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Stretching - Front Leg |
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Miriah &
Honey |
This page contains photos and descriptions of
the follow up stretches that I have shown you at
the end of your session.
Be sure to stretch your horse after working and
the muscles are warm. You can damage muscle
tissue if you stretch cold muscles.
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Miriah and Haddie |
This first
stretch is done by lifting the front leg while facing
your horse. Hold the leg above the knee and lift the
knee off the ground. Slowly lean your body back,
keeping your knees bent and your arms straight.
The horses forearm should be parallel
to the ground. Hold the arm for a few seconds, then ask
the horse for more stretch as you lean back. Hold for 5
– 10 seconds, then relax and release the leg gently.
Your horse will learn what you want in just a few times
of doing this. |
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This second stretch is a deeper stretch into the back of
the triceps and shoulder area.
Start by facing the horse and picking up the foot. Here
I have a hand under Honey’s knee and under her toe.
Back up and place one of your feet behind the other so
that you are stable (when they lean into this one, you
will feel some weight). |
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Here is a great photo of Haddie in the full stretch.
It is very important to have your hands under your
horse’s toe, not around the ankle joint. This allows
the stretch to include the deep tendons below the knee
and through the fetlock and pasterns joints.
It also allows you to quickly drop the foot if the horse
leans too hard or would step on your fingers.
Please, drop this stretch if you are about to get
stepped on!
Keep the toe low to the ground and hold the stretch for
several seconds. Keep your arms straight and stretch
your back and hamstrings at the same time. Remember to
breathe. This one gets heavy. |
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Here is an extended stretch of the front leg. While
holding the toe, move your leg across the center line of
the horse and bring their leg across the center line
also. This increases the stretch through the forearm,
triceps, shoulder and up into the wither area.
Hold this stretch for several seconds and gently release
the leg.
Keep your arms straight, and remember to drop the toe if
you are about to get stepped on. For your body, you are
adding a stretch to the inner thigh as you lean across
and put more weight on one leg.
Make sure the horses toe is close to the ground. They
don’t like it if you raise the toe too high.
As with all the stretches, be patient while they learn
what it is you are asking of them. |
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Photo courtesy of Tom Peterson |
This photo shows a stretch for the
front of the shoulder and pectoral muscles. Keep one
hand above the knee, and the other under the toe.
Stretch the arm back slowly and hold for 5 – 10
seconds. Release the leg gently.
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This is how to stretch the back leg forward. Abu is
getting a stretch through his hamstring and gluteal
muscles (top of his rump). This stretch is very
valuable for the entire back leg, from the hock to the
lumbar spine.
Hold from the toe so that the horse will drop its heel
and the stretch will include the deep tendons below the
hock, and through the fetlock and pastern joints.
Keep the toe low to the ground, and in line with the
front foot. Do not ask the horse to stretch its leg and
hip out to the side.
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Photo courtesy of
JillMarie Wiles |
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This stretch is one of my favorites –
the horses seem to really like it.
Lift the back leg by placing your hand in front of the
cannon bone. Stretch the leg backward, keeping the hoof
low to the ground.
This stretches the muscles from the point of hip down
through the large quadriceps in the leg, below the
stifle to the front of the hock.
Rest your inside elbow (closest to the horse) on your
inside thigh to support the leg. |
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This picture will make sense if you
have seen me stretch your horse after a session. It is
a continuation of the above stretch.
After holding the back leg in the backward stretch, you
can extend the stretch by stepping across the center
line of the horse with your inner leg and stretch the
horse’s leg further.
Do this stretch slowly and patiently, allowing the horse
to understand what you want.
Remember, they are big and strong, and if they don’t
want to stretch, they’ll refuse. Keep your stretching
session brief and show patience while they are learning
these moves. |
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