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If you speak with 25 different horsemen about how to improve balance in their horse, you will get 25 different answers. Albeit they will most likely be somewhat related, they will be justifiably different. As an equine bodyworker, improving balance and free movement in horses is pretty much my life. While my top 3 priorities in this area may not be yours, they all add up to enhance performance, decrease pain, and improve overall musculoskeletal health with your lovely horse!
Improve Balance with a Stretching Routine.
Dynamic stretches (the stretches that are held for a period of time) should ALWAYS be done on warm muscles to prevent injury. If you are unsure of how to develop a stretching routine, work with your equine bodyworker if you have one, or even ask your trainer or vet for some suggestions of safe stretches. By stretching after every workout, you’ll help to maintain muscle health, strengthen supportive tissue and help to prevent tight muscles and shortened tendons. These are all important things when working toward a more balanced and supple mount! Check out my video below on some simple carrot stretches to implement into your routine.
Regularly Back your Horse, both in and out of the Saddle.
In addition to being a wonderful training tool in teaching your horse respect for you and your space, backing up your horse does wonders for muscle development and engagement. This is not a natural movement for horses. You won’t look into a pasture and see them backing up without being asked to do so by their human counterparts. By backing in proper form, your horse will learn to round their spine and muscles, developing a stronger topline. Backing also teaches them to put weight on their hind legs, strengthening them – think healthy glutes and stifles! When a horse has a strong and developed topline, they are naturally better able to carry themselves in a balanced way.
I always like to use a rope halter when working on backing my horse. It is a great training tool if you have a good, quality halter. I like this rope halter and lead by Knotty Girlz. I love the knot placement and stiffness of the rope. Not to mention it’s made by a small business right here in the USA!
Always Properly Warm up and Cool down your Horse
Warm ups and cool downs should be a minimum of 10 minutes. Let’s think about why: by warming up, you allow better blood and oxygen flow to all muscles, allowing them to access what they need from the body before their workout begins. Warming up also allows proper synovial fluid to cover the joints before an activity session. All of this goes to prevent the ever-dreaded injury. Cooldowns are just as important! A proper cooldown after working large muscles allows gradual recovery of the heart rate and blood flow and lets the body’s temperature regulate itself. Cooling down helps to prevent stiffness and soreness in all those muscles that just worked. It is essentially the same as with humans – when we exercise, you can definitely tell a difference when you skip these steps!
Those are the first methods that come to mind. Of course, as mentioned in the beginning, there are so many ways to improve balance in your horse! What are some of your favorite methods? Feel free to share them below!
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