In order for the horse to have any hope of staying sound long enough for a successful career in dressage, we need to develop these muscle groups correctly. The correct elevation of the poll and front end is a product of transitions and increased engagement of the hind legs.
The goal for the lower-level horse should be to achieve throughness, relaxation and submission initially to the inside aids , then layer the effect of the outside aids into all this. Upper-level horses have more soundness problems in their hind legs, lumbar and sacroiliac area and neck. Horses are often collected before they are strong enough for it or they are asked to stay in a collected frame for longer than their muscles can support.
This kind of situation allows tendon and ligament injuries to occur. Multiple short breaks of walking allow muscles to recover, so training can be resumed while minimizing the potential for overtired muscles. Whatever the source, dressage done well addresses gait abnormalities by systematically achieving gait purity and balance. An example might be when one hind leg clearly steps shorter than the other and is limited in range of motion. You would shorten the stride of the horse until the scope of the steps match and then carefully increase the step with forward and back transitions and lateral work to gradually increase strength and return the weaker limb to a more normal range of motion.
Once the gaits are pure, the rider can work to focus on the other pieces of the training scale. Over the last 30 years I have used dressage as physical therapy for horses.
I know hundreds of horses who have been in trailer accidents, have suffered general unintentional mishaps or who have needed to have their muscles redeveloped because of previous training issues.
If a horse is actually lame in a medical sense, then that needs to be addressed and resolved first and foremost. When the horse reaches the point when he is sound, the physical therapy begins. I recommend long warm-ups starting with at least 15 to 20 minutes of walking and interval training, which allows for lots of short walk breaks on a long rein. An example would be the use of shoulder-in and haunches-in to help increase range of motion in the abduction and adduction of the limbs, or the ability to step away from or under the body.
It is an invaluable tool for helping horses achieve and maintain soundness well into old age. She has trained several horses to competitive Grand Prix level. Based in Eugene, Oregon, Steward specializes in chiropractics and lameness issues and teaches dressage. Learn By Levels. Rider Fitness. Sports Psychology. Hoof Care. Horse Conditioning. Personal Journey. Barn and Facility. Therapeutic Riding. For the rising generation of para-equestrians, Jordan encourages them to immerse themselves in the experience and relationship with the horse.
Learn it from the inside out. Learn how to be an excellent horseman in order to create a foundation and build on those experiences. Want more articles like this delivered to your inbox every week? Sign up here to receive our new, educational Equestrian Weekly newsletter. This article is original content produced by US Equestrian and may only be shared via social media.
It is not to be re-purposed or utilized on any other website aside from usequestrian. Become a Member. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday! I left the neurologists very unsure of what the future would hold.
Because of the head injury my diagnosis took over 10 years and I had to get a bit feisty with my local hospital and transfer myself to the care of Prof Scolding at Southmead, where I at least got the diagnosis I already knew would come, by that point we had missed the relapsing form and moved to progressive so no medication for me.
But that meant I could move on and fight it once I had got my head around it that is — which took a year or two. The professor has seen a real change in me and when I saw him in July he said he wished he could bottle what I have and give it to his patients as I breeze in on my scooter with such optimism and fun, I told him to get horse riding added to the treatment list but I am not sure how NICE would react to that.
I would recommend to anyone who has had the same diagnosis to have a trip to your local RDA centre — you may not have Paralympic ambitions like me but it is the best therapy you can get and I know you will love it too - just be prepared to smile and laugh a lot and perhaps shed a few tears of joy! Emily was diagnosed with MS in when she used to be very physically active.
Since being diagnosed she struggles with mobility issues and uses a wheelchair to get around. We chat to her about how she find exercising helps with her MS. While everyone around her seems to be having children, Edith is having to consider what impact the decision could have, not only on her life but on her MS too.
Nick, was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis at the start of the first lockdown. In this story we talk to him about how he coped with his diagnosis and how running helps him with his MS. Keep up-to-date with the latest MS news, explore new research, read the stories of people living with MS, find out practical tips from MS experts, and discover exciting fundraising opportunities.
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