PRESS RELEASE
CORE by D: A Swedish Brand Bringing Research-Backed Core Training to Everyday Equestrian Life
Göteborg, Sweden — CORE by D is a Swedish equestrian brand developing elastic training-band systems designed to support core strength, balance, and long-term soundness in horses. The product combines a well-made everyday saddle pad with a purpose-built training aid in a single system — elegant enough for daily riding, effective enough for focused training, lungeing, groundwork, and rehabilitation work carried out in consultation with a veterinarian.
A growing evidence base
Elastic resistance band systems for horses are an area where peer-reviewed research has caught up with what many trainers have observed in practice. A 2017 study from the Royal Veterinary College found that a four-week programme using elastic training bands produced measurable improvements in dynamic stability of the thoracolumbar region during trot.¹ A 2021 study at the University of Tennessee used surface electromyography to show that elastic bands increase activity in the rectus abdominis — the abdominal muscle that supports the back from underneath.² A 2023 University of Georgia study indicated that the same category of training aid can improve hindlimb symmetry and back-pain symmetry in horses with mild hindlimb lameness, when used alongside veterinary care.³
CORE by D is built on the same underlying principle that these studies describe: a gentle proprioceptive cue that encourages the horse to engage core and hindquarter muscles voluntarily, without forcing a frame or a posture.
What CORE by D is designed to do
- Support engagement of the core musculature during ridden work, lungeing, and groundwork
- Encourage greater symmetry and stability of movement over time
- Integrate naturally into daily training, without complicated setups
- Serve as a versatile tool across disciplines — dressage, jumping, general riding, hill work, and pole exercises
The bands attach to the saddle pad with a single clip. They can be added when a training session calls for focused core work, and removed for routine riding. CORE by D was developed in collaboration with veterinarians and trainers.
Founder’s perspective
“Elastic training bands are a training tool in equestrian sport, where there exist real, but somewhat limited, peer-reviewed research to point to. We built CORE by D because we wanted something that fit into daily routines, a saddle pad a rider would actually want to use, not a specialist device that only comes out when there’s a problem. The bands help the horse find the right movement, without forcing it. The horse stays in charge of how it responds.”
Mia Löjdahl, Founder, CORE by D
About CORE by D
CORE by D is a Swedish brand focused on equestrian training aids that combine everyday utility with targeted training function. The brand works with veterinarians, trainers, and educators to develop products that support long-term equine soundness. CORE by D is sold directly at corebyd.com.
Media contact
Mia Löjdahl
Founder, CORE by D
Email: mia@corebyd.com
Phone: +46 70 889 32 14
Web: www.corebyd.com
References
1. Pfau T, Simons V, Rombach N, Stubbs N, Weller R. Effect of a 4-week elastic resistance band training regimen on back kinematics in horses trotting in-hand and on the lunge. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2017;49(6):829–835.
2. Shaw K, Ursini T, Levine D, Richards J, Adair S. The Effect of Ground Poles and Elastic Resistance Bands on Longissimus Dorsi and Rectus Abdominus Muscle Activity During Equine Walk and Trot. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2021;107:103772.
3. Ellis KL, Goldberg MR, Aguirre GE, Moorman VJ. The effect of a 4-week elastic resistance training regimen in horses with non-performance limiting hindlimb lameness. Journal of Equine Rehabilitation. 2023;1:100003.
