Before launching into this series of stretches, please read my previous post, “Foreleg stretches for your horse’s shoulders and withers,” paying attention to the second and third paragraphs.
This series of rotations works the forelimb retractors and allows you to get into the deeper muscles in the shoulder. The exercises work the trapezius, lat dorsi, deltoids and triceps, deep pecs, serratus ventralis, and forelimb flexors (it just occurred to me that I need to post some anatomy diagrams...). They also seem to relax the horse and help convince him that it’s okay to have his limbs held and moved. The big thing here is to help your horse strengthen his extended gaits and develop a freer shoulder.
Anyway, this is fairly simple to do, provided your horse is adequately relaxed into your hands. Stand facing your horse. Keep your feet apart and your back straight but not tense and pick up the leg, bringing the knee toward you, parallel to the ground, and letting the toe point toward the ground. Both hands will cradle the leg just above the knee.
Rotate the forearm in slow circles 3-5 times in each direction (think of it as drawing circles with the knee), increasing the size of the circle.
In your next exercise, flex the knee and bring the cannon bone almost horizontal to the ground, bringing the forearm nearly perpendicular to the ground. One hand will remain above the knee and the other will hold the cannon. Think of this exercise as drawing imaginary circles on the ground with the knee pointing downward. 3-5 times in each direction.
In the final ground exercise, bring the knee back up toward you, similar to the first exercise. You will have one hand holding the leg behind the knee and the second hand will hold the cannon bone, with the toe pointed downward. “Draw” a small circle with the horse’s toe, increasing the size of the circles. 3-5 times in each direction.
You can also work these muscles under saddle. Move your horse at a walk into a low and round frame, being careful to have light contact with the mouth. Then lengthen the horse’s stride, taking care that he doesn’t hollow out his back. Your next step is to move the horse into a trot, same frame, same contact. Start these exercises at a minute in each direction at each gait, making sure to ride your horse loosely, on the buckle, between exercises before you gather him up again.
Ground poles (use six) can help you achieve a nice lengthened trot as well. You will have to play with the spacing to determine what works best without allowing your horse to take shorter cheat strides, and over time you will want to increase the spacing between poles. Decrease the space between poles 1 & 2, 5 & 6 in order to keep your horse from taking extra strides. As well, you can use cavaletti to add more stretch, particularly to the shoulder and pec muscles. Start low.
Last but not least, the counter canter in circles, as awkward as it feels in the saddle, helps work the lat dorsi, triceps, deltoids, and last but not least, the teres major and minor. (Are you adequately geeked out? There will be a test.)
Obi & me