Which stretches should I do with my horse?
If you’d prefer, you can listen to this blog on YouTube here.
In terms of which body parts to stretch, you might be guided by where you feel your horse is stiff, tight, sore or restricted. It might be that your physical therapist has suggested that you stretch a particular muscle group or that your horse has a specific movement restriction that could be eased with stretching. Your instructor may have told you that your horse needs to be looser or more flexible in his ridden work, or they may have pinpointed a specific area for you to work on. In these cases, you may focus more on some of the exercises in my online course “Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy” than others. There is no right or wrong. Every horse is an individual. Trust your instinct; you know your horse.
Alternatively, you may want to cover all bases and do all the stretches in the course. Perhaps you’re thinking of ‘prevention rather than cure’. You might find it easier to have a set program to follow rather than trying to figure out whether one stretch is better for your horse than another. In this case, do all the stretches that are taught (unless there is a reason that one is inappropriate for your horse).
Please help me to help 100 horses.
Do you live in an area where it’s challenging to get access to physio for your horse? Does the cost of physio mean that you can’t have your horse treated as often as you’d like? Would you like to be able to do more for your horse?
Do you know someone to whom any of the above applies? Please help me reach these people and their horses by sharing this blog. I’d love to help 100 horses this month; perhaps it’s your horse I can help. If not your horse, wouldn’t it feel wonderful knowing that you have made a difference by passing on the information someone needs to support their horse?
I’m on a mission to help those who can’t get the horse physio assessment and treatment they would like to offer their horses. I’ve carefully and lovingly created an online course, “Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy”. The course includes ten stretching exercises (with video included) and lots of information about how, where, when, why, and what to stretch.
Course Overview
Discover the transformative power of stretching for your horse with this comprehensive course. It provides easy-to-follow instructions on various stretches designed to enhance your horse’s comfort, movement, and overall performance. By the end of the course, you will not only understand the importance of stretching and gain practical knowledge about its implementation.
A regular stretching routine can offer a multitude of benefits:
Just as a short yoga session can leave you feeling more relaxed, a 15-minute stretching session can do wonders for your horse’s comfort and well-being.
Meet Sue Palmer – The Horse Physio
Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, is a distinguished figure in the equestrian world. As an award-winning author, ACPAT, and RAMP registered Chartered Physiotherapist and Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Trainer, Sue brings a wealth of knowledge to this course. With qualifications from prestigious institutions and extensive experience treating horses, Sue is dedicated to promoting ethical and harmonious horsemanship.
Join Us on the Journey
Enrol in “Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy” and take the next step on the wellness journey with your horse.
