It’s the perfect time of year for horse owners, as the wet, cold and mud of winter are firmly behind us and the grass is green and lush. This increases the opportunity for turnout to provide your horse with a natural environment where he is free to exercise and graze on nutrient-rich pastures.
Many owners will also be stepping up their horses’ exercise routines to make the most of the longer warmer days, or even to prepare for competitive events such as dressage, show jumping or cross country. The last thing you want to happen at this busy and enjoyable time is an injury to your horse that could put you out for the rest of the season.
Here are some top tips to help avoid injuries and get the most from your horse.
Always warm up and cool down properly
Before asking for more demanding movements, always start by encouraging your horse to move forwards in an active walk with his hind legs fully engaged. Gradually step up to a slow controlled trot and perform some simple turns or changes of rein. This will allow the horse to warm up his muscles with increased circulation, reducing the risk of strains.
Consider giving your horse a supplement
If you are training for a competition, your horse may benefit from nutritional supplements such as Zeolite Clinoptilolite. This is a palatable powder that contains silicon, a mineral that plays a key role in bone formation and the production of cartilage. This can promote better joint mobility and muscle flexibility, reducing the risk of injuries.
Incorporate suppleness exercises
The more supple your horse is, the better he will be able to carry your weight and perform movements without undue stress on his joints and muscles. Incorporate pole and grid exercises and lateral movements into your sessions to increase his range of motion and improve strength and balance.
Avoid practising the same exercise over and over
If you are training for a big event, it can be tempting to keep repeating the same movements over and over again; practice makes perfect as they say. However, this can put too much stress on the same areas of the horses’ body without sufficient time for repair and recovery. This can increase the risk of picking up an injury.
If you are practising demanding dressage moves or do a lot of jumping, vary your routine to include a mixture of hacking and other more gentle forms of exercise in between training sessions.
Vary the type of surface you ride on
Repeatedly riding your horse on soft or hard surfaces can lead to repetitive movements and increases the risk of stress injuries to the joints in the fetlocks and knees. If you ride in an arena with a fibre or sand surface, switch between harrowing and rolling the surface to create different levels of firmness.
