Core Strengthening for Your Horse, Part Three

Core Strengthening for Your Horse, Part Three

By: Amber Erickson, DC, MEBW

               We have been discussing core strengthening for your equine partner, and this month’s article will continue learning new stretches and exercises.   For a quick review, core strengthening can improve almost any horses performance, as well as lessening the chance of an injury happening.  Continue to have a safe place to work with your horse, and keep wearing protective footwear and gloves.  By now you and your horse should be getting pretty good at doing the five or six stretches we have already discussed, and you may already be noticing some differences in his topline muscling.  This month we will be focusing on true core strengthening.  Up until this point, we have done stretching and range of motion exercises created to strengthen and to stretch the horse’s upper back and abdominal muscles.  As with all core strengthening exercises, these are best done when the horse is warm (a five or ten minute walking session is usually sufficient to warm him up).  Do these exercises three to six times every day, four or five times per week. 

                The newest stretch is called a wither lift.  The handler should stand by the horse’s front leg, facing toward the horse.  Using both hands, as spread apart as you can make your fingers, apply gentle but firm upward pressure onto the horse’s sternum (or chest).  Your hands should be just in front of the location of the girth, near the pectoral muscles.    The horse will respond by lifting his withers toward the ceiling.  Continue working back on his belly into a belly lift, and transition this into a back lift.  The horse should smoothly raise his entire back, from his withers through his low back, in response to your gentle pressure. 

                It is possible to increase this stretch by asking a handler to lower the horse’s head a small amount while he’s stretching.  If your horse is less than sensitive, and he does not respond to your hands (if your hands lack the strength to hold his move), you can use a pen cap or hoof pick to gently ask your horse to lift his back.  It is common for many horses to resist doing a belly lift when this exercise is first introduced.  He should become accustomed to it as he gets stronger with daily exercises.  However, if his resistance continues past the first week, or becomes more aggressive, please desist doing those exercises.    Consult with your veterinarian or equine chiropractor before re-introducing them.  This holds true for all of the exercises we have discussed.  If the horse displays a marked change in range of motion or in acceptance of a stretch day by day, he may need to be checked out by an equine Bodyworker or chiropractor. 

These six or seven exercises can help you to re-shape your horses back in ways you never thought possible.  Once you have performed these daily for several months, the horse is ready to move onto cavalletti and more advanced under saddle work to continue building and stretching his topline and abdominal muscling. 

Dr. Amber Erickson is a Doctor of Chiropractic at Erickson Family Chiropractic in Richfield, WI. She is also a Master Equine Bodyworker, certified by Equinology.  More information can be found at www.elementalequineservices.webs.com.