A Back for the Future Exercise

Baby it’s cold outside! What are you doing to warm up your horse’s precious back?

Did you know that the long (longissimus) muscles of the horse’s back are locomotor muscles and need to be able to stretch and move for the horse to attain the “ease of movement” required for dressage? Encourage healthy movement and muscling by warming, loosening, and working out rigidity caused by us, our tack, the COLD air, or basic stress or fatigue.

Heating pads or blanketing are helpful. Energetic grooming is a must as well as vigorous massage/scratching of the saddle area after riding to awaken the blood flow impeded by the saddle/rider pressure. Ride at the beginning with a light seat, at a rising trot or a half-seat in canter. Bending, stretching down, and happy cantering are all great! Take the time.  

I also have a once a week go-to for my working horses in the cold…lunging over cavalletti!  

I like to set up 3 or 4 canter poles  (9-10 feet distance) through a corner and/or trot poles (4-5 feet distance) along the long side. The horse can go through the canter poles at any gait but only trot through the trot poles. These can be very fatiguing so it is important to give breaks and change the rein often.

I personally use a lunge caveson with a bit attached, a Back on Track back pad, a surcingle, front boots, and side reins. The ability to attach the lunge line to the lunge caveson allows one to free lunge (without attachment to the bit) or in the side reins. I generally use a “sliding” side rein to encourage more downward stretch but on a very unbalanced horse I may use regular side reins.

Normally, I will do my free lunge at the beginning or the end of the session or when changing direction. The idea is to get maximum stretch and steady tempo (good balance) over the cavalletti so your adjustment of your side reins or free lunge will require you to use your eyes (or someone elses) and your brain. I love the Back on Track pad to heat the back muscles and front boots are a must to protect the delicate splint bone that runs along the side of the cannon bone. Your lunge circle should be as large as you can make it and maintain tempo/balance or as small as you need to be at first to gain control or give confidence.

Horsey Yoga and Pilates is the way to go to check on and promote your horse’s back health over the winter months. With a supple back the horse starts to swing and quoting an old Blues song, “You ain’t gotta thing if you don’t got the swing.”

Losgelassenheit or Looseness (USDF Glossary) - Freedom from negative physical and mental/emotional tension. Relaxation

Once a week…Just do it.