From: Bunny
Dear Jessica, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to ride in one of your clinics almost fifteen years ago, and I am still using the stretches that you taught us to do with our horses. You probably won't remember me, how could you, but my horse was the big Lipizzan-TB cross gelding that had the high head and short strides. You checked our saddle fit and my riding, said both were fine so it might just be that he had lost his range of motion over the years (I had only owned him for one year when I rode with you, and he was twelve when I bought him). You said he was moving much too "short" for his conformation, and when I told you that he had always moved like that and he moved like that when I bought him, you just said "I'd like you to let me try something, and then we'll see if it makes a difference, and if it helps, I'll show you how to do it." I almost cried right then, because I thought you were being critical of my "perfect" horse (okay, I was only twenty-five, and I was so in love with my new horse). But you ASKED me instead of just telling me what you were going to do, and I really appreciated that, so I said "Okay".
WOW. Those stretching exercises were just amazing. I think Regal's stride was almost twice as long when you got finished doing them, and he put his head down, and he was just so HAPPY. I have been doing them ever since then (thank you so much for recommending that videotape, you are right, it's priceless). Regal is retired now and is a beautiful pasture ornament, but I have two young horses and I use the stretches on them all the time.
You are probably wondering when I will get to my question! The answer is right NOW. I am almost forty years old now and I think Middle Age is creeping up on me. I'm stiff in some directions, it takes me a lot longer to warm up, and yesterday when I offered to stride off the distance for my daughter (she enjoys jumping her pony), I thought I was doing a three-foot stride (I always used to stride off the distance to set jumps, back in the day, and my stride was exactly three feet) but when her pony came through all wrong twice, she made me go and measure it with a yardstick, and I was off. My stride that I thought was three feet was really only two and a half feet. I guess now I'm the one who is "MOVING TOO SHORT FOR MY CONFORMATION"! Can you suggest some stretching exercises for people, or suggest a videotape like the one you recommended for stretching horses? If I ever get the chance to ride with you again, I don't want you to say that I've "lost my range of motion over the years", but that's exactly what is happening. Help!
Bunny
I know what you mean about "moving short" - you're lucky if middle age is just creeping up on you, and not hiding around corners and leaping on you suddenly. ;-)
You're absolutely right, stretching is every bit as beneficial for riders as it is for horses. There are a lot of helpful videos and DVDs available - far too many to mention - and any good Pilates program will incorporate many stretches that are ideal for riders. I'll just make three suggestions. Two are from Betsy Steiner's new EQUILATES program (which, just as you would expect from the name, is a version of Pilates targeting the special needs of riders). You can learn about this, and order the Equilates Stretch Workout (a set of 10 exercises, instructions, and an exercise band) or the audio CD (meant to be used whilst you ride) from www.equilates.com. They're both good complements for her book: A Gymnastic Riding System Using Mind, Body, and Spirit: Progressive Training for Horse and Rider.
The third item I'm going to suggest is a very useful, affordable, laminated poster featuring exactly the sort of stretches that you're asking for. It's called - no surprise - THE BARN STRETCH POSTER. It's designed by physical therapist Cathy Ruprecht, and I think it's very suitable for use in the barn... and not only in the barn! You might also want to put one in the mud room, the lounge, and the tackroom.
This 18"x24" poster packs a lot of information, advice, and helpful photos. I think that you, and just about every other rider of ANY age, would benefit from doing the suggested stretches - assuming, of course, that your doctor doesn't object! - just after your warmup and just before your ride. (You DO warm up before you begin your ride, don't you?) It would be useful for you to repeat the set of stretches just after your ride, for maximum benefit.
If your barn is dusty or muddy, not to worry - all of the stretches on the poster are designed to be performed by a STANDING person, so you won't have to sit or lie down anywhere. Even if you're already in the habit of doing other stretches, perhaps on horseback (or on a saddle on a saddle stand in the house or tackroom), you'll probably benefit from incorporating these stretches into your program.
The stretches themselves are useful and well-presented, and I particularly like the explanation of "neutral spine", and the cautions that are included: DO breathe, DON'T bounce, and WARM UP BEFORE YOU STRETCH. These are points I've made whenever I've worked with riders on their stretching programs. They may look elementary, but they're vitally important, and it's never safe to assume that riders know and observe these sensible practices. I've frequently seen well-meaning riders do everything wrong - they begin stretching when their muscles are still cold and stiff, they bounce instead of stretching slowly and holding, and they forget to breathe.
ALL riders, middle-aged or not, need all the help we can get to minimize our chances of injury and discomfort, and to promote balance, relaxation, range of motion, and core strength. If you have friends who have fallen out of the habit of stretching, or who don't share your awareness of the importance of stretching for both horses and riders, this would be a very useful addition to their barn walls. I do realize that it's still summer, but the holiday season DOES tend to sneak up on one (rather like middle age, now that I think of it) - be quite a useful gift for a friend and fellow rider, or even for your riding instructor.
Cathy Ruprecht has a website, and you can visit it, learn more about the poster, and order it directly from her.
Barn Stretch Poster:
Visit www.barnstretch.com
E-mail: customer service@barnstretch.com Telephone: 906-360-4257
One last note: Cathy apparently sent this poster to me several months ago, but judging from its arrival date and from the condition of the box, I'd guess that it either went around the world a time or two, or was used as a football for many weeks until it was sent on its way again. All that said, I can vouch for the fact that it's sturdy! The box, as I mentioned, arrived in truly pitiful condition, but the poster was unharmed. I expect it will survive quite a long time on the barn wall. ;-)
Jessica
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.