To all members: Em Bonsma, a well-known physio, has kindly send through an informative article about the importance of warming up and cooling down horses and ponies. Please take a moment to read the article below: THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘WARMING –UP’ AND ‘COOLING DOWN’ Em Bonsma (IAAT – U.K.) Equilibrium Therapy To ensure a healthy and sound horse, your riding routine, be it competition or your daily work-out, should consist of 4 parts: • Warm Up • Activity • Warm Down • Cool Down Warm Up “An effective warm-up has the dual benefits of enhancing performance and reducing the risk of injury,” Dr H. Clayton B.V.M.S., Ph.D Not only does Warm Up prevent injury…it also improves performance. Your horse will have a better range of motion, better stretch and gait co ordination. As well as preventing strain, tears and muscle spasm. A good example of warm up would be 5 minutes active walk on a long rein. 2 minutes trot on a loose rein, 3 minutes slow canter on a loose rein in a light seat, 5 minutes collected trot on a circle alternating direction, in a long low frame. Slow to an active walk. Only ask the head and neck to lift once the horse is warm. In colder weather and in older horses this time can be increased to 30 minutes. It is advisable to warm your horse up in a light quarter sheet (or thermal in winter) This can be used for the entire activity phase if it is very cold. Warm Down Activity produces lactic acid build up in the muscles. Research shows that a high level of lactate eventually prohibits the muscle fibers from contracting, which in turn leads to fatigue, painful cramping and strains on ligaments and tendons. Once again pop a quarter sheet on as soon as the activity is over to prevent a hot sweaty horse from getting a chill …..even in hot weather!! Start with a slow collected trot easing your horse into a more relaxed loose swinging gait. Release the frame and come down to a good stretching active walk and slow down to a relaxed walk. This should be done before you dismount. This phase should take about 15 minutes. “The objective of the cool-down period is a progressive reduction in exercise intensity allowing for a gradual redistribution of blood flow, enhanced lactate removal from muscles, and a reduction of body heat through convection and evaporation (both of which are aided by movement),” Clayton wrote Cool Down. Once you have dismounted…untack immediately to allow for heat dissipation…allow your horse to drink his fill to aid rehydration and to cool down internally. Electrolyte supplements are advised if they have sweated excessively Your horse can be hosed or sponged down especially on the under side of his neck, under his belly and on the inside of his hind legs. Let him stand in a cool well aerated area with a sweat sheet to prevent chilling. (Do not put cold water onto the back or gluteus muscles of a hot horse) A complete and proper cool-down will result in a horse that is cooled, quiet, and free from injuries and, in Clayton’s words, “finished with the day’s work, relaxed in mind and body.”
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:42:23 +0000
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