Exercises
-
Maximizing Your Horse’s Warm-Up: Enhancing Mobility and Skills with Right Angle Poles
Walk is an important part of any warm up with your horse. It’s generally recommended that we spend 10-20 minutes at the beginning of a ride letting the horse slowly start moving. Walk increases circulation bringing oxygen and nutrients to muscles,…
-
Riding Exercise: Circles Inside Circles
This is one of my favorite exercises. I use it often both to evaluate and develop the horse and rider. It asks for several basic skills and it can be tailored to fit almost any skill set or level of ability.…
-
Understanding Fascial Adhesions: Causes, Effects, and Reducing the Risk of Developing
Fascial adhesions refer to the abnormal binding of fascial tissues, which are thin, fibrous layers of connective tissue that encase muscles, bones, and organs. Fascia plays an essential role in stabilizing and supporting the body, and transmitting forces and energy throughout…
-
The Benefits of a Warm Up that Includes Massage
The easier it is for your horse to move freely and in good balance, the more capable it will be of doing what you ask it to do, and of doing it well. Exercise and the physical activity of the horse…
-
Trot Poles Increase Muscle Activity At The Trot
A recent study performed at the University of Tennessee proved that ground poles at the walk increase muscle activity in both the longissimus dorsi (major back muscle group running along the spine) and the abdominal muscles. Ground poles at the trot…
-
How the Sympathetic Nervous System Helps Your Horse in Competition
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) can help your horse during competition by preparing its body for physical activity and performance. When your horse experiences stress or excitement, such as during a competitive event, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, leading to…
-
Benefits of Hill Work
Hill work can be both a full body workout and a mental change of pace for your horse. Hill work is great way to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, topline, balance, coordination, suppleness, range of motion and leg stability. Be sure to…
-
Horses Increase Their Fitness At Rest
Did you know that horses increase their fitness when resting? The process, known as adaptation, occurs post exercise during rest, rather than during exercise. Training without adequate rest periods can be detrimental. Instead, use a varied workload with two consecutive days…
-
Decrease Stiffness with a Warmup Walk
A 15-20 minute walk warmup at the beginning of your ride decreases stiffness of the tendons, muscles and other soft tissues. A allows your horse to withstand higher loads and minimizes the chance of injury. It also gives you time to…
-
Exercise Combined With Massage Builds Healthier, Stronger Muscles
The micro tears and trigger points caused by exercise and building muscles heal faster, stronger and with a healthier range of motion when a horse receives regular massage sessions. Benefits of massage with myofascial release include improved muscle function, improved joint…