Equine Stretching & Mobilization #8: Hamstring ROM

Описание: Equine Stretching & Mobilization: promoting athleticism and health in your equine partner

8 | Hamstring ROM

*exercise begins at 45 sec

This is a hamstring stretch, and it can be done alone, or as an add on from last weeks’ video, the limb mobilization. If you would like it may be helpful to review #6: Limb Mobilization as I will do that first before advancing to this move focused on the hind end.

This exercise targets the hamstring muscle group. This is the large muscle group that runs down the back of the hind limb. It includes three muscles and is very commonly tight in horses, regardless of discipline. Like us, tight hamstrings are often correlated to a tight back, so it is especially valuable to horse that have a sore back.

The first step is to ask the horse to relax the foot into your hands. If they go to pull the foot back, just gently go with them, and wait for them to relax. Once they have a baseline of relaxation while you are holding their foot you can begin to move the limb gently.

You want to move the limb as a whole unit, not just the foot. Keep the limb in alignment, not torqueing any part to the outside or inside. An easy way to ensure this is to align the limb under the stifle.

The goal is a relaxed stretch that the horse enjoys. A full ROM can be considered reaching up to the girth line, but no worries if your horse isn’t able to reach this far, conformation does play a part in this as well. It is also a great tool to compare the ROM of both hind limbs!

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I have shared these videos as they are the most common ‘stretches’ that I give to owners following a bodywork session, but are beneficial for most horses (**Always consult with and clear any stretching or mobilization with your veterinarian prior to starting. This is especially important with injury or neurological conditions.)

*Remember to read the stretching/mobilization guideline here before beginning:
http://www.eqequinetherapy.ca/Stretch...

I hold no claim that these stretches are fully original in nature, I have modified what I have learned from what works best for me. I have learned them from a number of teachers throughout my education and if you are interested in learning more about equine therapy you can check out my education at http://www.eqequinetherapy.ca/EQ%20Ed...

Karli Starman EST EEBW
EQ Equine Therapy | www.eqequinetherapy.ca

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