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View Full Version : Suppling, Streching Exercises for Horses and Rider

horse_lover
03-15-2008, 08:09 PM
MY young horse(spy, 3 yrs old) is a little stiff and not really reluctant, bit argumentative (word?) unwilling, yeah, unwilling to strech, bend, loosen up and relax, that is in the trot and canter, his walk is great. So does any one know of any streching exercises or loosening exercises that would be appropriate for a young horse?
moniexponie
03-15-2008, 10:04 PM
A good way to loosen up your horse and make sure he's supple and not locked up in his jaw is to simply flex him. Give and take with your inside rein. Depending on how stiff he is, you may have to use indirect contact, which is bringing your hand to the outside of his neck for a few strides to make him bend. Make sure you keep your inside leg on the entire time to make sure his entire body is being flexed and not just his head/neck.

Also, counter flexion will help. Do the same thing just the opposite way. So outside leg/hand. And alternate counter bend/inside bend every few strides. This should help alot, I know it does for my old pony. [:

Circles, serpentines and figure eights are a good way to get a horse focused on his job and loosened up as well. Vary in sizes and momentum.

I don't know how much you've done with him, but if you can you should start leg yeilds and shoulder fore. Not so much shoulder in until he gets the concept of shoudler fore. [:

I hope this helps!
ThatGalClaire
03-16-2008, 10:03 AM
A good one for horses which you can work on the ground with is using something like a carrot encourage the horse to stretch his head round and touch his shoulder. Do this on both sides. You can also get him to stretch his head out forwards and down between his legs but these can be a little difficult at first as the horse always wants to move round.

Don't force the horses to do it and use treats, carrots, etc. to show that its worth doing :)

Just a thing I like doing with horses!
crazy4horses
03-16-2008, 11:08 AM
Yes! Tia use to be very stiff in her neck... Now, she isn't. What you do is use the rein (or leadrope) and make him touch his stomach (or flank) untill it has been about 5- 10 secounds. This REALLY helped Tia, when she had a stiff neck. It also relaxed her and gave her alittle bit more neck muscle. Hope this helps, Lizzy!
horse_lover
03-16-2008, 11:20 AM
:D A good one for horses which you can work on the ground with is using something like a carrot encourage the horse to stretch his head round and touch his shoulder. Do this on both sides. You can also get him to stretch his head out forwards and down between his legs but these can be a little difficult at first as the horse always wants to move round.

Don't force the horses to do it and use treats, carrots, etc. to show that its worth doing :)

Just a thing I like doing with horses!


OMGsh!!! I LOVE that idea!!! I don't kknow if Spy has a stiff neck or he just doesn't like to bend and strach when I'm riding him.... I do REALLY like that though!
horse_lover
03-16-2008, 11:21 AM
Yes! Tia use to be very stiff in her neck... Now, she isn't. What you do is use the rein (or leadrope) and make him touch his stomach (or flank) untill it has been about 5- 10 secounds. This REALLY helped Tia, when she had a stiff neck. It also relaxed her and gave her alittle bit more neck muscle. Hope this helps, Lizzy!


I'll try that, sounds good!
crazy4horses
03-16-2008, 11:22 AM
I'll try that, sounds good!

Thanks! I'm 100% sure it will work! ;) (Let me know if it does!)
horse_lover
03-17-2008, 02:57 PM
I keep forgetting that, lol, Today Spy was pretty naughty, he wouldn't have just a nice relaxed forward trot, he was doing to really collected little stiff trot, and if I used my leg even just a little, he bolted forward and if i just posted a lot higher he wouldn't change... :mad:
crazy4horses
03-17-2008, 03:17 PM
I'm sorry, that stinks. He was being SO good the past couple weeks.
horse_lover
03-17-2008, 03:18 PM
Yeah well I wouldn't say SO good, he has had several jerky days, yesterday he was AMAZINGLY GOOD!
crazy4horses
03-17-2008, 03:20 PM
Yeah well I wouldn't say SO good, he has had several jerky days, yesterday he was AMAZINGLY GOOD!

She what I mean! :rolleyes: :p
horse_lover
03-17-2008, 03:24 PM
Well that's one day out of weeks, young horses are really inconsistent, so i'm thinkning he'll be really good tomarrow, Oh, today he was SOO funny! :p I was combing his mane or braiding it or something and he arched his neck and brought his nose in (like on the bit but behind it) and he arched his back :p and grunted! lol!!! It was hallarious, I've never seen a horse do that, it was like he was streching! lol! and he was great on the lounge, just when I rode him he was goofy!