Stretching a horse should always be done within a horse’s comfort and not to push beyond a horse’s range of motion. It it recommended to stretch a horse at the end of a massage treatment, before & after riding, or once to twice a day on days off.
Neck stretches:
1. Nose to knee – Have the horse follow a treat or target with their nose down to the *outside* of the knee on each side
2. Nose to stifle – Have the horse follow a treat or target with their nose as far towards the stifle as the horse can reach on each side
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3. Nose out front – use a treat to have a horse stretch as far as they can out front, towards a handler’s belly-button. When they’ve stretched maximally, bring the treat up a few inches to have the horse tip their nose out, engaging a stretch through the topline. Use a gate or a stall door to stop the horse from walking forward.
Back stretches:
4. Hip smiles – trace a smile from the top of the hip down and back up to the top of the tail; go back over the smile with minimal pressure in the first half, and increasing pressure in the second half to get the horse to curl their back towards you *may not work if a mare is in heat, or a horse is particularly itchy. Heavier breeds do not have as good of a reaction*
5. Bum to back raise
6. Belly to back raise
Front Leg Stretches
7. Front leg forward – ask the horse to give their hoof and support them behind the pastern, asking them to extend only as far as they would go to take 1 step in a natural walk stride. Allow the horse to step downwards, and then release.
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8. Front leg backward – ask the horse to give their hoof and then support them in front of the pastern, asking them to flex only as far as they would go to take 1 step in a natural back-up. Allow the horse to step downwards, and then release.
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9. Shoulder lift – ask the horse to give their hoof and then support them from the inside of their leg, line up directly underneath the quarter you are working on, and lift the leg upwards as guided by the horse’s balance and stability. Slowly release the stretch, then release the leg.
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10. Pectoral ab/duction –
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11. Front leg ab/duction –
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Hind Leg Stretches
12. Hind leg forward – ask the horse to give their hoof and support them behind the pastern, asking them to extend only as far as they would go to take 1 step in a natural walk stride. Allow the horse to step downwards, and then release.
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13. Hind leg backward – ask the horse to give their hoof and then support them in front of the pastern, asking them to flex only as far as they would go to take 1 step in a natural back-up. Allow the horse to step downwards, and then release.
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14. Hip lift – ask the horse to give their hoof and then support them from the inside of their leg, line up directly underneath the quarter you are working on, and lift the leg upwards as guided by the horse’s balance and stability. Slowly release the stretch, then release the leg.
15. Hind leg ab/adduction – ask the horse to give their hoof and then gently push the leg in front and then in behind the bilateral leg, then gently extend the leg laterally away from the horse, ranging always within the horse’s comfort.
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Others
16. Tail hold
17. Stifle hold
18. Touch up’s
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19. Rib rocking
20. Box rocking
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