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BUILDING THE BACK
As saddle fitters, we often hear, “My horse’s back is sore.” Many times, this is the trigger that sets riders off on the quest for a new saddle. If your horse is otherwise sound and healthy (and your veterinarian, farrier, chiropractor and trainer have ruled out health, lameness/soundness and training issues as possible causes), saddle fit is the next avenue to explore.
When I hurt my back several years ago, my doctor sent me to physical therapy. I was quite unenthusiastic about this process, because I thought I was a fit and athletic person, but I quickly learned that I not only had some very bad posture habits, I was also sorely lacking in core strength. After a few weeks of very specific exercises, I felt stronger and much more supple.
Fitness is a lifelong quest. As a rider, you need to do everything you can to be “easy to carry.” There are many horses who are not strong enough to carry a rider who sits heavily – youngsters, or horses coming back from an injury, for example. Many serious dressage trainers do not expect a young or unfit horse to carry themselves - or a rider - well until they have done many months of conditioning.
There are many exercises that will help your horse’s correct development, and most of them are quite simple. One of the best things you can do is to get your horse out of the arena and start climbing hills. Allow and encourage your horse to stretch down, engage the hindquarters, and trot, trot, trot. If he’s using himself correctly, you’ll feel his back muscles engage and you’ll get a round and powerful gait. Listen to the sound of his hooves on the ground. A horse that’s moving correctly will have a clean, rhythmic and even cadence. If you’re hearing “thump THUD, thump THUD”, or “swish THUMP, swish THUMP”, it’s a pretty good indication your horse isn’t going as well as he should.
If you don’t live in an area with convenient hills, you’ll have to be creative in the arena. One of my favorite exercises is working over raised poles arranged in a curve (see photo).
It’s often helpful to introduce the poles on the longe on long-lines, and then progress to doing it under saddle. First, be sure that your horse can comfortably navigate trot poles placed about 4’6” apart in a straight line (adjust spacing to accommodate your horse’s stride if necessary), then move onto the curve. I start with the poles flat on the ground. On the inside of the “fan”, the poles are about 3’ apart, and on the outside, about 6’ apart. This way, the middle of the fan measures about 4’6” – again, adjust the spacing if necessary. Be sure that your horse is bending correctly, and use the fan to either lengthen or shorten his stride – riding a line along the inside of the fan to shorten, and moving toward the outer line to lengthen. When your horse is navigating these with confidence, you can raise the poles to a height of about 6” – I usually raise the outside ends first, then the inside; you can also add a pole or two to the fan. Remember, the purpose of this exercise is to stretch and strengthen your horse - this is not the time to argue with him over a schooling issue. Set your poles up against a wall or in corner if need be, in order to help him comply with your request willingly! When you start this regime, you may only be able to ask him to go through the poles five or 6 times. Try to do a little bit more each day and watch to make sure that he is building strength and coordination – the purpose of the exercise is to build the back and the haunches, and encourage the horse to reach and stretch. If he has significant problems negotiating the poles, is tripping, or appears lame, stop and consult your
veterinarian.
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