When I turned 62 last year, after 38 years of eventing, backcountry trail riding, and even competing in historical cavalry reenactments, my orthopedist gave me what felt like a death sentence for my riding life: severe osteoarthritis in both knees, mild lumbar stenosis, and a warning that high-impact exercise would leave me bedridden for days. I was told to cut back to short, flat hacks only, no more long mountain trails, no more multi-hour reenactment drills, definitely no more posting trot for more than 10 minutes at a time. I was this close to hanging up my saddle for good, until a retired U.S. Cavalry trainer friend of mine showed me modified versions of the functional strength drills he used to teach new recruits---tweaked specifically to be joint-friendly for older riders.
Traditional cavalry training wasn't about building bulky muscles or hitting gym PRs. It was built to create the functional strength, balance, and endurance riders need to stay in the saddle for 8+ hours, control a 1,200-pound horse with subtle, soft cues, and navigate rough, unpredictable terrain without losing their seat. The best part? All of these modified workouts can be done at home in 15 to 30 minutes, no gym membership required, and they're fully adjustable to any pain level or mobility limitation. They're designed to target the exact muscle groups you use every time you ride, so you can spend more time in the saddle and less time nursing sore joints after a ride.
Seated Cavalry Core & Hip Stability Series
Traditional cavalry recruits spent hours practicing core engagement while mounted to avoid being jostled out of the saddle during sudden movements, rough terrain, or unexpected horse behavior. We've adapted this to a completely seated, zero-impact routine that's easy on knees, hips, and lower backs.
Start seated on a firm, armless chair (or a folded yoga mat on the floor if sitting on a chair irritates your hips), feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, hands resting lightly on your thighs.
- Mounted Bracing Holds : Engage your core as if you're bracing against a spooking horse---pull your belly button toward your spine, squeeze your glutes, and press your feet gently into the floor like you're asking your horse to halt. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times. This builds the deep core stability you need for sitting trot, half-halts, and staying balanced when your horse stumbles on uneven ground.
- Seated Hip Abductions : Keeping your knee soft (no locking), lift one leg out to the side as far as is comfortable, hold for 2 seconds, then lower slowly. Do 12 reps per side. This strengthens the glute medius, the muscle that keeps you from listing to one side in the saddle when your horse moves laterally or navigates a steep slope. Modification : If sitting on the floor is more comfortable, do these on a thick yoga mat with a cushion under your hips if you have sit bone pain. If lifting your leg causes hip pain, simply practice the bracing holds for 5 minutes a day to build core strength first.
Wall-Supported Cavalry Lunge Modifications
Cavalry soldiers did endless lunges to build the leg strength needed to control a horse with subtle leg cues, mount and dismount quickly, and absorb the shock of a gallop across rough terrain. But traditional deep lunges are brutal on aging knees. These wall-supported variations remove almost all the pressure from your joints while still targeting the quads, glutes, and hamstrings you use for every ride.
Stand 2 feet away from a sturdy wall, hands resting on the wall at shoulder height for support.
- Reverse Micro-Lunges : Step one foot back about 2 feet, then lower your back knee only 2 to 3 inches off the floor (or as low as is completely pain-free---you don't need to go deeper to see benefits). Keep your front knee directly over your ankle, no caving inward. Push through your front heel to stand back up. Do 10 reps per side. This builds the quad strength you need for posting trot and holding steady leg position on steep climbs, without putting full weight on a bent knee.
- Lateral Step-Outs : Turn sideways to the wall, rest one hand on the wall for balance. Step your outer foot out to the side about 12 inches, bend the knee of your standing leg only 15 to 20 degrees (no deeper if it causes pain), keep your chest up, then push through your standing heel to return to start. Do 12 reps per side. This builds the glute and inner thigh strength you need for side passes, leg yields, and staying stable when your horse sidesteps to avoid a hazard on the trail. Modification : If even a small knee bend causes pain, swap lunges for standing glute squeezes: stand with your back against the wall, lift one foot slightly off the floor behind you, squeeze your glute as hard as you can for 2 seconds, lower slowly. Do 12 reps per side---this activates the same muscles with zero knee bend.
Light Resistance Band Cavalry Pull Drills
Cavalry riders spent hours practicing rein control with weighted ropes to build the upper body strength needed to manage a horse in rough terrain, without tiring their arms or pulling harshly on the horse's mouth. We've swapped the heavy ropes for a light resistance band (start with 2 to 5 pounds of resistance, the lightest option available at any sporting goods store) to protect sore shoulders, wrists, and elbows.
Anchor the band to a sturdy doorknob at chest height, sit or stand facing the anchor, hold one end of the band in each hand.
- Rein Pull Rows : Pull the band toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together like you're pulling a rein to ask your horse to slow down or halt. Keep your elbows close to your body, no shrugging your shoulders. Do 15 reps. This builds the upper back and rear deltoid strength you need for steady, soft rein contact, so you don't have to yank on the reins to control your horse, which is better for both you and your mount.
- Seated Overhead Presses : Hold the band behind your head, elbows bent at 90 degrees. Press up toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders down and back (no shrugging, which irritates shoulder joints), then lower slowly. Do 10 reps. Modification : If overhead presses cause shoulder pain, skip that move entirely and do 2 extra sets of rows, or practice pressing the band only halfway up to build strength gradually.
Low-Impact Balance & Proprioception Drills
Cavalry recruits trained on unstable surfaces to build the balance needed to stay mounted even when their horse was moving at a gallop or dodging obstacles. These modified drills improve your in-saddle balance, so you're less likely to lose your seat if your horse spooks, and reduce your risk of falls when mounting or dismounting.
- Supported Single-Leg Stands : Stand next to a wall or sturdy chair, rest one hand on it for support, lift one foot off the floor, and balance for 15 seconds. Switch sides, repeat 5 times per side. When this feels easy, try balancing on a thick yoga mat for an extra challenge, or let go of the support for a few seconds at a time.
- Tandem Stance Walks : Walk heel to toe along the edge of a rug or a straight line on the floor, arms out to your sides for balance, 10 steps forward, then 10 steps back. This mimics the subtle weight shifts you do in the saddle to cue your horse, and improves your overall stability. Modification : If standing is hard on your joints, do these seated: lift one foot off the floor while sitting on a chair, hold for 10 seconds, switch sides, 5 reps per side.
Post-Workout Joint Care for Riders
After each session, spend 5 minutes doing gentle static stretches: hold a quad stretch (pull one heel toward your glute, no bouncing) for 20 seconds per side, a seated hamstring stretch (reach gently for your toes, no forcing), and roll your shoulders and wrists to loosen up stiff joints. If you have arthritis or chronic joint pain, apply a heating pad to your sore joints for 10 minutes before your workout to loosen up stiff tissue, and ice for 10 minutes after if you notice any swelling. Most importantly: never push through sharp joint pain. Muscle burn is normal, but if a move hurts your knee, hip, or shoulder, modify it or skip it entirely.
I've been doing this 3-day-a-week routine for 7 months now, and last month I completed a 22-mile backcountry trail ride in the Colorado Rockies with zero joint pain, no stiffness the next day, and even joined a 6-hour cavalry reenactment drill last weekend without needing to stop and stretch halfway through. I don't have to cut back on the rides I love anymore---I just had to adjust my off-saddle training to work with my body, not against it.
The best part? These moves don't just help you ride better. They make everyday tasks easier too: carrying groceries, climbing stairs, playing with grandkids. You don't have to choose between riding and joint health. With these low-impact, cavalry-inspired workouts, you can have both.