Homework - insert header/title?
Intro to the stretches? If you would like to write something
Neck Rocks
Place one hand on each side of the base of the horses neck. Start gently pushing the horse to one side, allowing them to balance themselves. Allow the horse to come back to midline then gently push them to the other side. Rock the horse back and forth such that the horse works its core and paraspinalis to hold balance. Optimal to perform before workouts, 20-50 repetitions.
Lateral Bending Exercise
Stand behind your horses shoulder, facing away from them. Utilizing treats or the shank gently guiding your horse chin towards the lowest portion of their flank by moving the bait downwards towards the hock. Making sure their eyes stay level and one side isn’t lowering to create compensation. The horses neck should bend gently around you, this may be too far a stretch at the beginning so start by holding near your bodies midline first, then building from their withe your horses queues of what feels more comfortable. You may also utilize your free hand to press gently on the outside of the neck as a guide. Hold times for this stretch at 5 seconds but to build to 20 seconds. Please perform 2 repetitions of the stretch on each side.
Paraspinal Stretch
Stand on your horses side and reach underneath the body to the opposite girth area. Place your hand in the girth area and with finger tips form a half moon shape, encouraging the horse to move their ribs towards the side on which you are standing. Be sure to look at the horses ribcage before and after the stretch to determine the effectiveness of the stretch. The ribs may not move the much, but there is significant range of motion for the back and muscles that support the spine. Hold times for this stretch start at 5 seconds but to build to 20. Please perform 2 repetitions of the stretch on each side.
Sternum/Wither Lifts
Stand at your horses side just behind elbow. Placing hands with upward pressure into the sternum in the middle of the chest between the pectoral muscles, you will feel the groove where the pectorals insert. Maintain the pressure or tickle with your fingers, observing the flexion of the horses spine and contraction of thoracic sling. 3-5 repetitions each side with holds of 10-30 seconds.
Belly Lifts
Stand at your horses side just behind elbow. Placing hands with finger tips in upward pressure on the horses midline of their abdominals, approximately the middle of the horses barrel. Gently increasing pressure with your fingers, or tickle as some horses need different types of encouragement. Observe the spinal range of motion as with this finger placement you will see more movement of spine and ribcage with core contraction. 3-5 repetitions each side with holds of 10-30 seconds.
Wither Rocks
Stand at your horses side, reach to the withers of your horse and cup them with both hands. Incline or pull gentle the horses weight towards you. Observe the horse shift weight onto the forelimb closest to you, see if you can get your horse to go as far as they can before taking a step to balance themselves. Then gently pushing on the withers away from you to perform the same weight shift to the opposite forelimb. Observe the horse unilaterally engage the thoracic sling, mobilize the base of neck and engage those abdominals. Optimal to perform before workouts, 20-50 repetitions, can be done either side.
Sternal Press Belly Lifts
Stand at the side of your horses shoulder. Place one hand on the chest, you will feel their sternum button. With gentle pressure push the sternum back as you observe the horse shift their body weight into their haunches. Then with your opposite hand along the midline of the horses barrel press upwards with your finger tips to create abdominal contraction. Observe the spinal range of motion as with this finger placement on the barrel you will see more movement of spine and ribcage with core contraction, and thoracic sling contraction. Hold times for this stretch at 5 seconds but to build to 20 seconds. Please perform 2 repetitions each side.
Sternal Rocks
Stand facing the horse at the shoulder, placing one hand on the centre of the horses chest, you will feel the button of the sternum in your hand. Place the other hand on the withers that are sloping down, around where the pommel would be. Gently push the chest hand upwards towards where you other hand is placed, then ease up without loosing contact of the horses body as they rock their bodies back to neutral. Then gently pull downwards with the wither hand to the direction of the chest hand. Focus on the floor or wall and feel the horse rocking back and forth in a rhythm. If it is too fast the horse will be rigid, too slow and they will be confuse so watch your horses queues.Rocking back and forth such that the horse works its core and thoracic sling to hold balance. Optimal to perform before workouts, 20-50 repetitions.
Caudal Tail Pull
Be careful with this stretch as you have to be standing behind the horse. Prepare the horse by gently swinging the tail side to side as some horses are more concerned with their tails. Place one hand closest to the top of the tail head, then the other hand is placed near the dock of the tail. Line the tail vertebrae along with the line of the croup. Gently pull until you feel resistance and hold to allow that horse to slightly lean forwards, then ease off the pressure. Observe as the horses body engages core and thoracic sling to rock forwards, then hip stabilizers to rock back to maintain balance. Optimal to perform both sides before workouts, 20-50 repetitions.
Lateral Tail Pull
Stand to the side of the hind quarters facing the hip. Take hold of the lower portion or dock of the tail or the tail hair, pulling gently towards you. We aren’t pulling the horse off balance, mainly shifting weight and stimulating resistance in the pelvic stabilizer muscles. Observe the horse contract stabilizer muscles of the hip and stifle. Then as you ease pressure the horses body maintains balance, then repeat the engagement. Optimal to perform both sides before workouts, 20-50 repetitions.
To inquire further or book an appointment, please contact:
Sara Vold EEBW3 EST RVT NKTE
sara@arrowequine.ca
403.370.4495