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| What
Is A Fit Horse? ('Fittening
Your Horse' Certificate Course) |
| This
may sound like an obvious question; however, one horse maybe fit for one
working discipline though quite unfit for another. |
| An example of
this could be the racehorse whom is conditioned and built up to be fit for
racing; however, if this same horse was asked to perform dressage he would
find it a physically and psychologically stressful experience. |
| A
fit horse must be able to perform his day-to-day work without suffering
from unnecessary physical or psychological stress or strain. |
| Pre-requirements
Of A Fittening Programme |
| There
are many essential factors that need to be taken into consideration before
commencing a fittening regime for your horse such as their age,
conformation, muscle fibre types (student ref: muscle fibre stress point
paper), previous and present lifestyle and health, present fitness level,
previous injuries such as tendon and ligament injuries with their present vulnerabilities,
pelvic injuries, limb injuries, state of coat and skin, appropriate tack,
to suddenly expect your horse to work in
complicated tack is guaranteed to create various muscular stresses, aswell
as psychological stresses; and ultimately, a clear focus towards the working discipline that your horse is being conditioned
into. |
| Devising
A Fittening Programme |
| Devising
the fittening programme is a tricky business, as is following the
programme. Fitness programmes are a guideline and open to variations,
alterations and adaptations to suit every individual horse. |
| There
are 5 main stages within a fittening programme |
| Pre-conditioning |
| Conditioning |
| Fittening |
| Maintenance |
| Roughing off |
| How
Long Will The Average Fittening Process Take? |
| As a
GUIDELINE - the horse being brought up from grass, can expect to reach a
medium intermediate level of fitness in around 6 - 8 weeks, and an
advanced level of fitness in around 14 - 16 weeks |
| Relationship
Between Equine Massage Therapy and The
Fittening Process |
| The
equine massage therapist works to recognise originating, influential,
probable and preventable influences that remain active in your horses
muscular and tissue structures, thus preventing their creation,
maintenance, spread and consequential results. |
| Different
stages of a fittening programme together with different working
disciplines create their own muscular stresses, both
universally and individually. |
| Take for example the intended work
of the dressage horse. The ability to perform the disciplined schooling
movements can be far more readily achieved through an interval-based
training programme, creating a balanced display of strength and
suppleness. |
| The world of dressage requires
that the horses remains 100% focused upon his every action through 100% communication
with his rider. |
| Subsequently, too much of this
emotionally drains your horse, leaving him stale and lethargic. Many successful
dressage horses have had their training
programme based on that of the eventer, with the necessary adoptions and
inclusions incorporated through intellectual reasoning. |
| Specific inclusions will include
lateral work, such as shoulder-in and counter-canter. This will not only
develop the horses anaerobic level of fitness within the respective
muscles and muscle groupings, it will also enhance the horses associated
levels of aerobic fitness. |
| Another
example could be that of the polo pony who experiences untold amounts of stress.
However, most polo ponies have been specifically bred or selected for the
job at hand, allowing them to perform the sharp, short, abrupt actions of
the discipline while working within the respective aerobic and anaerobic
demands. |
| The polo pony will need to have
much attention payed to his flexion when being ridden, before being riden
and after being ridden. |
| A stretching programme, lunging
programme and interval based training programme will alow the necessary
quick actions of the polo pony to be effectively performed. |
| The
role of the equine massage therapist working with the horse whom is participating
in a fittening programme is to recognise each horses areas of weakness and
strengths towards the work being asked of him. |
| By recognising
which muscles and muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, fascia planes and
cranialsacral reactions, the equine massage therapist will develop an
insight into immediate and possible stresses, allowing an optimal outcome
of the fittening programme with the strength and good health of the horse
un-compromised while limiting the vicious cycle of
compensatory muscular stress |
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