10 winter stretches: About turn

By Amanda Sutton

Seasonal guides

14 December 2009 11:53

Short winter days can make it difficult to ride, but here are simple ground work exercises to help maintain your horse’s fitness and mobility through the cold winter months.

This exercise will help your horse to learn how to turn correctly by releasing his neck and engaging his hind legs. Do it as slowly as possible – when riding, most people pull too much on the inside rein and the horse’s neck is pulled round, but with no true natural bend:

- Stand on the spot and form a V with your body and arms. When going to the left, your left hand holds the leadrope and stays forward of the horse’s nose. Keep your body in line with his inside fore leg, and your right arm level with his last rib.

- Begin by asking with your leading hand and using your other hand to push him forwards and round (in a banana-shaped movement). Keep your leading hand forwards and encourage the inside leg to come under and cross. Never pull the horse around, the forward movement of your hand should maintain the movement, along with your back hand pushing the horse over from behind.

- Observe the horse as he turns and try to identify any problem areas. Focus on this area to give it more energy and then stop and have a break. Go round in one complete circle, then stop and rest.

- When finishing the movement don’t pull the rope – simply lift your hand and say ‘whoa’ or ‘halt’.

- Repeat this on the other side.

- Signs your horse is finding this exercise difficult include tail swishing, a severe head tilt, swinging his hindquarters out, being unable to step across behind, and feeling ‘wooden’ in your hand. 

- If you observe any of the symptoms we’ve mentioned, review your technique. It may be that you’re one-sided and not co-ordinated enough to make your horse’s back end work while your leading hand is in front of his nose.