Recognized as a source of well-being, stretching, or stretching, is a practice commonly used among us humans to improve muscle flexibility, prevent injury and promote recovery. The same applies to horses. Whether they’re top-level athletes or leisure companions, it’s important to include stretching in your equines’ daily routine.
The benefits of horse stretching
Improved flexibility and range of motion
Stretching considerably improves a horse’s flexibility, as well as its muscular and joint elasticity. Regular stretching increases the flexibility of muscles and joints. This flexibility can enable your horse to move more freely. This flexibility can enable your horse to move more freely and perform wider movements: essential benefits for disciplines such as dressage, show jumping and lunging.
Injury prevention
Stretching also helps reduce the risk of injury. Following work sessions, toxins can build up and muscles can become sore and achy. Regular stretching keeps muscles and tendons healthy, preventing muscle overload and fatigue.
Caution: if your horse is suffering from trauma, osteoarticular, nerve, muscle tendon, cardiovascular or infectious lesions, do not use stretching, as it may do more harm than good and increase the inflammatory process.
Improved blood circulation
Stretching exercises promote better blood circulation to stretched muscles. As a reminder, good blood circulation is crucial to your horse’s muscular health, as it ensures an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. It also eliminates metabolic waste produced during exercise. Good blood circulation also helps your horse recover more quickly after exercise.
Reducing stress and tension
Beyond the physical benefits, stretching a horse helps reduce stress. A relaxed horse is happier and performs better. These stretching sessions improve his general well-being.
This practice also helps to develop a relationship of trust between owner and animal, in a climate of relaxation, favoring breaking-in, for example.
Understanding the mechanics of stretching in horses
Extension and flexion (neck, scapulohumeral joint and hip) are very important. Abduction and adduction, on the other hand, are relatively limited. Neurological synchronization is required between contraction of one muscle group and relaxation of the opposite group.
When a muscle group is stimulated by stretching, the conditioned fibers glide more easily and the antagonistic muscles are “awakened”.
The nervous system thus integrates data associating stretching with actions, muscular and nervous”well-being”.
Stretching techniques for horses
A few tips:
- Above all, remember to analyze your horse’s tendon and muscle reflexes.
- Adopt a position of least resistance.
- Focus on passive, slow stretching until you feel a slight resistance. Hold your horse in this position until it relaxes (between 10 and 60 seconds) and repeat the movement two or three times.
- Always stretch the antagonist muscles by moving in the opposite direction, following the same pattern.
For best results, take a global biomechanical view of the horse.
To help you, have a look at Julia Prével’s book “Myologie du cheval : muscle par muscle”, available on our website.
Note : stretching is a real form of gymnastics, and it’s easier to start with the feet and work your way up to the spine. Some prefer to start with the forelegs, others with the hindlegs – it’s all about adapting to your horse.
And if in doubt, consult a veterinarian or an equine physiotherapist. They can help you design a program tailored to your horse’s specific needs and avoid mistakes that could lead to injury.
In addition to stretching, you can also incorporate equine massage into your horse’s routine.