‘Stretchy Horses’. An educational DVD

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Reviewed by Angela Lumsden, Equine Massage Therapist:

Regular stretching and suppling exercises can certainly improve your horse’s performance and help to prevent future problems with joints and muscles. This informative DVD demonstrates various stretching exercises and techniques that can be mastered fairly easily by the confident owner/rider.

Celia runs through four main areas – forelegs and shoulder; hindlegs and hock; neck and back – showing how the stretches should look, using an experienced horse used to such work, and how to teach them to a younger horse.

She is careful to point out times when you should ask for help from your vet, qualified physiotherapist or equivalent and also points out important health and safety watch points to avoid putting you at risk.

I would certainly be happy to recommend this DVD but would suggest that, prior to carrying out such stretch work, the horse’s muscles should be warmed up. This could be done either through exercise or massage. A warm-up is particulalrly important for carrying out some of the 'bigger' leg stretches, as this can cause problems such as cramps and minor muscle/joint damage if the horse is stiff and cold.

Angela Lumsdon, Equine Massage Therapist. Tel: 0779 526 1105