Activate Your Horses Core

Activate your horse's core is a step-by-step manual and DVD showing exercises that mobilize the joints and engage the muscles used to round and stabilize the horse's neck, back, and pelvis during athletic activities.

Gentle ways to improve the horse’s core fitness while relieving pain related to conditions such as kissing spine. Every equestrian wants to know: what is the difference between the horse that “dances” when you are on him, and the one that doesn’t? According to Visconte Simon Cocozza, Trainer and Examiner for the La Fédération Française d'Equitation (FFE), it all comes down to the horse’s posture. The horse’s ability to use the powerful mechanisms already built into his body relies not upon the strength we can see on the outside but the strength on the inside. This invisible and complex arrangement of internal “core” muscles control the horse’s posture, suppleness, and agility. Their good condition is the key to the dance. Equine core muscles are very difficult to isolate with the traditional training techniques common to horse sports. However, by examining what we do with the human body when faced with a weak core, we can find new methods for conditioning these areas of the equine body. Cocozza has taken principles of the human practice of yoga and used them to develop novel ways of reaching deep within the horse’s body and: Gently “unlock” areas that may be a little “rusty.” Improve core fitness. And even relieve pain related to conditions such as kissing spine. In this highly illustrated book, he provides step-by-step instruction explaining easy mounted exercises that enhance the horse’s posture, and boost his confidence in his body and movement, making him easier to ride, and ultimately, the dance partner you’ve always imagined.

Strengthen your Western riding skills as you progress through a series of proven and effective exercises. Perfect for quick reference in the ring, this guide includes illustrated directions, an arena guide, and plenty of patterns to master. Focusing on essential riding fundamentals like lateral work, master collection, lead changes, and transitions, Cherry Hill offers plenty of encouraging expert advice for riders seeking to improve their horsemanship. Enjoy the rewarding satisfaction that comes with taking your riding to a new and exciting level.

A highly illustrated guide to simple yet effective methods for keeping horses sound, healthy, and performing their best. Over time, horses (like people) acquire postural habits, compensate for soreness and injury, and develop poor movement patterns. This limits performance ability, causes unsoundness and health issues, and ultimately undermines the horse's overall well–being. Jec Aristotle Ballou has made a name for herself advocating for the horse and providing sensible instruction in his schooling, conditioning, and care. Her bestselling books and popular clinics are designed to enable any horse person to correctly apply proven principles that bring measurable progress while avoiding boredom and confusion. In her latest collection of mounted and unmounted corrective exercises, Ballou demonstrates how we can actively work to improve the horse's posture and movement, whether he is: An active performance or pleasure mount. An aging or older horse that benefits from gentle exercise. A horse being rehabilitated following injury, illness, or lack of conditioning. Ballou's positive cross–training techniques are free of shortcuts, and her guidelines for analyzing the horse's posture and way of going help readers gain a new awareness of the equine body. Applicable for all disciplines and full of quality color photographs to explain the exercises, this is an integral collection that optimizes how the horse uses his body and helps ensure he stays sounder and healthier for more years of his life.

An innovative and easy-to-use application of Pilates principles to the training, conditioning, and rehabilitation of horses. This highly illustrated how-to manual provides a clear guide to new ways of thinking about how to prevent injury in the horse, and when injuries do happen, to help the horse's body recover in a mindful and safe way. As a Pilates teacher for humans, horsewoman and eventer Laura Reiman has seen first-hand how consistent, quality exercise can ward off strain and injury, as well as heal. When her young horse was diagnosed with extreme back pain and a neurological disease, she turned to her knowledge of Pilates--the method she'd used to ease back pain in human clients for years--for help. She began to find ways to "bridge the gap" between the horse's mind and body to help increase his body awareness and core engagement. The result is a cohesive series of original exercises that can be taken in parts or as a whole and seamlessly incorporated into an existing training program to be a: Preventive tool to increase the horse's strength, balance, mobility, and stability. Framework for a new program to help ease a horse back into work following an injury or time off. Readers will find chapters dedicated to: Observation-Basic anatomy and how to "know" your horse's body and movement. Stretching-Including incentive, supported static hold, and dynamic mobilization stretches. Core work-Such as the cat stretch and bridging. In-hand strengthening work-With exercises like criss-cross and ground pole progressions. Exercises on the longe line-Transitions, bending, and spiraling. Lessons under saddle-Gymnastics, hillwork, basic dressage, and tips for a successful warm-up. Alternative bodywork-Temperature therapy, massage, stability pads, bands, and more. Pilates for Horses is an ideal instructional guide for all riders and trainers looking to build and maintain a solid foundation of strength and comfort for their horses.

The Dynamic Horse describes the principles underlying the science of biomechanics, then illustrates how these principles apply to horsemanship and equine locomotion using examples that will be familiar to anyone accustomed to working around horses. Through knowledge of biomechanics, the reader will develop a better understanding of how horses move and perform. The Dynamic Horse addresses key concepts including tempo, rhythm, balance, characteristics of different gaits, speed and economy of movement, and jumping mechanics.Written with Dr. Clayton's characteristic clarity, The Dynamic Horse is an excellent companion for her popular text Conditioning Sport Horses.

This marvelous book, borne of a unique collaboration between Dr. Allen Schoen—a world-renowned veterinarian and author—and trainer and competitor of many years Susan Gordon, introduces the 25 Principles of Compassionate Equitation. These Principles, conceived by Dr. Schoen and Gordon, are a set of developmental guidelines, encouraging a level of personal awareness that may be enacted not only through the reader's engagement with horses, but can be extended to all humans and sentient beings he or she encounters. The 25 Principles share stories and outline current, peer-reviewed studies that identify and support methods of training, handling, and caring for horses that constitute a safe, healthy, non-stressful, and pain-free environment. Through their Compassionate Equestrian program, the authors encourage all involved in the horse industry to approach training and handling with compassion and a willingness to alleviate suffering. By developing deeper compassion for their own horses, and subsequently, all equines, equestrians transcend their differences in breed preferences, riding disciplines, and training methodologies. This leads to the ability to empathize and connect more closely with the “global collective” of horses and horse people. In doing so, a worldwide community of compassionate equine practitioners and horse owners will emerge, which will not only benefit the horses: People involved with horses are found in many influential segments of society and have the potential to affect wide circles of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers from every walk of life. These are simple changes any horse person can make that can have a vast impact on the horse industry and society as a whole.

Horse Speak is not a training method or technique—it is a practical system for “listening” and “talking” to horses in their language, instead of expecting them to comprehend ours. Horse Speak can be used by anyone who works with horses, whether riding instructor, colt starter, recreational rider, or avid competitor. It promises improved understanding of what a horse is telling you, and provides simple replies you can use to tell him that you “hear” him, you “get it,” and you have ideas you want to share with him, too. The result? Time with your horse will be full of what horse trainer and equine-assisted learning instructor Sharon Wilsie of Wilsie Way Horsemanship calls Conversations, and soon the all-too-common misunderstandings that occur between horse and human will evolve into civil discussions with positive and progressive results! Learn Horse Speak in 12 easy steps; understand equine communication via breath and body language; and discover the Four Gs of Horse Speak: Greeting, Going Somewhere, Grooming, and Gone. Practice regulating your intensity, and sample dozens of ready-made Conversations with your horse, as step-by-step templates and instructional color photographs walk you through the eye-opening process of communicating on a whole new level.

This is a comprehensive handbook of the anatomy of the equine locomotor system. This uniquely illustrated guide has been produced in close collaboration with veterinary experts and provides an excellent tool for those involved in veterinary medicine, equine physiotherapy and training of horses. The extensive and clear anatomical plates cover the skeleton, ligaments and muscles and include terminology in English and Latin.