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Correct Rider Movement + Better Communication = Happy Horse

Better rides through fixed movement patterns so that your horse understands your aids without needing to “yell.”

At Move Like A Rider, we know you want to create a happy, healthy relationship with your horse built on exceptional communication.

We believe that all riders are athletes, but the gym is NOT your best outlet for becoming a better rider - neither is riding more horses!

In this case stronger does not = better.

Understading HOW YOUR BODY moves and fixing imbalances, crookedness, and misalignments will ultimately create a better riding experience for you and your horse!

I Want to Be a Better Rider!

We help riders just like you, get the results you want

You don't need to ride a string of horses or go to the gym for hours each day to find security, confidence, and balance in the saddle!

With Move Like A Rider, you will learn how to ...

  • speak your horse's language by correctly and accurately using your body
  • be secure in the saddle when the unexpected comes
  • have the confidence you want to progress to new levels or try new riding activities

But the most important reason to learn the Move Like A Rider approach is the joy you'll have in building the trusting relationship you have with your horse.

You will understand the changes you need to make in your motor patterns to improve your riding and develop deeper communication and connection with your horse.

But how?

You think the best way to become a better rider is to take more lessons or ride more horses.

It's not uncommon to think that riding more horses will fix all your problems.

Unfortunately, if you have poor mottor patterns, riding more horses will only make those patterns worse. After a while, you may not even be able to feel that you are sitting crookedly in the saddle or weighting one seatbone more heavily than the other.

Move Like A Rider will help identify those patterns that cause miscommunication with your horse and make you feel like you've forgotten how to ride your horse!

Riders are often given bad instruction that doesn't fix the problem.

It’s hard to know what you don’t know

You don’t think of yourself as an athlete

You aren’t alone in your journey

You are in the right place!

Learn the Move Like A Rider Approach and Achieve the Body Awareness and Motor Patterns You Need to have the Effortless Rides of Your Dreams.

Muscle recruitment (motor patterns) is akin to symphony. The muscles (instruments) need to play at the right strength, timing, and interplay with the other instruments to create music (movement).

This is where I live and work, in the synergy, the timing.

Move Like A Rider teaches the way behind the how, fostering harmony, communication, and understanding between rider and horse.

My proven step-by-step online programs and private coaching sessions will help you correct your poor motor patterns so that you can ride better and have a better relationship with your horse.

Move Like A Rider Mini-Course

  • 8-Week Online Course with video guidance
  • Weekly Live Calls, Checklists, Facebook Group, & Private Audios

Move Like A Rider Mini-Course

  • Free Introductory video sneak peeks into
  • The Move Like A Rider Course

In-Person Private Coaching Sessions

  • Four sessions to accelerate your progress
 I Want to Be a Better Rider!

Let’s get started! 

Finding the right approcah to fixing the issues you're having in the saddle can mean the difference between giving up riding for good because of pain and frustration or goin further than you ever imagined.

Step #1

Sign up for my free mini-course. This is a perfect sampler to get you started. Take the assessments and do the exercises.

Step #2

Explore the other courses when you are ready for more and find the one that best suits you right now.

Explore the other courses when you are ready for more and find the one that best suits you right now.

You've taken the min-course and maybe another course, but you are READY to accelerate your progress. I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions, either virtually or in-person, in a series of 4.

 LET's get started

You Want Someone Who Understands Your Frustration
in the Saddle and Can Fix it.

As an Equestrian and Doctor of Physical Therapy, I Know How to Correct
Your Physical Problems and Make You a Better Rider.

I’m Tonya Olson, Doctor of Physical Therapy, human and equine functional anatomy expert, business owner, and horsewoman. I’ve always had a passion for horses, and in my younger years, the barn became a haven to escape the pressures of the outside world.

A path to becoming a veterinarian to work with horses evolved into a desire to connect human movement to people's relationships with their horses. I ultimately chose physical therapy to help riders see themselves as athletes and show them how to be the best athletes for their horses.

You can find me and my German Shepherd Alvy in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I own and run Centaur Physical Therapy.

BOX with Qualifications
Dr. Tonya Olson, MSPT, DPT Board Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Certified Manual Physical Therapist
2007 began practicing
2018 start of Centaur Physical Therapy

Education
Doctoral Candidate, Doctor of Education
Evidence in Motion (Doctorate in Physical Therapy)
Medical University of South Carolina (Master’s degree in Physical Therapy)
Indiana University-Purdue University (Bachelor’s degree in Biology)

How to work with me

How Can I Help You?

  1. Check out the Program page and sign up for the Free Mini-Course.
  2. Follow my Move Like A Rider Facebook and Instagram pages. I'll post lots of great advice and tips throughout the week.
  3. Join my Move Like A Rider Facebook Group. Here we can interact. I do FB live videos and you get to be part of a community all working together toward better riding and happier relationships with their horses.
  4. Ready for more? Take a course! Here you get to dive in and work with me and a group online to work through your individual movement pattern problems and how to be fix them.
  5. If you want to work with me directly, I do virtual coaching and in-person coaching in the St. Petersburg, Florida area, fill out the form on the contact page.
  6. Celebrate your riding successes with new friends in your Move Like A Rider community!
Check out the Right Course for you!

Here’s What My Clients Are Saying…

Small tweaks and exercises … made a huge difference in my ability to impact my horse’s movements.

Brianna Cussano - Doctoral Student, rider

Tonya is amazing! She opened my eyes to the source of my riding problems, ones that I didn't even know existed. WIth small tweaks and exercises, she made a huge difference in my ability to impact my horse's movements. You think you know where your body is and what it's doing, but most of us really don't.

Tonya gave me exercises to do on and off the horse. These targeted exercises gave me the ability to practice and strengthen my weaknesses even when it's raining, dark out, or I just have 5 minutes. This has made a huge difference and allowed me to make progress even though I don't ride for a living.

My horse is so happy I know Tonya! She has made me better at doing self check-ins when things don't seem to be going right. Now when my horse doesn't feel even or is diving to one side, I think, "ok, where am I crooked?" Erica Lacher, DVM

I ride pain free... and able to do things that seemed impossible before.

Today, I am much closer to being the rider I want to be. I ride pain free and feel strong and able to do things that seemed impossible before. Tonya was there for me and I don't think I'd be riding today if it weren't for her support.

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