Strengthening your horses CORE

Following on from last weeks Blog on the important Multifidus muscles in the spine, I wanted to write about the next step...actually strengthening the multifidus muscles to help create space in between the DSP's (the bones that touch in kissing spine). 

You can read last weeks Blog here: Multifidus Muscles Blog post

Strengthening the abdominals in the horse has the effect of shortening the abdominal line of the horse, therefore lifting the core and back. So the abdominal work is the important bit to be working on in your horse. We can't really isolate muscles that well in the horse, but that's a benefit in this case...targetting the abdominals actually strengthens the whole of the core including the Mutifidus muscles in the spine! 

As mentioned in last weeks Blog, scientific studies have been done on these exercises, and if they are done properly and consistently, they are PROVEN to increase the size of the Multifidus muscles! 

Teaching your horse to stretch and lengthen their topline allows the back to open up, and the 'long and low' posture becomes default for the horse, the more that we strengthen their core. 

I find when rehabbing and training horses, that the core activation exercises (abdominal crunches!) are the most effective way to enable the horse to work in good posture, because we are strengthening the 'underline' of the horse and lengthening the topline of the horse, and it's a positive ongoing cycle...stronger core, better movement. 

By implementing core activation exercises, I see horses become lighter in their movement, lighter in the forehand, more symmetrical in body and movement, more equal bend, more symmetrical hindlimb function, and the horse actually carrying themselves instead of being heavy into the ground in movement. 

I have a number of ways to add specific core strengthening work into horses exercise or rehab plans, and again we now have the scientific evidence to prove which muscles are activated in walk and trot over poles! 

***Looking at the image in this Blog, can you see how much Azuros back is pushed up by doing this specific exercise?*** 

There is a lot you can be doing to strengthen your horses core, I like to weave it into daily activity instead of it just being a 'day of core work', so that there is core strengthening work going on most days within the horses exercise plan. If we just ride every day and don't add different activities into our horses exercise routine, or don't actively work on their core, we risk a back issue...give them a couple of days non ridden exercise per week and you will see the positive difference! 

The benefits of consistent core exercises are...: 

• Improved posture 
• Improved core strength
• Lengthened and strengthened topline
• Reduced back pain
• Space created in between the DSP's
• Horse much more flexible 
• Horse more symmetrical in body and movement 
• Reduced risk of kissing spine 
• Create strong platform to sit on
• Horse more willing and able 

Here are some of the types of exercises that I add in...: 

• Core Activation Exercises 
• Core Mobilisation Exercises 
• Specific Polework 
• In Hand work
• Correct 'long and low' lunge work - can be done in walk only! 

These are my main 'pillars' within rehab and re-training, the types of exercise that I find MOST effective, with the Core Exercises number 1 on the list! 

What do you do to focus on strengthening your horses core? Do you have a strategy or not? 

If you would like my help to put all of this in place with your horse, my training system is sympathetic, effective and transformational for your horse! Consistent, corrective work, targeting the specific areas of your horses body that need to improve, is where you will get the big improvements with your horse. SO many of my members have gone through rehab or different training with their horse, but until they actually follow my training which focusses on correct strengthening and symmetry work, they don't get the FULL improvements in the horse, because my training is designed to work at the foundation level of the naturally occurring issues in the horses body. 

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF MY STRENGTH PROGRAMME: Strength & Straightness Training

QUESTIONS? And if you have any questions or I can help you in any other way, please get in touch through the Contact page here on the site.