Stretching - Ace Therapy

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Equine Sports Therapy

Stretching - Naturally improve your horses range of motion By Kristen Giglio

Kristen Giglio is a Certified Equine Therapist and Animal Health Veterinary Technician. She owns/operates Advanced Connections Equine Therapy and offers such services as massage therapy, magnotherapy, trigger point therapy, applied kinesiology, saddle fitting and acupressure. Contact Kristen at (250) 370-9951, or visit www.acetherapy.ca. Veterinarian recommended. Available seven days a week.

H

ow many of you stretch your horse

ing the chance of torn or strained muscle or ten-

before and/or after you ride?

This

dons. Muscles are joined together by tendons.

simple addition to your riding regime,

If your horse’s muscle is tight, the tendons must

will drastically improve your horse’s muscle

compensate by being over-stretched; in doing

tone, overall range-of-motion, plus it is impera-

this, your horse is more vulnerable to muscle and

tive for injury prevention. Stretching will help to

tendon injuries. Also, by increasing your horse’s

improve your horse’s performance and agility by

muscle fibre, there will be less pressure on your

improving its stride, and natural movement. Most

horse’s joints because the surrounding muscles

athletes stretch before and after they exercise or

and tendons are more agile and flexible. Muscle

compete - why shouldn’t we ask, and insist, on

and tendon injuries are the most commonly seen

the same standards from our equine athletes?

soft tissue injuries. If your horse’s muscles have

Stretching helps: To increase range-of-motion

increased stress and force, it, in turn, is exerted

and flexibility; To prevent injury and muscle by

into the tendons and surrounding associated mus-

increasing agility; To improve stride and over-

cles. Because stretching helps to reduce muscle

all performance; To build and keep muscle tone

tension, by increasing each muscle fiber, it helps

(especially over weak areas); To prevent muscle/

prevent strain and improves your horse’s stride

tendon injuries, by increasing flexibility of the

and overall flexibility. We have discussed the im-

muscle fibers. By stretching your horse’s muscle

portance of stretching before you ride, now lets

before you ride, you are automatically decreas-

examine the benefits of post-exercise stretches

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Horse Hugs

Belly Lift

and how they help to prevent pain and muscle-

also notice the difference between your horse’s

fatigue. Along with a proper cool-down after rid-

range-of-motion pre and post workout. It also

ing, exercises help to increase muscle fibers and

allows you to detect if your horse seem painful

helps aid in removing any toxins or fluid than

and muscle over-stretched. This will be an indi-

may be present in your horse’s muscle. It helps

cation that your riding program may need some

to reduce muscle spasms by allowing the mus-

adjusting or fine-tuning. Here are some very sim-

cles to stretch and cool-down properly, rather

ple exercises that will benefit both you and your

than just putting your horse away. And because

horse. Horse hugs - as I’m sure we all love our

many horses are stalled, a proper cool-down and

horse buddies and enjoy giving them attention.

stretching allow the muscles to regain function

This one is simple; Stand on the side of your

without the likeliness of muscle tightness and

horse’s neck just before its shoulder and give it

pain from being worked. In doing this, you will

a hug. Do the same on each side. This stretches

Retraction Muscle Stretches - Front

Protraction Muscle Stretches - Front



Belly Lift

Retraction Muscle Stretches - Hind stretches all the back muscles

propel the limb backward, you

along your horse’s topline and

stretch the limb forward. If you

helps to tone and build strength

incorporate these simple exer-

to them. If your horse is unre-

cises into your riding routine,

sponsive, use the rounded end of

you will notice a marked dif-

your hoof pick and run it along

ference in your horse’s overall

your horse’s belly. Protraction

movement and muscle develop-

muscle stretches - stretches the

ment. I see it with every horse

muscles that move your horse’s

that I treat, as I recommend ex-

limb forward. You achieve this

ercises to help with any muscle

my moving your horse’s limb

or body weakness or just as

Protraction Muscle Stretches - Hind

backward. So if you want to

strengthening and toning your

stretch the muscles that propel

horse’s muscles.

the muscle of your horse’s neck

the limb forward, you stretch

- a hug to the right stretches the left and a hug to the left stretches the right. Belly lifts - scratch your horse’s belly (right where your girth would sit) and you will notice its back round. This


the limb back.

Retraction

muscle stretches - stretches the muscles that move your horse’s limb

backward. You

achieve this my moving your horse’s limb forward. So if you

For any questions or comments on my column please e-mail me at, [email protected].

want to stretch the muscles that