On 6th November 2021, I was delighted to be part of the innovative virtual event, ‘Fit For Welfare’, hosted by the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS). Today I’m sharing with you some of my learning from the day.
In a twist that I haven’t seen at other online conferences, the day began with an address from HRH The Princess Royal. To me, this was a reminder of just how important tack is in terms of the welfare of the horse.
Liz Launders gave some exercises that we can do to warm up, even before we start mucking out. This made me think about the advice I give out so regularly that we should warm our horses up in hand before we get on their backs. I need to add to my advice that we should warm up as riders, with some specific rider stretches and mobilisations, rather than using the first few minutes of riding to warm ourselves up! Liz also echoed my personal belief that both horse and rider are likely to benefit from regular physical therapy, perhaps once a month, to enhance performance, promote comfort, and reduce the risk of injury.
Take home message: It’s important to warm up before activities such as mucking out or riding.
© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021
Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion
