Common questions from clients are; how far apart do i need my trot poles? How do I measure my canter poles? How long is a one stride double? When training at home over poles and jumps these are pretty important questions and valuable information to have. I have decided to write a short blog to answer all these questions in one place! Trotting poles Distance for trotting poles for an average 15.2hh horse is 4ft6inches/1.4m, this can be measures by stepping heal to toe - 4 boots between each pole. You should always have a minimum of three poles in use as trotting pole as to avoid confusing the ..read more

There are several answers to this question, which in turn lead to more questions. Is my horse balanced? Is my horse in pain? Is my horse naughty? What do I do when my horse starts to buck? It is important, when investigating any abnormal behaviour in horses, to first rule out a few factors. This is a basic check list to help with this investigatory process: - Equine Physio. Ensure your horses has the thumbs up from your body worker! - Equine Dentist. Ensure your horses teeth are up to date with checks and pain free. - Tack check. Ensure your saddle and other tack in fitting correctly and comf ..read more

This blog post is here to outline some basic but effective exercises for you and your horse to improve your aids and help support the unbalanced horse. Often green, young or horses coming back into work, experience difficulties balancing themselves and their rider. An unbalanced horse cannot perform to it's full potential, if continuously ridden and schooled in an unbalanced gate horses can compensate and build uneven muscle tone which in turn can lead to an altered gate and in severe cases lameness. Before starting any corrective work on your unbalanced horse it is always a good idea to get ..read more

Triceps - The triceps are a superficial muscle, they attach the shoulder blade to the elbow, the elbow to the humerus. They allow the shoulder to flex and the elbow to extend outwards for our horses. Like all muscles, the triceps develop stress points, trigger points and general tightness within the muscle and surrounding fascia. This can be found and treated by your equine physio. Issues within the triceps can be detected by owners through several 'tells'. Holding a front leg bent while at rest. Uneven wear on the hoof Uneven stride Reduction in range of motion of front legs Lameness Tricep ..read more

The Bracheocephalicus is a superficial muscle that runs along each side of the neck. It attaches the base of the skull and C1, the first cervical vertebrate to the humerus. The function of this muscle is to to move the front leg forward, to bring the front leg inwards and allow lateral flexion of the head and neck. With this in mind, here are a few indicators that your horse may be having issues with the bracheocephalicus; Stretching the head or neck up or to the side while resting. Lameness, often visible only in a circle and with more severe pain, in a straight line also. Muscle spasms arou ..read more

The Trapezius muscle is a superficial muscle that is found around the withers. It attaches the cervical and thoracic vertebrae to the scapula. The function of this muscle is to raise the scapula. The Cervical portion of the muscle, found on the neck, brings the scapula forward and the Thoracic portion of the muscle found behind the withers draws the scapula back. Signs that their may be issues within this muscle: A restriction in shoulder movement Discomfort while doing up the girth Discomfort while grooming this area DO'S AND DON'TS for the Trapezius DO perform regular carrot stretches to ke ..read more

The Latissimus Dorsi is a superficial back muscle that attaches to the supraspinous ligament and thoracolumbar fascia. It inserts on the bottom of the humerus. The Job of the Latissimus Dorsi is to retract the fore limb, this muscle provides impulsion by drawing the body forward while the forelimb is on the ground. Indicators that there are issues withing the Latissimus Dorsi would be; signs of discomfort when tightening the girth or applying the saddle Shortened stride in forelimb DO's and DON'Ts for your Latissimus Dorsi DO allow plenty of time in each work out to warm us, especially jump w ..read more

The Longissimus runs along the vertebrae. It attaches to the transverse processes of the spine running from the atlas down to the lumbar vertebrae with muscle fibres that weave their way up the spine. The Longissimus extends the spine and assists in bending. The DO's and DON'Ts for the Longisimus. DO regular carrot stretches, these will help maintain the muscle and also indicate and pain through change of reach with these exercises. DON'T ride in a saddle that does not fit! DO allow plenty of time to warm up and regular stretching intervals during work, including lunge work in training aids D ..read more

Your horses intercostals muscles lie between the ribs and aid in respiration. The intercostals are a very common area for muscle tightness but also very hard for owners to detect problems. A few signs of discomfort and tightness through the intercostals are ears back, tail swishing and back leg raising while doing the girth up or grooming around the belly. These signs are also indicatorsbif tightness through various other muscles over the back and through the shoulder so it is advisable to call an equine massage therapist or equine physiotherapist if you notice this behaviour ..read more

Poles - Rhythm, suppleness and balance At Little Glengyre we work with a huge variety of horses Poles encourage our horses to engage their core and flex their joints which in turn aids balance and suppleness. It is important to build a strong core to help the horse carry not only themselves but their rides with ease. Using poles to flex joints is a great way to encourage your horse to increase their usual range of motion, if your horse drops in performance during any pole exercises it is a good idea to contact your The poles aid your horses rhythm by making them think about their foot fall, e ..read more