1603424636
9781603424639
168 pages
Storey Books
10.9 X 8.5 X 0.5 in
23.95
Available
09 Dec 2009
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Get your horse in shape and maintain his overall fitness, regardless of his age or abilities. Equine Fitness shows you how, with a simple conditioning program made up of fun exercise routines specifically designed to enhance your horse’s strength and agility. Clear, step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations make the exercises easy to follow, and the book includes a handy set of pocket-sized cards that you can tear out and use while on horseback or in the ring.
Introduction
1 How the Muscles Work
2 General Rules of Fitness
3 Schooling vs. Conditioning
Conditioning Exercises: Spiraling In and Out, Sprint Lines, Strengthening the Front End, Legging Up, Transitioning Downward, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Massage, Loops and Poles (David Lichman), Waltzing with Your Horse (Sherry Ackerman), Gearing Up to Gallop (Yvonne Barteau)
4 Posture Determines Strength
Strengthening Exercises: Rein-Back up a Hill, Rein-Back on a Curve, Turn on the Forehand in Motion, Exercise on a Slope, Riding a Drop, Canter to Walk Downhill (Gina Miles), Gymnastic Jumping, Sets and Reps for Arena (Jennifer Bryant), Double Longe (Mark Schuerman), Arena Interval Training
5 Warming Up and Cooling Down
Warm-Up Exercises: Tail Pull, Tail Rotations, Lateral Cervical Flexion (Jim Masterson), Shoulder Release Down and Back (Jim Masterson), Shoulder Release Down and Forward (Jim Masterson), Loosening the Back, Warm-up 1 - The Oval, Warm-up 2 - Simple Trot Pattern, Shoulder-In to Shallow Serpentine (Betsy Steiner), Canter on the Honor System (Jessica Jahiel)
6 The Mighty Neck
Neck Exercises: Horizontal Frame Conditioning, Changing Speeds, Counter Canter Loops, Counter Canter Serpentines, Shoulder-In Repetitions, Shoulder-In Traveling Out (Manolo Mendez), Striding In, Striding Out
7 The Stifle Is Critical
Stifle Exercises: Trotting Poles in an Arc, Pick-up Sticks, Lifting the Hind Legs, Bringing the Hind Legs Forward, Stepping Over Slowly, Cantering on Uneven Terrain, In and Out Leg-Yielding (Becky Hart)
8 Time to Stretch
Stretching Exercises: Shoulder Rotation Stretch, Rear-Leg Circles, Pelvis Tucks, Poll Stretch, Hip Stretch, Shoulder Circles, Bladder Meridian Exercise for Tension Release (Jim Masterson)
Exercise Routines
Four Fitness Goals
Glossary
Contributor Biographies
Resources
Index
Pullout Exercise Cards
Total-Body Conditioning for Your Healthiest Horse
Keep your horse fit, happy, and eager to please with exercise routines that are simple to follow and fun to perform. Designed to improve equine strength and agility, these exercises give every horse -- regardless of age, ability, or discipline -- the fitness training to perform at consistently high levels. Additional benefits of these routines include increased stamina, improved range of motion, and fewer injuries in your well-conditioned horse.
Award-winning author and trainer Jec Aristotle Ballou is the author of Equine Fitness and 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider. Her training articles have appeared in every major equestrian magazine. She has studied dressage all over the globe, has trained numerous breeds of horses to championships in a variety of disciplines, and has coached riders for the U.S. Olympic endurance team. She lives in California.
PETS / Horses / Care
PETS / Horses / Riding
SPORTS & RECREATION / Equestrian