With so many horses I recommend ground work and so many owners seem to get a look of dread in their 👀 but why, what are they so afraid of? Sometimes it’s because owners don’t understand how to do it or think they are going to do it wrong, they underestimated or don’t understand the benefits of ground work, they don’t know what they are looking for to assess their horse or choose which exercises are required for their issues. Sometimes it’s seen as a step back, but it’s not, far from it, it’s a big step in the right direction for your horse. They sometimes feel disheartened like they have done something wrong and have got to start again, and sometimes this is the case, their horses’ overall posture, dynamic balance, stability, proprioception, global body mechanics needs some work before these break downs cause a problem or injury. Ground work is not just reserved for youngsters, retired, classical horses, those undergoing injury rehab, it’s beneficial to all.
As well as major physical benefits I’m going to discuss shortly, horses enjoy groundwork, it provides variety to their workload, it builds an amazing bond between you and a better connection which is so important to build a harmonious relationship.
A lot of cases I work with, I often recommend to riders/owners that they get off their horses back for at least a month or longer depending on their issues to complete a course of ground work to build on strength, condition, and training or to be able to release and realign the body. Do not see this as a step back but as a massive step forward, as you doing the right thing for your horse, getting them to a position of having better global body mechanics, better symmetry, posture, proprioception, balance and straightness to be able to carry themselves better and to be in a stronger position to carry a rider.
I see this the biggest step forward you will take for your horse, to try to ensure career longevity, injury and pathology prevention, (as much as we can with horses), creating a strong, supple, conditioned and coordinated body. Instead of having to rehabilitate your horse due to injury and playing catch up which depending on the injury sometimes this isn’t ever fully successful. Once the body has been injured it sometimes never fully recovers it is always slightly weaker, with more scar tissue and less range of motion, so why not take the time to give your horse this little time to develop correctly without the added weight of a rider not matter what their age, level, discipline.
From the ground you can see their progress, their areas of weakness their evasions. We can take this visual feedback from what we can see and feel on the ground and extrapolate this when we get back on board. So actually, working your horse from the between 1-2 months is an average as over this sort of time frame we can see muscle development and biodynamic adaptations and changes.
Groundwork most definitely does not mean lunging on a circle for 30 minutes as this will do your horse no favours. A mix of some lunging, long reining, therapeutic groundwork patterns, lateral work, longitudinal stretch, core engagement work, straightness training, corrective pole work exercises specific to your horses’ individual needs, a range of active and passive stretches, functional training of the thoracic sling and recoil systems, and much more.
Once you start back to reintroducing ridden work, ground work is still advised at least once/twice per week for all horses no matter what discipline, to continue this education, for the horse to exercise without the weight of saddle and rider putting the spine into extension, to provide you with the visual feedback as to what you are feeling when you ride, and to continue to form the all important connection between you.
If you are not sure you know what you are doing or what specific exercises your horse needs, where or how their posture or movement is lacking, how to assess it, how to lunge or long rein effectively why not book a lesson. I offer ground work lessons and integrated ground/ ridden tuition to work on your horses individual biomechanical needs. Don’t be afraid any more 😱😈👻🎃👹💀🧟🧛🦹🕷️🦇
No matter what discipline, if any, a horses’ training programme needs to be fully balanced and progressive to include all aspects of fitness (cardiovascular, speed, stamina, endurance, strength, suppleness, flexibility, coordination, agility, balance), plus working through the scales of training; rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, collection, and improvement of skill level. A training programme needs to progressively overload the systems of the body for optimal and functional adaptation. Training and conditioning for all disciplines is a very fine balance between optimal adaptation and an overuse injury. Trying to work on all of these factors within one discipline can only be done through repetitive movements which is the major cause of overuse injuries such as ligament issues, mainly suspensory, tendon issues, muscle strain, wear and tear on the joints.
What is cross training?
Cross training involves adding different types of exercise, movement, disciplines or modalities into a training routine to achieve an overall more rounded fitness level and set of skills that the body can then call on when needed. If a horse is constantly trained dressage on a perfectly harrowed surface, one day for some reason there is a rut on the surface or a slightly hard patch due to frost or drought, causes the horse to roll on its step that it is not used to doing which takes the limb rotation into a different plane it is not used to, this can cause a strain on the DDFT or other soft tissues for example. If this horse was regularly ridden on varied or uneven terrain, grass, roads, hardcore, its tissues of the limbs in particular would be better conditioned to the variety in movement and would have no issue in coping with this minor anomaly in the surface.
Why cross train?
In human research athletes who specialise in a single sport had an 85% higher chance of injury than those who that do multiple activities (McGuine et al. 2017), this is expected to be higher in horses.
For a horse specialised in an individual discipline (ie exclusively a show jumper, exclusively a dressage horse), the repeated loading and strain from the one particular movement in one plane, doing the same thing day in day out will have the same effect. But also repeated riding in a poor movement pattern or with compensatory mechanisms in play being repetitively overloaded will also cause training overload associated injury, e.g. lack of flexibility, suppleness, fitness, subtle lameness/ unsoundness or asymmetry, pain, unbalanced rider as a one off may not cause much of a problem to the horse but if this is a repeated pattern will lead to injury. Hence, this is also another major reason for:
a.) Having your horse regularly checked and treated by an advanced qualified and experienced equine physical therapist to pick up on these minor anomalies in symmetry, posture etc. and correct these before they are repetitively loaded, affect performance, and cause lameness.
b.) having a coach that is dedicated to your horses’ correct way of going, global body mechanics and correct rider biomechanics rather than getting you to jump that big jump, perform movements that neither rider or the horse are ready for.
Cross training also allows for muscle recovery time, allowing the horses body time to repair and replace any damaged tissues. DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) caused by build up of lactic acid that the body needs to remove and repair of muscle and free radical damage takes around 48 – 96 hours, replacement of muscle glycogen takes around 48 – 72 hours. Other types of exercise can be done within this time just not the same type of repetitive loading and alternative exercise and movement can actually help with these times.
Therefore, we cross train so we can continue to work them just in a different way, to work on different aspects of the scales of training or fitness to prevent excessive overload, to give them a better rounded education and to protect them against injury:
For horses cross training is adding a variety of exercises and training:
Overall, to prevent injury, for your horses health, fitness, sanity, and increasing their performance in your chosen discipline, cross training is essential for long term benefits.
Rider biomechanics is such a massive subject area and one that I am very passionate about, but I don’t want to get in too deep in a simple blog but it is important to me not only as a coach, trainer and rider, but also as an equine physical therapist, it is such an essential aspect of riding that for some reason is so often over looked by coaches. Everyone knows that poor riding can have a negative effect on the horse, their health and way of going. No one likes to think of themselves as a “poor rider” but to me this includes poor rider biomechanics too, as this can massively have a negative influence on the horse. Its not just about having a pretty position it is so much more than that.
So many riders have been taught incorrectly or using out of date research over many years and this has become their body’s default riding position. There is now so much more data that shows how we need to sit, our weight aids, posture, harmony, neutrality, and now it is not been corrected by many coaches and because you can now “ride” you go to coaches that are going to get you jumping higher, wider, bolder, braver, doing higher level dressage moves etc., rather than concentrating on these foundations and the basics of your own biomechanics which if they are not correct, your centre of balance is in the wrong place, your weight aids are incorrect, the horse can’t carry you properly in balance, or you cause him to brace through his back, blocking him, which affects his dynamic posture, he doesn’t move right which over time leads to a long term compensatory lameness issues, but not because of his own compensations (he has those to deal with as well any way!), but because of compensating for you. So in a nutshell; YOU CAN MAKE YOUR HORSE LAME! I see it so often, more often than I would like. Even in some riders at quite a high level, they don’t understand why their horse is blocked through the back when they ride, struggles with certain movements and I can feel it when I come to treat them. Then when I strip everything back and watch them ride, look at their biomechanics on the horse it all becomes obvious. Sometimes all it takes is a few tweaks to their dynamics here and there and it can make a massive difference to the horses comfort and way of going.
A lot of the time when I first start coaching people I take lots of photographs and video’s and use an app called the coaches eye so I can slow everything down, draw on it and show riders exactly where the issues lie, and we can compare the beginning of the session to the end, or in a few sessions time to see the differences that such small alterations make to the horses performance. So often when riders look at videos people take of them they are looking at the horse; is his head in the right position, how much is he clearing the fence by, etc. not at themselves, or they can pick out their flaws but are not sure how to correct them, and some are completely oblivious that their posture is causing the horse to shorten his stride, tighten on the left side etc.
Studies have shown correct seat and position are the basis for a good performance. One study in particular aimed to measure deviations from the correct seat, test a seat improvement program (dismounted exercises), and investigate whether horse behaviour was affected by the rider’s seat and found that in particular improvement of backward tilted pelvis, which I see very often, showed a reduction in horse behaviour classed as “evasive,” and the horses’ heart rate decreased (elevated heart rates are associated with stress and pain). Heart rates of riders decreased therefore it was a either a lot less effort for them to ride in a biomechanically more efficient posture or it was less stressful for them too when the horse is less evasive. 78% of riders felt the exercises improved their riding performance.
It also applies if you have any physical medical issues, tightness, old injuries in your body that affect what you can do, your posture, movement etc. This is when you need to go see a good human body worker yourself, get yourself sorted, as again you will be affecting your horse. Most people put their horse first but there is no point in getting the horse treated if their problem is being caused by you. I work in conjunction with some really fantastic human bodyworkers so that together, both specialists in our own field can get you and your horse to be happier, healthier, sounder, in better harmony and balance so that you can achieve your goals.
Fascia is often the forgotten tissue of the musculoskeletal system and until relatively recently was thought to be irrelevant. However, a greater understanding of horse movement, injury, perception, coordination, transmission of muscle force, biomechanics and the adaptations of the fascial system, have shown the importance of this tissue. There is not a vast amount of research into the equine fascial system, but human fascia research has become more prevalent over recent years as its importance has become more apparent. More research into equine fascia is coming through, however some of the human data can be extrapolated for use in the equine sphere, as in 2017 Skalec & Egerbacher investigated the structure and innervation of the deep fascia of the equine forelimb. Using dissection, histology and immunohistochemistry, they found that the general structure of the equine forelimb fascia corresponds to the characteristics of the human limb fasciae. However, Ahmed et al. in 2019, examined the histological differences between horse and dog fascia at specific regions compared with the human model, finding equine fascia exhibits a tight, dense composition, while in the dog’s is looser with non‐dense structure. Equine fascia appears to be different from canine and human fascia, whilst canine fascia is very comparable to the human model. This shows the need for more specific equine fascia research.
The Fascial System The fascial system in horses, people and dogs is an intricate complex interconnected network of tissue encompassing all fibrous connectie tissue, enveloping muscles, bones and organs individually and connecting them.Cheshire Equine Therapy is very proud to present it’s retail site, The Animal Therapy Hub Ltd. This is somewhere you can go to get advise about numerous scientifically based therapeutic products from many brands from all over the globe such as Back on Track, Premier Equine, Zandona, Rock Tape, Hotter Dog, Equ streamz, Photizo and many more. With more brands and products being added on a weekly basis to provide you with a one stop shop to be able to compare many different products that use different modalities such as magnetic, infrared, kinaesthetics & red light therapy. Additionally, we want to help with anything performance and training related so you will also find products to help and guide in this respect too. As it is always nice to be able to look at and feel the products before buying on line, if you live in Cheshire or surrounding areas we can come to see you for a no obligation demo. We will fetch our range of demo products to you and we can measure up to ensure you are getting the correct sizing and correct products for what you are trying to achieve. You will also be able to find our trade stand at local shows and events. Sign up to our news letter on the website www.theanimaltherapyhub.com and you can also find us on facebook, twitter and Instagram to find out where we will be and when, latest research, newest products & special offers. Happy shopping.
I was asked to attend the BHS North West Camp at the fabulous Aintree Racecourse. I think it is fair to say that a good time was had by all. Campers had some great lessons with some brilliant instructors in amazing surroundings with beautiful weather. I was there giving help, advice and mini consultations to those who wanted it (not treatments as there was not enough time and no veterinary referral). Some lovely horses and riders of varying levels, everyone was really friendly I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a good all round camp to attend with lots going on. The BHS is a great charity and it is getting better and better all the time. As I am a BHS registered instructor if you want to join the BHS you can now do it through me. As a member the biggest benefit is the free public liability and personal accident insurance and the free legal helpline, well worth the membership fee you couldn’t buy the insurance cheaper than the membership cost and it is really comprehensive. You never know when your horse is going to cause an accident, accidentally hurt someone or yourself so at least you know you are covered. Plus all the other benefits too, free/discounted tickets to big events, regional events, access to education, BHS magazine, & more. If you want anymore information let me know next time I’m at your yard. Keep an eye on when the next camp will be. If you are organising a camp of any description for adults, children, various disciplines, various levels and you would like me to attend for a talk, demo, painted horse, consultations etc. let me know well in advance so can get it booked in.
Pictures below courtesy of Brian Heyes Photography
We did our first camp with Kirsty Edwards from Fit2Ride on the weekend of 14th August 2015 at her yard in Nantwich. Great fun was had by all along with lots of learning. This camp was focussing on core work for rider and horse. Participants began with group equipilates with Kirsty, then a painted horse demo with me where we did a bit of anatomy and physiology, hopefully not too much to bore participants to death, but enough to give a basic understanding for when we moved on to the next section based in the class room where I taught some of the foundations for keeping their horses back and musculoskeletal system in good condition, & theory behind the practical in the afternoon. In the practical participants learned how to check their horses back, how to check their saddle fit and carrying out some basic massage and stretches for their horses to help keep them in top condition, and they practised these on their own horses. Kirsty did individual mounted pilates sessions then she did a mobility, breath and relaxation group session for the riders. For tea that night we all went to a gorgeous local pub the Combermere Arms for some top nosh.
In the morning Kirsty began with individual postural assessments, then I gave individual lessons on using ridden pole work to engage the horses core, then I continued this theme in the next group session of teaching the participants how to use ground work and pole work from the ground to engage the horses core. Have a look at some of the pictures below. The next camp is planned for 9th – 11th October 2015 then this will be the last one for the year, they will restart again in April next year when the weather should be getting better again! If you are interested in booking on this last camp for this year let me know as we only take a small number of participants so you get a more one-2-one experience, which means places fill up quickly. Looking forwards to seeing you there 🙂
Want to get your horses’ back & musculoskeletal system checked, but want to keep the costs as low as possible?
Want to get your horse to their peak physical health & increase their longevity,
but not sure where to start or if you are doing the right thing?
Do you want to learn:
Why not organise a clinic, demo, talk or lecture at your livery yard, riding school, pony club, place of work?
For little cost, this could make a big difference to your horse.
Contact Michelle for more information
Part 2 of my series on musculoskeletal injuries is in this months Everything Horse UK Magazine on page 22, this month looking at muscle injury. If you missed part 1 on tendon injury you can still catch up on line. Lots of other great articles too plus the Christmas gift guide. Well worth a read. http://www.joomag.com/magazine/everything-horse-uk/0225542001417542577?preview