The DRT Core Stability Program
Feel grounded, balanced & effortlessly stable in the saddle
Supporting your seat, your spine, and your connection with your horse — all inside one simple membership.
Watch: Nicola introduces the DRT Core Stability program
First, let's talk about why this matters
Why riders struggle with core control
Do you ever feel unsteady or off-balance in the saddle? Do you struggle to keep your seat deep and still — especially when your horse adds energy or changes pace?
Does your posture shift or collapse through transitions, leaving you gripping, bracing, or feeling disconnected? Or maybe you dream of feeling quietly centered — sitting deep, supple, and stable — no matter what your horse does beneath you?
If you relate to any of these, you're not alone. These are some of the most common core stability challenges riders face — and every one of them can be improved with the right kind of training.
Most riders think they're working their core…
…when they do sit-ups or planks. But those exercises barely scratch the surface of what your body actually needs in the saddle.
Your core isn't just your abs. It's an entire system — your diaphragm, deep abdominals, obliques, back stabilizers, and even your glutes — all working together to keep your spine and pelvis balanced while your limbs move freely.
When your core system isn't trained the right way, you'll notice it every time you ride:
- Your posture collapses or tips to one side.
- Your hands or shoulders tense as you try to stabilize yourself.
- You grip through your thighs or lower back to stay centered.
- Your horse feels uneven or resistant — because your seat isn’t communicating evenly.
The problem isn't a lack of strength. It's a lack of control — the ability to stay quietly stable while your body (and your horse) moves beneath you.
Modern life doesn't help either. Hours of sitting, driving, and screens teach our bodies to disengage the very muscles that give us stability in the saddle. We lose the connection between our ribcage and pelvis, and our breath becomes shallow — creating tension instead of support.
Traditional core workouts train movement… not control. But riding horses demands the opposite — control under movement.
The training was fun — great with the modified way to do the exercises. Not until I started this programme did I know how tight my shoulders are. They are better now, but I really felt this programme affecting my core.
Sessions were tough, fun, and rewarding for my mindset.
Ready to ride from a stronger center? Here's how to join.
Join with Membership Now
Choose the plan that suits you
- Access to Core Stability + all Base programs
- Mobile app to save for offline usage
- Instant access — you can cancel any time
Want to see everything inside membership first? What's included in membership?
So here's what makes it different
What makes the DRT Core Stability program different?
Most core workouts focus on what you can see — crunches, planks, and endless ab circuits. But rider strength is built from deep, intelligent control. It's about retraining your entire center, so your body moves as one calm, co-ordinated system in the saddle.
Anti-Rotation Training
You’ll learn to resist twisting or tipping when your horse moves under you. This builds the quiet stillness that makes your seat independent and your aids clear — no gripping, no bracing.
Ribcage–Pelvis Connection
You’ll reconnect the top and bottom of your core “canister,” restoring balance and postural integrity. This is the secret to sitting tall without stiffness and breathing with ease through every stride.
Lateral Core & Glute Integration
By strengthening the muscles that stabilize your hips and side body, you’ll correct asymmetries and sit evenly on both seat bones — helping your horse stay straight and balanced too.
Dynamic Core Control
You’ll train your core to stay stable while your limbs move — exactly like giving aids or riding transitions. This is what allows you to feel soft and strong at the same time.
Breath, Reset & Recovery
Every session finishes with breath and awareness work to realign your body, calm your nervous system, and lock in better posture — so you feel lighter, longer, and more connected after every ride.
This isn't about working harder — it's about working smarter.
So here's how it all fits together
Introducing the DRT Core Stability Program
This is a focused 6-week progression, built specifically for riders who want more stability, balance, and body awareness in the saddle. You'll complete 4 short sessions per week, each around 15 minutes long — efficient, purposeful, and designed to enhance, not exhaust, your body.
Here's what to expect
- A 6-Week Progressive StructureYou’ll start by mastering control and awareness — then layer in coordination, strength, and flow as your posture becomes more responsive. Each week builds on the last, so you’re never guessing or going through random workouts.
- Four Key Focus ThemesEach week rotates through the pillars of true rider stability: Anti-Rotation & Rider Posture, Bracing & Pelvic Control, Lateral Core & Glute Link, and Dynamic Core for the Saddle.
- Simple, Sustainable Sessions4 workouts per week. Each includes 4 exercises, 30 seconds of work per move, 10 seconds rest, and 3 total rounds — plus a short breath reset to finish. That’s roughly 15 minutes per session, easy to fit before or after a ride.
- Optional Swiss Ball Bonus DayLove working with the ball? Each week includes an optional Day 5 session using the Swiss ball to improve balance and proprioception — perfect for refining control in your seat.
- Adaptable ProgressionStay on a week as long as you need, or layer in new challenges as you feel ready: increase resistance, slow your tempo, add a hold at end range, or switch from two-sided to single-sided work.
What I have loved about Core Stability is how it continues to build on the original five DRTs in training the core to remain centered and strong with outside forces wanting to pull it one way or another.
Just yesterday we were riding in a few inches of lovely snow, and when we were breaking through the layer of ice on the creek we suddenly almost went down sideways. And God bless Nicola — my core instantly kicked in and I stayed completely upright while my horse found his feet again. He was shocked he almost fell, and I was shocked I wasn’t sitting in three feet of freezing water a mile away from the barn.
Core Stability is a program I will be doing again and again and again!
And here's why it's all one membership
The membership advantage
Every Base program, one price
Your membership unlocks Core Stability plus the full Strength Roadmap and every other Base program.
Stream or download anywhere
Train at home, in the gym, or from the tack room on your phone.
Community & coaching
Join thousands of riders in 80+ countries sharing wins, questions, and support.
Cancel anytime
Stay for as long as it serves your riding goals.
Over 21,000 riders trust DRT to keep them strong, supple, and smiling in the saddle.
Wondering what you'll need?
Simple equipment
This program uses just a few simple items you can keep at home — no fancy gym required. I've intentionally kept it minimal so you can train effectively from your own space.
Dumbbells
- Light for beginners (2–4kg)
- Moderate for intermediate level (4–6kg)
Resistance band
- A single resistance band for posture and pulling work.
Foam roller
- For mobility, breath resets, and recovery work.
Broomstick or dowel
- A long wooden stick — but a broomstick or mop handle works just as easily.
Tip: Have a Swiss Ball? There’s an optional bonus session each week that uses it — but you don’t need one for the program.
So here's what changes
The results: stillness that moves
As you work through the program, you'll start to notice changes — not just in your workouts, but every time you ride. Your posture feels lighter. Your seat feels deeper. Your hands soften. And your horse starts to respond differently, because your balance and clarity have improved.
You'll find you can:
- Stay centered under pressure — even when your horse spooks, surges, or shifts unexpectedly.
- Breathe through transitions without holding tension in your shoulders or jaw.
- Move one part of your body independently of another, giving clearer aids with less effort.
- Hold posture without gripping, because your deep core knows how to stabilize you.
- Recover faster — both during your rides and between sessions — because your body is finally working as one connected system.
This is the kind of strength that doesn't make you stiffer — it makes you softer. When your core supports you properly, you can let go of excess effort and move in harmony with your horse.
You're not fighting your body anymore — you're working with it. More balanced. More fluid. More alive.
And in case we haven't met…
Hi, I'm Nicola Smith — your instructor.
I've dedicated the majority of my life to being a rider and fitness trainer with Dressage Rider Training. My lifetime of riding, combined with my background in Exercise Prescription, has given me a deep understanding of what true stability in the saddle really means.
I've designed this program to solve the exact core control and balance challenges that hold riders back. I know what it feels like to grip, tip, or brace when things get dynamic — and I also know the freedom that comes when your core supports you effortlessly, allowing your seat to move softly and stay centered no matter what your horse does.
What I've learned and trained in my own riding, I've now built into this program for you. I can't wait for you to begin this journey of rediscovering your center — you'll be amazed at how much more balanced, confident, and in tune you become.
- Bachelor of Physical Education & Exercise Prescription, Otago University
- CHEK Level 2 Practitioner
- Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner
Still have questions?
Frequently asked questions
When purchasing you will receive login details to our website that contains the program. You will also be able to install our mobile app to access the program on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone/tablet. On the website or mobile app, you can push play and stream the video sessions, just like a YouTube video.
So here's where it's up to you
Ready to ride from a stronger center?
You don't need to brace, grip, or push harder to feel secure in the saddle. You need a core that holds you quietly — so you can ride with ease, confidence, and connection.
Over 6 focused weeks, you'll build deep, functional stability that supports your posture, your breath, and your partnership with your horse. You'll learn to stay centered when things get dynamic, balanced when things get challenging, and calm when things get unpredictable.
This isn't just another workout plan. It's a pathway to becoming the kind of rider who feels grounded, supple, and in sync — no matter what happens beneath you.
Your seat. Your posture. Your connection. It all starts here — at your center.
Start your DRT Core Stability journey today.
Join with Membership Now
Choose the plan that suits you
- Access to Core Stability + all Base programs
- Mobile app to save for offline usage
- Instant access — you can cancel any time
Want to see everything inside membership first? What's included in membership?
To recap…
Commit to the DRT Core Stability program today
…and start building the foundation every great rider shares — a strong, stable, and responsive core that moves with your horse, not against them.
No more guessing what to do. No more hoping your posture will “fix itself.” Just clear, guided sessions designed by a rider, for riders. Short sessions. Smart progressions. Real results that you'll feel every time you ride.
Discover how strength and softness truly come together in the saddle.
What I have loved about Core Stability is how it continues to build on the original five DRTs — training the core to remain centered and strong with outside forces wanting to pull it one way or another.
It has genuinely changed how secure and balanced I feel in the saddle. Core Stability is a program I will be doing again and again and again!
And you risk nothing
My 30-Day Guarantee to you
I am so confident you will love the difference this program makes. But if you start and find it's not right for you, I'll give you a full refund within 30 days — no questions asked. We strive for honesty and transparency; I simply want you to be 100% confident in your decision to try this program.
I know this program is going to help your riding and give you everything you want out of it. If you have any unanswered questions regarding this Core Stability program, or if you're not sure about something, please use the chat box at the bottom right of the screen to send me a message. I would love to hear from you and help as best I can.
Helping you be a better partner for your horse.
Kind regards, Nicola Smith