"Pt 4 Restarting, Conditioning, and Great Exercises For Your Horse"

Howdy Folks,

 

I started this series when, with glee, I announced 2 weeks ago on facebook I'd be riding again on September 1 (today and truthfully, I rode yesterday, so we could get these pictures). I'd been sidelined 4 months with my cardiac adventure, and I briefly described my routine for getting my mare, Kessy, back in shape after our time off. A few friends asked what I do to restart a horse, so I figured it might make an interesting series.

This is the final installment of that 4 part series about restarting an idle horse. The first 3 parts discussed and demonstrated ground work exercises to release, relax and help create proper body carriage, posture and self awareness. The focus of this series is restarting a horse after time off, but these exercises are excellent any time, and I recommend them for every horse care givers routine. Many of them I do every time before I ride. Always. I do not believe in lunging as warm up, rather I do these exercises.

First ride after 4 months off, Kessy and Saturday are lovin' it! Me too! She really is walking, she's just walkin' big!

Some folks say horses in big pastures or in track system Paddock Paradise type living don't need to be restarted. In my opinion that's wrong. They may not be as out of shape as a stalled or small lot kept horse, but they are not fit to ride any sort of time or distance. If we want to be fair, safe and healthy. Sure we may get away with just tossing on the saddle and heading out for an hour or two ride after a horse has been idle a few months, not only is it not fair, but the damage we do will eventually catch up with us. And our horse.

It's important for the health of your horse to get them back in shape for rides; a horse loses its cardio fitness in about 30 days, muscles about the same, and tendon, bone in about 90 days. I started Kessy's restart 2 weeks ago with the carrot stretches, and shared them on our Coffee Clutch blog. Then for the past 10 days I've done each of the exercises we've discussed in parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series once a day, exactly in the order I showed them. 

The entire routine takes Kessy and me 30 minutes now. The first days it took 40 minutes, for even though she has a Paddock Paradise, she was somewhat out of shape. I even found stiffness in her neck and hind legs, not really noticeable by just watching her, but by golly the exercises sure brought it to light. She improved quickly and by days 5 and 6 was close to back to her limber self, but even this morning she told me her hind legs were not yet perfect.

Imagine had I simply tossed on the saddle and went merrily along for an hour's ride, without the days of restart exercises, the stress it would have put on tight muscles and tendons. Sure she'd have done what I asked because she trusts me and is trained to, but she'd not have enjoyed it, and the discomfort would have chipped away at her trust and enthusiasm. I wonder how many horses are disciplined and sent for training, or sold, because their owners misunderstood their expressions of discomfort for bad behavior.

So now we're back in the in the saddle and I'm taking in the world from the best seat God ever gave us. But we're still getting back in shape. Yea me too, but I'm not the important one here. We start with 15 minute rides every day for about a week. Some folks say that's silly for a horse that was as fit as Kessy before the idle time. But it's not.

There is much that needs to happen in those first rides back. Think about all the areas the tack touches, the big muscles along the spine, the girth area, even the headstall, all are out of shape and need to come back. And every part of her needs to readjust to carrying weight, her back, legs, muscles, bones, heart, lungs, tendons and feet. And her vascular system. So 15 minutes a day for about a week, preferably on a trail so it's not in a ring always turning, is the first step.

Oh and I reckon I should mention here, I'm not a fan of lunging, for exercise, or any reason, so that's why it's not part of our routine. Don't like round pens either, but that's a subject for another day. And yes, I believe even show horses are better served on the trail than the ring. In fact I believe for every hour in the ring there should be 2 on the trail.

 As I said, our first rides this week will be 15 – 20 minutes over the same course I walked for my cardio rehab. The following week we'll add time, about 10 minutes every other day, and mix in a little terrain change, and begin to ask for a little gaiting, about 3 – 5 minutes a time. 

The week after that we'll add more distance, a little more gaiting and more terrain change. By mid-week 4 we should be comfortably up to an hour with 15 – 20 minutes of gaiting. It takes about 30 days to get a horse minimally fit … when I trained for CTC and Endurance I learned it takes 60 days for cardio, 90 – 120 for muscle and a year for bone and tendon to condition.

All along I'll continue the exercises, and by the end of the month I can fine tune the exercises to the top-line exercises, pretty neck, the one step and rock back, which I do every time before I ride. I do the leg and circle pulls and the rest every now and then. Cool down, I'll do the top-line again.

So there you have it, the way I like to restart, or simply maintain a horse. Of course there's a lot more, but I gotta go ride, and you've probably had all of me you can take. Kessy and I hope you enjoyed this little series, and will incorporate these great exercises into your daily routine.

End of our first ride on the restart, we wish you happy trails!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

You can read Pt 1 HERE

You can read Pt 2 HERE

You can read Pt 3 HERE

"Pt 1-Restarting, Conditioning, and Great Exercises For Your Horse"

Howdy Friends!

In 4 days Kessy I can ride again! Our last trail adventure was Sunday April 27, then we got interrupted by my cardiac adventure. When a horse has been idle for that long, even though she has 24/7 turnout in a modified Paddock Paradise track system, I don't believe you should just saddle up and go. It's important for the health of your horse to get them back in shape for rides; a horse looses its cardio fitness in about 30 days, muscles about the same, and tendon, bone in about 90 days. I've started Kessy's restart 2 weeks ago with the carrot stretches, and shared them on our Coffee Clutch blog.

This weekend I started relax, release and body, foot and posture awareness exercises. Ravishin' Robbie took some photos and I'll be writing a series of posts to share them with you. Our first rides next week will be 15 – 20 minutes over the same course I walked for my cardio rehab. The following week we'll add time, and a little terrain change. The week after that we'll add more distance and more terrain change. It takes about 30 days to get a horse minimally fit … when I trained for CTC and Endurance I learned it takes 60 days for cardio, 90 – 120 for muscle and a year for bone and tendon to condition. Kessy and I hope you'll enjoy our Coffee Clutch series, "Restarting, Conditioning, and Great Exercises For Your Horse."

We'll start by reviewing, over 3 days, relax, release and body, foot and posture awareness exercises I learned while working with my mentor Diane Sept for nearly a decade. From Diane, a "Senior Certified Connected Riding Instructor ®," I learned the techniques of Peggy Cummings, Connected Riding and Ground Work® and Linda Tellington-Jones, Tellington TTouch Training ™. I highly recommend their training and books. In their books you'll find these and many more excellent exercises.

The exercises we'll discuss and explore are excellent for restarting a horse, but I recommend them as part of everyday routines for all horses. We will cover more than you need to do every day, but some of them I do faithfully before I tack up, every time, no exception. In time you'll learn to hear your horse when she tells you which ones she really needs. Also all the exercises, about a dozen, are the basis for what I call my, "Therapy For Therapy Horses," clinics.

Today's exercises I call The Top-Line exercises I do before I tack up, always. It's important to note, always do these ground tied or in a stall so the horse is free to move. Have no hay or grass in your exercise area, you want them focused on you and their release. Do not discipline during exercises as that will short circuit any release. Be sure to watch for and allow sighs, licks and chews. Your horse may ask for a little walk to absorb these new feelings, walk them if they ask for a minute, then begin again … We'll start with the "Poll Wiggle."

 Poll Wiggle - Gently support her head by holding the halter, place your fingertips around the poll, and watch for the release, as you wiggle gently. I always start with this, and it is great to do anytime. It will also help calm a horse anytime.

Next is a series of TTellington TTouch circles along the back and rump, both sides. You can also do them on each side of the neck.

The circles are the size of a quarter, moving clockwise with your fingertips of one hand, resting the palm for support, your hand cupped, letting your fingertips do the work. Picture a quarter size clock face, start at 6 move to 9, 12, 3 back to 6 and on to 9 and stop there, making a circle and a quarter. Slide your hand about 2 inches and do the next circle, and so on. Pressure is gentle, just enough to move the skin. Make a series of circles all along the back, out over the rump and down the meaty part of the thigh, both sides, your line is about 3 inches from the spine. Always make connection with both hands; you see my left hand resting. When finished, lay both hands flat and gently drag them over your tracks. (I often do this one first out in the field before I even halter Kessy)

Next the Vertebrae Wiggle.

Starting at the Poll, using your fingertips, grasp each vertebrae and wiggle each one a time or two. Imagine holding the vertebrae in your fingers and moving one hand away from you while pulling the other to you so it wiggles. Proceed all the way down the neck, across the back, over the croup (I know you can't feel the spine here, pretend you can) and down the tail –

where the wiggle in the tail is up and down not back and forth. If your horse clamps her tail, gently slide your fingers under her tail and tickle until she lifts it. In time this will not be an issue. Also many horses hold much of their tension in their tails and you must be very gentle, this will ease that tension, and relax the entire horse in a way that is lasting.

Next the Tail Pull Belly/Back Lift.

Grasp the tail about midpoint and by bending your knees pull slowly, steadily and firmly, being very careful to stay on the angle of her butt, and hold the pressure a few seconds as she tightens her rump, engages her abdomen and raises her back. Then release Very Slowly.

Next the Belly/Back lift.

Standing beside your horse, reach under exactly in the middle, front to rear and side to side and with your fingernails, in a slow steady motion, apply pressure until she engages her abdomen and lifts her back. Hold this for a few second and release SLOWLY … Note, this exercise MUST be done AFTER all the Top-Line release exercise are completed, not before or as a lone exercises. In time when your horse is released, and used to carrying herself in proper released and relaxed posture, you can do the Belly/Back Lift anytime, and should do it often.

Kessy and I hope you'll make these easy to do exercises part of your routine. Tomorrow we'll move into a few great body release and relax exercises.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry  

You can read Pt 2 HERE

You can read Pt 3 HERE  

You can read Pt 4 HERE

"Easy Fun Stretches For Your Horse – For restart or any time"

Howdy Friends,

 

Kessy and I have not been able to hit the trail since the last week of April because of my adventure in cardiac land. We won't be enjoying saddle time, or trails, until September, but I've been given the okay to do a lot of things now, and I'm beginning to get Kessy ready for the big day. Bringing a healthy horse back from a 4 month vacation is certainly not as difficult as one that had been given rest due to injury, but I believe care should be taken in the restart just the same. Even though she enjoys her big treed playground and run-in, I've not been able to do anything with Kessy for 3 months, except Coffee Clutch and brush her. She's had no body work, exercises or any of the things we hold so valuable. I even had a friend trim her feet! Still can't go back to that for 8 weeks.

The past few days I've begun to do little things with Kessy to get her body in shape again, and one very important thing is to loosen her up with gentle, easy stretching exercises, and I thought I'd share them with you. These carrot exercises are for the horse to release in her own comfort zone, no pressure, no stress.  I recommend these for every horse all the time, but they are highly important to restarting a horse. Once you start doing them, you will be amazed at how much your horse changes.

Kessy demonstrating the side carrot stretch, slow easy and release

First start by offering carrot on the left and right, hold your hand somewhere near her side so she reaches for the carrot. Two things are important, she must not step to come for it, and don't ask for too big of a bend at first. Some horses will bend all the way to their ribs the first time, others will only be able to come half way or less. Whatever suits your horse is best keep it comfortable. This is all you do every day for a few days until she can do this with ease. Then you can add the bow carrot.

Kessy demonstrating the bow carrot stretch, full release, notice she has not bent her knees, this is correct.

To do the bow carrot, reach between her front legs and encourage her to bow to reach for it. At first she may not be able to bow very far, don't push it, reach up to her, keep her comfortable. Gradual increases in reach over a few days will get her all the way. Then you can add the big stretch carrot.

Kessy demonstration the big stretch carrot - notice her feet are planted. If your horse steps around to reach, don't give the carrot, start over, ask for, "Stand," she'll get it.

To do the big stretch carrot your horse must be able to do the side and bow carrots with great ease. Start with them each day, then when she is ready, stand toward her rear, reach between her hind legs up to her toward her belly and encourage her to reach back and under for the carrot. At first she will be confused, side step, try to turn to get it. Be consistent with your encouragement, and ask her to stand still and reach with her neck to accomplish the stretch. If you have given enough days and time to the side and bow stretches she will be able to do the big stretch the first or second time you try, but don't rush it.

Be sure to do these stretches at liberty, no halter no lead rope. She must be free to release, relax and stretch. Don't hurry the process, give each exercise the days it takes to master. Just because your horse snatches the carrot, if she is fast and struggling to grab it, she has not mastered the release, slow down and watch for the graceful move … After you and your horse have mastered them, make them a part of your pre-ride warm up. Kessy and I hope you enjoy these stretches, and joining us on our trail riding restart. From time to time, we'll share more restart exercises.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry