TRAINING SERIES PART 8: Developing symmetry in the horse

Developing Correct Movement Training Series Part 8: Developing symmetry in the horse 

Developing symmetry in the horses body and movement isn’t a quick or straight forward thing, it’s long term training work. If you’re continually coming back to the same point...your horse is crooked, struggling on one rein, can’t maintain straightness, struggling with certain movements...and none of this improves, then the issue is deeper in the body/limbs, and your current training isn't targetting their crookedness. 

The body, limbs and movement are all affected by the horses lack of symmetry, their natural crookedness pattern. And this is foundational in the body, there from day 1 in their life, and always present, so we need to work on it, with and for them!

The natural crookedness pattern, or laterality, or left/right handedness, whatever you would like to call it (!), evolves into the horse having one diagonal pair of limbs stronger than the other diagonal pair. The stronger diagonal pair is better at taking weight, but due to this, isn't quite as flexible. The opposite diagonal pair of limbs is more flexible and 'active', but not quite as strong. 

This pattern can be really obvious, or a bit more subtle...so have a think about your horses pattern, and have a look next time you exercise them! 

In terms of training this isn't a good pattern to be working with, due to uneven movement and therefore uneven wear and tear on the structures in the body. We need to dig a bit deeper. 

If we can develop more symmetrical USE of the limbs (equalise the diagonal pairs, equalise the hindlimbs and the forelimbs) in terms of BOTH strength AND flexibility the horse is then able to produce more symmetrical movement naturally and by default! 

Training the stronger/stiffer diagonal pair of limbs to become more flexible...and training the more flexible/active pair to also become stronger...then gives us more equal and even function in the limbs pairs/diagonals...the horse will have strength AND flexibility in all limbs! 

My methods of doing this are first to work out the pattern, then add daily core exercises to start to equalise the body, mobilising and stretching tight areas/structures, and activating areas/structures that have been switched off, in combination with in-hand work which I find invaluable to really digging down to the foundation level of the how the horse moves and uses his body and limbs. Small corrections made within in-hand work can make a huge difference in terms of your horses education and how he learns that he can use his body more effectively! 

Just a few corrective in-hand sessions can change how the horse organises his body, then short sessions on an ongoing basis, even if just for 10-15 minutes, can make all the difference! You can literally SEE what your horse is doing/not doing by being on the ground next to him!! 

I have seen the 'penny drop' moment with horses so many times, where you correct the movement, and actually see them realise that it's actually easier and more comfortable than they think, to stretch down / bend to the inside / slow down / whatever has been the difficulty for them! It's VERY rewarding! 

And if we can improve how the horse uses his body and limbs at the foundation level, we develop a more symmetrical horse that can produce a more even movement left-right...AND decrease injury risk at the same time. Win-win! 

***For more detailed information about the horses natural crookedness pattern and poor posture, please come and join my 5 Day Free Online Training group on 5th-9th September where I will be going live each evening at 7pm UK time for around 30 minutes to talk about posture, core strength, crookedness in the horse, and all of the ways that we can help our horses through corrective foundational training! REGISTER: 5 Day Free Online Training