Flatwork is an essential part of every horses training and should be regularlyincluded in their exerciseroutine. Whether you compete in dressage or prefer to go jumping or love to hack, there are flatwork benefits for every horse and rider.Flatwork will give your horse orpony the foundations to help them bemore obedient, attentive, responsiveand flexible. This will undoubtedlymake your horse much more enjoyableto ride regardless of your ambitions,says List 2a dressage judge and trainerSharon Butterworth.We asked three pro riders about the benefits that flatwork has for every horse and rider, and this is what they said1 It helps your jumpingMany behavioural problems or jumpingissues are caused by insufficient basicflatwork training and can be rectified bybuilding regular schooling work intoyour horses exercise programme.Even the most basic dressageexercises will improve a horsesperformance over fences. Rememberthat 90% of a showjumping competitionis performed on the flat, says Sharon.2 Improves strength and fitnessSchooling your horse regularly allows youto work on their strengths and weaknessesand helps to avoid any imbalances, whichcan lead to stiffness, tension or injury.Ensure that your horse has plenty ofvariety in his workload and is not doingthe same thing every day.Schooling for 20 minutes three times aweek will have a big impact on your horse,and the more he cross-trains the better,advises Sam York FBHS.The more a horse stretches, bends,hacks and jumps, the fitter and more agilehe will be to cope with different terrain orto negotiate a gate. The more ridersincorporate a range of activities into theirexercise routine the healthier they are, andits the same with a horse.3 Teaches good habitsBe systematic with your training,continues Sam. Make sure you are ridingequally on both reins and repeat a simpletask until you have improved it and nexttime try something else.Italian event rider Vittoria Panizzon adds:I believe its important to do the basicsin the correct mode all the time,otherwise you are training the horse touse the wrong muscles and then tryingto retrain them when riding in an arena,which is confusing for the horse.4 Sense of achievementSetting mini goals gives a sense of achievement, even if you dont compete.Making a plan and having mini goals canbe a good way to approach your flatworksessions and helps to avoid riders feelinglost and overwhelmed by being in an arenaon their own.What might be a small goal for someoneelse could be a major goal for you, but itdoesnt matter, says Sharon.Write downyour goal for the month and then keep arecord of what you do after each session soyou can look back on it and see what youhave achieved.5 BondingYoull learn what suits your horse best. All horses are individual and some willperform better if they school for half anhour after a hack, while others will prefer afew days of schooling and then a few daysbreak.Try different approaches and findout what works for your horse it will tell you a lot about them and really help improve your bond.Getting to know your horse and how heis each day really helps you bond and learnabout each other, says international British showjumper Yazmin Pinchen.I enjoydoing flatwork with my horses becauseevery day we can be faced with a newchallenge and we overcome it together.Its very rewarding.6 Improves positionFlatwork is not onlybeneficial for horses, butalso essential for riders asit gives you time toconcentrate on yourposition in the saddle andwork on improving yourbalance, core stability,flexibility and fitness.When you are schooling,check that you are sittingstraight in the saddle, haveyour weight evenly in bothstirrups, and that your armsare relaxed and hands arein the right place, saysVittoria Panizzon.7 Develops a deeper seatRegularly riding without stirrupsis a great way to transform yourriding and develop a deeperseat.It doesnt have to be donewhen you are in the arena;slipping your feet out of thestirrups for a few minutes whenyou are hacking off road workswell too. Be sensible, though,and do this only when it is safeto do so.Taking your stirrups awaywill help your fitness and corestrength. Flatwork can be morephysically demanding thanjumping, so dont be surprisedif you wake up sore and stiff theday after a schooling session,advises Sam York.8 Hones your aidsWorking on the flat gives the rider a chance topractise their aids formovements such asleg-yield or shoulder-in.Flatwork hones how well you use the aids, and how well your horse listens to themIts also an opportunity todevelop the relationshipbetween horse and rider.Flatwork is the essenceof communication and iskey for a good relationshipbetween horse and rider,agrees Sam York.The moretime you spend schoolingthe better you will get toknow your horse andbecome aware of theirstrengths and weaknesses.Set up your phone to videoyou so you can watchyourself back and becomemore self-aware.The post The benefits of flatwork for every horse, whether you compete or not appeared first on Your Horse.