Great Britain just had one of its best championship weeks in years — eventing gold, dressage silver, showjumping bronze, and an LA28 qualification for the para dressage team at the FEI World Championships in Aachen. The same week, a spinal surgeon told Horse & Hound that "core gets a bit overplayed" when it comes to rider back pain. In this solo episode, Jenni unpacks what that actually means — the real mechanism behind disc disease in riders, why a scan showing "degeneration" doesn't automatically explain your pain, and the McGill Big Three exercises a leading spine surgeon is actually recommending. Then she goes deep into the research: why up to 68% of riders report chronic back pain, why barn work is its own independent risk factor separate from riding itself, and why dressage riders specifically carry more hip pain than jumpers or eventers — plus an honest look at where that research is strong, where it's thin, and why no population statistic can tell you what your own horse, your own hours in the saddle, and your own fitness actually demand of you. In this episode:
What actually happened at the Aachen World Championships, and why it took more than horsemanship
The real spine mechanics behind rider back pain — and why "core gets a bit overplayed" isn't as controversial as it sounds
The McGill Big Three, and why full-body strength matters just as much as core work
A proper research deep-dive: Balog et al., Ohrnberger et al., and Ramsauer et al. — including a critical look at their limitations, not just their headline numbers
Why rider conditioning is so context-dependent, and why that makes equestrian sport unlike most other elite sports when it comes to strength and conditioning
What's next: the Find Your Form Challenge, starting 7 September
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