We train with intention, but never ignore life’s reality. Consistency is the foundation of everything, and this system reflects that.

  Structured Autonomy: We offer flexible systems, but not aimless ones. Riders are supported to adapt, reflect, and and make choices that fit their body, schedule and environment while staying grounded in evidence.

  Evidence-Informed Everything: Every strategy is grounded in the best available science and refined through clinical and coaching experience. We’re not here to sell flashy moves, we’re here to give you what actually works.

  Lifelong Development: This isn’t about short-term gains or quick fix goals. It’s about building strength, awareness, and habits that hold up across decades, not just seasons.

  Paying It Forward: We believe in building a smarter, stronger equestrian culture, through education that empowers the next generation of riders and coaches.

  
  

  Chapters

  • 00:00 Introduction to Equestrian Physio and Core Values
  • 03:53 The Journey of Building a Training System
  • 08:37 Identifying Gaps in Equestrian Training
  • 12:51 Core Values of the Equestrian Physio Training System
  • 16:44 Empowerment Through Education
  • 20:54 The Athletic Identity of Equestrians
  • 25:11 Commitment and Capacity in Training
  • 29:37 Structured Autonomy in Training Programs
  • 34:07 Lifelong Development and Paying It Forward

  
  

  Keywords

  Equestrian Physio, training system, core values, athlete identity, evidence-based training, empowerment, equestrian health, strength training, behavior change, lifelong development

  Come say hi!

  • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: @theequestrianphysio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: @theequestrianpt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: @theequestrianphysio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: theequestrianphysio.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get the Training App!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  Empowering equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines with evidence-informed rehab, strength & conditioning, care and education.

In this episode of Equestrian Physio on Air, we dive into the complex relationship between gym training asymmetries and their potential impact on riding performance. We discuss the importance of critical thinking in evaluating claims about asymmetry (and in general), the benefits of both bilateral and unilateral training, and the necessity of movement variability.

We see this all the time online: concerns that squatting, deadlifting, or pressing with a small hip shift or rotational bias will reinforce asymmetries and make you more crooked in the saddle. But let’s not just parrot that – let’s break it down:

We’re asking:

• Does lifting with mild asymmetry actually cause one-sided development?

• Does that matter for our riding?

• Do the benefits of bilateral training outweigh the risks?

• What even is “perfect” movement, and should we be chasing it?

• Can movement variability actually help, not hurt?

• How do we manage or prevent the risks?

Takeaways

• Asymmetry in the gym may affect riding performance.
• Critical thinking is essential when evaluating training claims.
• Bilateral lifts can provide greater strength/hypertrophy/neuromuscular gains than unilateral lifts.
• But unilateral training can help reduce asymmetry in athletes.
• Movement variability is beneficial for injury prevention, too.
• Riders often develop asymmetries over time due to various factors.

• Perfect movement is a myth; variability is normal and healthy.
• Strength training builds confidence and resilience in riders.
• Monitoring and addressing asymmetries can enhance performance.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Equestrian Physio and Topic Overview

05:37 Exploring Asymmetry in Gym Training and Riding

20:13 The Impact of Asymmetry on Riding Performance

32:17 Balancing Bilateral and Unilateral Training

37:51 Strategies for Managing Asymmetry in Training

Keywords

equestrian, physiotherapy, strength training, asymmetry, gym performance, riding performance, unilateral training, bilateral training, injury prevention, equestrian athletes

Come say hi!

• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: @theequestrianphysio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: @theequestrianpt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: @theequestrianphysio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: theequestrianphysio.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get the Training App!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Empowering equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines with evidence-informed rehab, strength & conditioning, care and education.