Stretching your horse’s muscles is an important part of maintaining his or her overall health and fitness as well as an important component of successful injury rehabilitation. Engaging in a consistent stretching regimen with your horse can:

• Help improve his or her flexibility and range of motion (ROM)
• Help prevent injury by strengthening supportive tissue and helping to guard against muscle tightness and tendon shortening
• Help reduce post-exercise soreness, stiffness and muscle fatigue
• Help improve disposition by relaxing your horse
  
  

Top 10 Horse Stretching/Horse Yoga Guidelines

1. Safety first…for both rider and horse!! Be aware of your surroundings prior to starting any stretch and practice good ergonomics and body mechanics when helping your horse stretch.
2. All stretches should be performed on warm muscles. Stretching cold muscles can cause tears, strains and other injuries and issues.
3. No cheating!!  Proper stretching form is critical for your horse gain the maximum benefit of the stretch.  Proper form and less stretch is better than poor form and more stretch. Most horses are a lot smarter than you think when it comes to finding ways to “cheat the stretch.”
4. Many stretches can be performed up to 5 days a week on a healthy horse with the exception of tail pull stretches which should not be performed more than 4 days per week.
5. The frequency and type of stretches that are appropriate for a horse recovering from an injury can vary greatly.  Do not assume that a stretch that was appropriate for a horse with an injury similar to your horse’s injury is appropriate for your horse.
6. The duration of the stretch will vary depending on many factors such as muscle tightness, prior injury, conformation, and nutrition level.
7. Never push or pull on joints or support a stretch by pressing on a joint.
8. Breathing deeply and relaxing your hands as much as possible is critically important for the horse to gain the maximum benefit of the stretch.
9. Never proceed with a stretch if discomfort or pain is noted.
10. Not all stretches listed on this webpage are appropriate for every horse.  Always consult an equine healthcare professional prior to beginning a stretching regimen.