Tips for strengthening your horse

As an Equine Physiotherapist & Rehabilitation Specialist, one of the main parts of my work to is look at improving the horses movement, and when I make amendments to horses' exercise/rehab plans to develop more full body strength, the difference in their movement and ability is quite transformational!! 

A horse can be doing 'ok' and able to do most of what is required BUT when you add some specific strength work to the horses routine, to genuinely strengthen the core and condition the thoracic sling, you really can make a HUGE difference to how your horse looks, feels, and what they are able to do - it's exciting! 

It's like you as a rider spending 3 months doing daily pilates, imagine how that would positively improve your riding ability?!! Less stiff, more flexible, more symmetrical, more strength in the back and core, more able to be 'with' the horse as a rider! 

It's the same principle with horses, so let's get into my tips!

Slow steady strengthening...

Slow and steady wins the race every time, viewing strength work as long term ongoing work is key, not just doing some polework for a few weeks then forgetting all about it! Strength needs to be maintained and worked on, on an ongoing basis, so building a plan for your horse that is progressive (no sudden increases in demand), steady, and incorporates different aspects of strength training is most effective! 

Cross training...

Cross training can be super effective too, so building a variety of exercise types into your routine with your horse helps with thorough strengthening! It depends on what your situation is with your horse, but you can include polework, fast work, hacking, corrective lunge work, in hand work, jumping, grid work, whatever is appropriate for your horse at this time. By adding a variety of work to our horses routine we develop the body more fully and strengthen them more successfully by them doing different tasks and using their body in different ways. 

Don't make it too difficult...

Over facing the horse and rushing through a plan can actually have the reverse effect. The horses body needs time to adapt to exercise and an increase in exercise. If we ask too much too soon, the horse can experience DOMS pain (delayed onset muscle soreness) which can lead to avoidance, compensation and potentially injury. Back to Tip 1...slow and steady wins the race! 

Step back and look at posture and muscular development...

What needs to improve and where? How are you going to achieve this within a steady progressive exercise plan? If your horse is weak along his/her back, spend your time working from the ground until he/she looks strong enough to carry a rider. Same if your horse currently has poor posture - work from the ground until the posture is improved. If the horse has weak hindquarter development, you want to find ways to work on building strength in those muscles before you ask the horse for too much ridden work. 

Don't underestimate the power of walk work...

Within rehab we spend quite a bit of time working in walk, and I have transformed horses by spending 6 weeks in walk alone! It can be tempting to move through walk to get to trot and canter work, but actually in the walk each limb is in contact with the ground individually so we can make quite an impact on the horses strength through walk exercise...whether hand walking, walking over poles, walk hacking, long reining, all hugely valuable to add in to your horses routine to strengthen up successfully! 

And of course, correct work, core strengthening exercises, and some non-ridden work each week...

I use a variety of exercise types within rehab or strengthening work, including stable based core strengthening exercises, in hand work which I find hugely beneficial, polework, specific ridden exercises for core strengthening, and corrective lunging to develop core strength and good posture. I always recommend some non-ridden work each week to allow the horse to exercise without the weight of the saddle and rider, this really does make a difference as you work through strengthening your horse.

I hope these tips are helpful, and if you would like more support do get in touch and let me know what you need! 

STRENGTH & STRAIGHTNESS ONLINE PROGRAMME: if you are looking for some strength training ideas for your horse, my online programme is all about core strengthening at it's heart! You will get access to my entire training programme and my members group for access to me, and support as you go through the training. CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME