Exercises to Relax & Strengthen the Horse's Back

The horse's back is not designed to carry a person, and asking it to carry a saddle and rider adds considerable weight and strain. Teaching the horse to relax its back and strengthen its muscles will not only make the task easier for the horse, it will also decrease the risk of injury. This will ultimately result in a more effective, comfortable and safe performance for both horse and rider, regardless of the area of riding the partnership follows.

  1. Ground Work

    • Dismounted exercises are an excellent way of stretching and relaxing the back without the added weight of a rider. Using a carrot as an aid, start by placing it between the horse's front legs to encourage him to lower his head and round his back. Placing the carrot beneath him rather than in front of him ensures the back does not hollow as he stretches, which is detrimental to the development of his back muscles. When he is coping well with this exercise, position the carrot by alternate shoulders of the horse and ask him to bend laterally at the same time as stretching down. Do not allow him to walk in a circle; his body must remain still to achieve the beneficial stretch.

    Lunging

    • Lunging a horse is a dismounted exercise and requires the handler to stand in a circle with the horse on the end of a long line. The handler holds a long whip in the opposite hand which is used to drive the horse forward, accompanied by voice commands. When commencing these exercises, make sure the circles are large; if the circle is too small the horse will become unbalanced and stiff which will have an undesired effect on the horse. The horse must move forward in all paces on the lunge and round the back while lowering the head and neck. Achieve this by changes of pace and transitions, and alternating the tempo of the pace. Using training aids such as a Chambon or side reins can help the head and neck carriage and hence strengthen the back, but they must be used correctly by an experienced handler otherwise they may be detrimental.

    Warm Up

    • The warm up is of paramount importance to relax and strengthen the back when first mounting the horse. Ride the horse on a long but not loose rein; walk and encourage her to always trot forward actively to help achieve a rounded strengthened back. The horse should stretch her neck long and low while still maintaining an even rhythmic pace. Introduce some large circles and change of direction and include some serpentine figures; a series of loops across the school. Walk for at least 10 minutes during the warm up phase, before commencing trot transitions.

    Schooling Exercises

    • Progress to working in walk, trot and canter, ensuring the horse always moves forward from the leg aids and a rein contact is maintained. Include plenty of transitions to encourage the horse to place his hind legs underneath his body, which will help the back to round and strengthen. Use exercises such as leg yield, which involves the horse moving sideways from a leg pressure, increasing and decreasing circles, lengthening of strides and changes of pace. During all exercises check that the horse is flexing slightly to the inside bend and ensure he does not hollow his back by riding him forward into a light but firm contact on the reins.