Читать книгу 55 Corrective Exercises for Horses - Jec Aristotle Ballou - Страница 19

PURPOSE:

Helps “unlock” the horse’s back.

Recommended by body therapists as a prime core conditioner, backing up a horse strongly recruits the abdominals and muscles of the flexion chain. Additionally, it stretches and lengthens the flexor tendons and hamstrings, thus allowing the hind legs to swing forward more freely. This result often causes riders to experience it as “unlocking” the horse’s back. For horses with back issues—soreness, stiffness, or kissing spine—it is preferable to perform without weight on the back.

The following tips should be followed for best results.

1 Keep your horse in a correct posture the entire time (fig. 1.7 A). If he lifts and braces his neck, stop moving backward until you can encourage him with your lead to return to a horizontal position (fig. 1.7 B). His head should be on a vertical plane, the same as when you ride.1.7 A: Siobhan keeps Star in good form as she walks her backward. Her topline is round, her front- and hind-stride lengths are equally measured, and she moves backward without restriction.1.7 B: If your horse resists or braces his neck, stop backing up until you can restore his balance and posture.

2 If the horse curls his head toward his chest and overly rounds his neck, stop going backward, draw his chin forward, and restart.

3 The horse must stay straight! If he persistently shifts his hips to one side, place him alongside a fence or wall to hold him in alignment.

4 If the horse drags or scrapes his toes back instead of lifting and stepping back, it is often helpful to back him a few sessions on hard surfaces like pavement. This can awaken his proprioception.

5 Travel backward at least 30 steps per day.

6 The backward steps should be rhythmic, steady, and smooth. Do not rush; faster is not better.

Observe, observe, observe. How the horse backs up tells you a great deal about where in his body he is currently weak or restricted. Does he spread his hind legs wide? Does he take larger steps with one leg? Does he try to hollow his back, or drop his neck too low?