MAY 2026 THE RIDER /21


Extreme Cowboy Events in Ontario


Extreme Cowboy is looking forward to a


great season of competition in Ontario with over 30 sanctioned EXCA events happening this year! The racing season starts in May and goes through to October. With Grass Roots Extreme Cowboy taking


their turn at the helm this year, all EXCA affili- ates in Eastern Canada (also including Restora- tion Ranch Extreme Cowboy, Ontario Xtreme Cowboy, True North Extreme Cowboy Ontario, Aces High Extreme Cowboy, and Association des Cowboys Extrêmes du Québec) are collab- orating in the planning of the Eastern Canadian Championship (ECC). This weekend event will be held at Restoration Ranch, in Port Perry, on


September 26 & 27, 2026, in conjunction with a clinic on Friday, September 25. This is an In- ternational x5 EXCA pointed race, open to all EXCA members. Last year the ECC drew riders from all over Ontario, Quebec as well as from the US competing for custom silver buckles! For more information on how to get in-


volved with Extreme Cowboy or to see the EXCA online rulesbook check out www.Ex- tremeCowboyAssociation.com, or feel free to visit www.GrassRootsExtremeCowboy.com with links to all the affiliates in Ontario as well as more information on the Eastern Canadian Championship.


Flexibility for Riders


Fix Your Posture Without Hurting Your Lower Back


By Gail Garceau Riders are known for


having good posture. You are told to sit up straight so often it becomes sec- ond nature. Yet lower back pain remains the most common chronic issue in equestrian sport, affecting more than half of riders.¹ To understand why,


it helps to look at the horse.


Most riders know the


importance of developing a horse’s topline – the line of muscles that runs along the horse’s back. It can engage, re- lease, and lengthen so it’s movements are smooth and comfortable. One of the ways a rider


can encourage a healthy topline is to allow the horse to lower its head and stretch the neck forward and down. This creates a chain reaction through the spine. The back lifts from be- hind, the hindquarters engage, and as a natural reflex to main- tain balance, the horse reaches toward the bit. The energy trav- els forward. When a horse raises its


head and hollows its back, that changes. The abdominals can no longer engage properly, and the spine compresses.


Figure 1. The Horses Topline Riders do the same thing. Lifting the chest without


support hollows the lower back. The curve in the lower back deepens, pressure builds, and the muscles that should be supporting the pelvis stop doing their job. The most common issue


is compression through L4 and L5. When this area com- presses, it can irritate the sci- atic nerve. For many riders this gets worse the more they try to sit up.


The issue is not lifting the


chest, it’s the imbalance of movement between the upper and lower spine. The spine is designed to


distribute movement across 24 vertebrae. Each contributes a small degree of movement so no single segment carries the load. When one area becomes restricted, another compen- sates, and the lower back is usually the one that pays. The upper back stiffens.


The lower back takes over. Pain follows. The trouble usually be-


gins when the upper back gets stiff and the lower back has compensates by doing too much.


How to unglue your spine for pain-free posture:


Step 1. Warm up – Get off the saddle and get blood moving through the core and allow the muscles to soften.


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Step 2. Isolate Lower Back – Practice rounding the lower spine. Learning to tuck the pelvis may feel unnatural at first. This movement decom- presses the lower back and teaches the brain a new pattern.


Step 3. Isolate Upper Back – Maintain a neutral pelvis while slowly extending the upper back. Contract the abdominals first, then extend the upper spine in small increments. Think about each vertebra con- tributing individually rather than the whole spine moving as one rigid unit.


Stay moving with a daily


dynamic stretching. Rather than forcing good


posture, focus on restoring movement through your spine with gentle daily stretches that target your back, shoulders, and core. Over time, posture begins to change on its own. Try this Essentrics work-


out to start unlocking your spine.


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