Meddleton Equine Hospital

Following a Chiropractic Adjustment, Dr. Meddleton recommends a number of postural exercises and stretches to help maintain the adjustment and to help reduce the need for repeat adjustments. The following article describes these in detail.

Turn Your Horse in Small Circles

Stand facing your horse's left side just behind his shoulder and encourage him to circle slowly forward around you and cross his left hind leg underneath placing the left hoof beyond the right hind hoof as he circles left. Do 3 - 4 complete circles, then rest briefly and repeat this turning in a small circle to the right. This helps to disengage each hip in turn, releasing & mobilizing the lumbar vertebrae, sacrum and pelvis.

If attempting this under saddle, slowly walk in a decreasing spiral to the center - be sure to turn your head and shoulders toward the center of the circle as you ask your horse to spiral inward.

Neck Stretches

use a carrot to ask your horse to flex his head & neck to the left and right. Encourage him to keep his head in a vertical plane to the level of his shoulder before cheating and tipping his nose under to reach the carrot. Do this 3-4 times to each side. Then draw your horse's chin into his chest. This encourages him to raise the base of the neck, which reflexly raises the back. Next bring the carrot between your horse's front legs so he has to bend his head & neck down and in to stretch his whole top-line (as if he were taking a bow).

Release the Poll

stand on the left side of your horse with your left hand on the bridge of your horse=s nose below his eyes and your right hand on his cheek. Apply a very small amount of pressure equally with both hands until your horse gives slightly and tucks his cheek into his neck. This is a very small movement. Release immediately. Initially, release as soon as your horse shows any inclination to give and flex his head left.

Repeat this 3-4 times. Give your horse praise and a brief break, then repeat on the right side.

Back Your Horse

one step at a time releasing your cue as soon as he begins each step backwards. Ask for just a few steps in the beginning until your horse is able to back easily. Backing works the belly muscles and the coupling of the hind quarters necessary for your horse to round his back.

Ground Rails

on the lunge line without side reins trot your horse over 4 rails placed one stride apart. Do this 8 times in each direction. Be sure to give him his head and encourage him to keep his head low. If your horse is responsive to voice commands, a variation is to ask your horse to transition down to a walk after going over the last rail each time around, then resume trotting.

Do not pull on the line to achieve this as it can make him hollow his back. If you are doing this under saddle, travel over the rails in a two-point position and release forward with your hands to allow your horse to stretch his neck over the rails.

Down-Transitions

on the lunge line work on downward transitions: trot to walk and canter to trot. These will help work those belly muscles that are required to round his back.

Hamstring Stretches

To be done after the horse has been warmed up. Carefully draw the hind leg forward, keeping it close to vertical, until you meet resistance. Hold the leg at this point and apply a gentle traction toward the front leg. Maintain this traction for 20 seconds and then release. Keep the rear foot above the level of the front ankle and DO NOT ALLOW THE HORSE TO PLACE THE FOOT ANY MORE FORWARD OR LOWER IT IN THIS EXTENDED POSITION. THIS STRETCH CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR THE HANDLER!

Do not lock your fingers around the hind leg. If the horse pulls back or kicks with that leg, be sure to allow the foot to release immediately from your grip. Maintain your back in a proper position to guard against injury. This stretch can be repeated 3-4 times with each leg.

NOTE: Your Horse Only Learns on the Release

It is important to release your cue as soon as your horse begins to respond. In any of the exercises, if your horse keeps his head high, he will hollow his back. Keep your horse relaxed and praise him for attempts to comply so he gains confidence as he corrects his posture.