improvement—of the ring of muscles circling his entire topline, abdominals, and thoracic sling. It vacillates between the muscles needed for propulsion and those for balance and posture. In addition to strengthening the core, it proves immensely useful in equalizing the effort and use of both hind legs.
1 Beginning in a square halt with the horse in a rounded posture on the bit, ride four to six steps backward (fig. 1.8 A).1.8 A: Diamante remains stretching forward to the bit while backing up.
2 Immediately close your legs and walk the horse forward four steps, then halt again (figs. 1.8 B & C).1.8 B & C: I ask Diamante to take one last step backward, while keeping my rein contact steady and my hands closed, preparing to move him forward immediately afterward (B) … and he steps forward with his right hind leg, with which he took the final step backward (C). Here, he shows a nice big step with his hind leg and he remains steady throughout the rest of his body.
3 Ideally, the last hind hoof to step backward in Step 1 is the first to move forward in Step 2.
4 If the horse is not square, take a few steps to square him up. Right away, back up again for four to six steps.
5 Repeat this sequence as long as the horse is staying straight and not tilting sideways.
6 Aim to create the feeling of a carousel horse cycling forward-backward, forward-backward.
Without becoming frenzied, work toward achieving quick responses. You want the horse to step backward brightly and then immediately spring forward. In Step 2, you want him to surge forward promptly when you ask. His movements should be quick and light rather than lumbering or sluggish. If any resistance is encountered, it is best to tune up this movement from the ground.
EXERCISE 7: Backing Up a Hill
| PURPOSE: | Increases mobility in the lumbosacral junction and strengthens muscles of the spine, pectorals, and thoracic sling. |
To increase mobility in the lumbosacral junction while activating the spinal stabilizing muscles, the pectorals, and thoracic sling, handlers can back their horse up a gradual hill. This is contraindicated in the instance of a sacrum injury or arthritis in the back or hocks.
1 Confirm Exercise 5 (see p. 19) first, confirming consistently resistance-free, correct execution.
2 Now seek a gentle gradient such as a driveway, a ramp, or an area of your pasture.
3 Request that the horse maintains the same horizontal balance described in Exercise 5 (fig. 1.9 A).1.9 A: Star shows a little instability by pushing her head and neck outward away from her body for balance, and her hind legs are a little too far under the body. This will cause her to use her gluteal muscles more than her quadriceps and biceps femoris, which are preferred.
4 Begin by backing up 10 steps. Assess how it felt.
5 If the horse manages without stress or fidgeting or throwing himself sideways, it is optimal to perform at least 20 steps.
6 If it is challenging to perform 10 steps, start with fewer until good form is established (fig. 1.9 B).1.9 B: On a less steep slope, she manages better and carries herself in nice balance and relaxation.
fit tip
Deep, loose footing can increase the workload by 50 percent to a horse that has not adapted to it. Hard footing, on the other hand, can be concussive to sore joints or arthritic conditions. But it can actually be good for occasional use to strengthen bones when there are no preexisting conditions to consider and you limit schooling to 20 minutes or less.
This exercise can require initiation time. Many horses first balk more from lack of confidence in this unnatural maneuver than from reasons of physical shortcomings. Spend a moment discerning whether he struggles from wariness mentally about what is being asked or from physical difficulty. If the former applies, it behooves you to work through and gain his confidence so you can benefit from this productive exercise.
EXERCISE 8: Backing Down a Hill
| PURPOSE: | Improves stability of the hindquarter joints. |
While the basic mechanics may seem similar, backing down rather than up a hill targets different muscle systems. Most importantly, it improves stability of the horse’s hindquarter joints—hip, stifle, hock. They must keep from wobbling while being in an extended position. Of the larger locomotion muscles, this exercise targets the extensor chain. It is contraindicated in the presence of sacral ligament injuries.
1 Locate a gentle slope as described in Exercise 7 (see p. 23).
2 Begin at the top of the hill and slowly ask your horse to walk backward in a very straight line to the bottom of the slope (fig. 1.10 A).1.10 A: Siobhan is careful not to rush Star backward. You can see that Star is not taking an equal length of stride with her front and hind legs, which we want her to learn to do.
3 Be sure to keep his steps measured so that each is the same length. To catch their balance, many horses will take a larger step with one of their forelegs compared to the other. This creates imbalance (fig. 1.10 B).1.10 B: Star’s posture improves in the second photo but Siobhan has to work to keep her moving in a straight line.
4 As with previous backing-up exercises, keep the horse in a correct topline posture throughout.
I always begin this exercise from the ground without a rider until the horse is rhythmic and balanced. There is quite a difference in just “getting through” the exercise versus performing it well. As with all exercises involving slopes, remember that steeper and longer gradients are not necessarily better. All you need in order to be effective is a short, gradual slope that allows you to perform about 20 steps from bottom to top. Most barns have a driveway that will suffice.
EXERCISE 9: Long-and-Low Transitions
| PURPOSE: | Promotes healthy use of the back musculature. |
Trotting the horse in a long-and-low neck posture is a widely used rehab strategy for the back. It opens the spacing between vertebrae, relieves pressure in the lower lumbar region, and ensures the horse is carrying his rider on the passively engaged spinal ligament system rather than the locomotion muscles that run along his topline and are designed only for moving, not carrying.
Transitions between gaits in this long-and-low position refine recruitment of this ligament system in addition to the spinal stabilizing muscles. Classical dressage training books often prescribed these transitions toward the end of the warm-up phase.
1 Begin in an energetic posting trot riding the horse in a long-and-low position (fig. 1.11 A).1.11 A: I begin by getting Diamante connected to my rein contact in a long and low posture. He reaches his topline outward nicely to my elastic contact.
2 Slow down for four strides and then make a gradual transition
