Lets talk about stretching for the mid-upper level lads and lassies (for real this time)

[Ryeissa]

So one major challenge I have had as I go up the levels (right now I'm just at second third ish- so clearly not a high level but hear me out) but I find that I have to really consider stretching- its not often brought into a clinic or lesson format due to time.

I find that I have to think about how stretching fits in the program once a horse is starting to work collection.

I confess, I've been guilty of not stretching enough and I want to change my approach. I get busy doing all the fun stuff and I sometimes just forget.

So tell me about how you work it into your daily routine- do you have one day as stretching only day? And/or do you mix it into the work? I like to do it every 5-10 mins. Does it depend on your horse? My horse has a short neck and likes to hold tension, so perhaps another horse may not "need" the same amount. There is no right and wrong.

(This is all assuming we know how to stretch properly, and we agree on what a good stretch is and still promote good balance in the stretch). I get 9s on my stretching trot, so I do understand the concepts. I just want to know how to work it into a training program and what others do with their own horses.

THIS IS NOT CONNECTED TO WILL FABER- I was thinking about this way way before him. he's really not a factor in my life.... I always have an interest in promoting neck and spine health. I've talked to my trainer so I feel comfortable with my own plans, but always appreciate more ideas.

[blob]

I keep stretching as part of my warm up and cool down regardless of level. Some hotter horses I can't go immediately into stretch, but I have to warm them up into stretch and then get to work. I don't always bring it into the middle of my rides unless there is a very obvious need for it. But I think stretching is also one of the things I consider a training/riding strength of mine, so usually it's something my horses are able to do well and easily when asked. So it does feel 'always available' to me most of the time. I struggle a lot more with getting the more collected work, so I tend to not focus on the stretching other than as book ends because it's not where I need to focus as much.

[exvet]

I have a similar approach to Blob; but, then my horses are similar to hers in conformation and such. I use it in warm up and in cool down. I'll also throw it in whenever I feel a horse getting really tense/balled up - First I'll test if I have it and if they give it readily (follow my hands down and out) I may truncate the length of time/exercise but if it's clear that they're blocked I'll focus on it until I have them relaxed and working through and then go back to the previous topic that go them 'there'.

[khall]

I don’t do it every ride except in the walk. And it really depends on what is going on in the ride. Some days I do just stretching work. That also depends on the horse and the level they are working. I rarely use it to warm up but instead wih for warmup. If I’m going to use it in the ride it will be at the end unless it is just a stretch day.

In Spain they had us stretch in each gait as we worked the horse WTC. Soto believes stretching comes from collection. The horses were difficult to sit trot on.

In Portugal we did not stretch at all. Lots of lateral work throughout the ride. Lovely to sit trot on all the horses I rode even going from extended trot to passage and back.

[piedmontfields]

I do a long walk warm-up with a long, low neck (15+ minutes). I do a cool down (a little trot with stretching and long rein walk).

If I feel like the horse needs a break or reward in the middle of work, I may ask the horse to reach and lower its neck, and then return to the working frame. To me it is important to be able to change the frame at any moment, so stretching is not really "a thing" or a big deal. Just part of training/riding.

I would say these mini-breaks happen at least every few minutes during proper work. I also do a lot of short walk breaks (like walk a circle then back to work).

As I work to bring Emi's strength up, I am very aware that she is not currently at the point of being able to carry herself in the manner that she could pre-injury (like a lower level/3rd level horse). In her case, I am more likely to just take a walk break as a rest or reward as I want to avoid any chance of having stretching end up with a splat onto her forehand. Our mantra is "horizontal balance at all times, please"---and if we can't do that, we take a walk break!

[blob]

I will say that at the walk, I no longer do an on the buckle free walk with MM until the end of the ride. She warms up with more of an extended walk, same with walk breaks. Relaxation is her middle name, but keeping her engaged and moving uphill into contact that is more challenging. So while we are 'working' we are working and she is expected to march up into contact even if it is with a longer/extended frame. Once we're done, she can have the buckle.

[Ponichiwa]

I'm flailing around in that 2nd-maybe-3rd area as well with my guy, who is not a naturally uphill mover. We are currently creating the foundation for carrying his "brisket" up and engaged, and as a result I'm stretching only sparingly. He's more than happy to toodle around in an approximation of a good stretch, but can roll over the shoulders onto the forehand very quickly-- stretching like that throws away all the good work we did getting him out and up.

I do a lot of mini-stretching, though-- giving one or both hands forward as appropriate to test the connection and lengthen the neck (but while keeping those darn shoulders up). And plenty of walk breaks, especially in this sauna of a climate.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I love this type of discussion!!

So I always warm up on a long rein but whether it's active stretching or not depends on the horse. I think with lower level horses, you have to be especially cautious to not let them plop on the forehand. Because of that I tend to incorporate it more in little breaks at the middle of the ride or to cool down at the end.

[Chisamba]

I think I posted a video of how I use stretch between lateral work to reward and relax and imptove elasticity. sometimes I will stretch for as little as one stride, maybe even right in the middle of a shoulder in or half pass to remind the horse that 50 % of the connection is their responsibility. that also so that I don't fall into the short neck closed trap in lateral work.
I will often stretch through a transition to encourage self carriage on transitions.

I will also stretch to warm up, stretch to refresh. stretch to relax, or simply to test the quality of connection.

every ride every day, most especially the upper level horses.

they're is nothing exciting or even perfect about this snippet, but it shows stretch before lateral work and stretch in a downward transition. I did not appear to offer a snippet of stretch reward though. so it didn't demonstrate that https://www.facebook.com/189275818633/v ... 427515570/

[Sue B]

I do a lot of mini stretches in all 3 gaits whenever Rudy feels like he's "holding" his neck or back. Currently, this seems to be particularly effective in the canter, probably because I'm working on getting more "jump" in his collected canter. Out on the road, I initially start "on the buckle" but as soon as he plops into his lazy stroll, I pick up the reins and move into medium then extended walk. Then, if it's a longer ride, we go into trot with the goal of having a really lovely 1st level lengthened trot before any other dressage-type trot.

Tio, otoh, frequently demands stretching down and curled. He would be a real star in WF's program. I ride him up and out with minimal stretching. It is a fine balancing act (literally) to get a stretch without falling onto the forehand in any gait right now, although he is improving. So for him, I use the stretch as more of a test of where we're at in his training level.

[Ryeissa]

thanks everyone, great discussions.

[Domica]

I don’t stretch at the start of a ride, with a spooky mare all my efforts are concentrated on getting her attention and concentration. As soon as I have that I intersperse the work with short periods of stretching to give the neck muscles relief, but the stretch has to be in balance and is always in contact, never buckle end. Cool down is always stretchy work.

[heddylamar]

My old mare, Joy, could start out incredibly stiff and benefitted from a 5-10-minute warmup of stretchy walk, to stretchy canter, to slowly collecting counter canter, then back to walk, and on with our ride. I don't know that I've ever walked Anzia on a long rein, except when required in a dressage test. I do regular stretchy trot work — spiral in/out collecting/loosening the rein as we go. But I never really give her much leeway — I' reach a "long enough" point on the reins, then just straighten my arms. Anzia is quite explosive, and has a habit of relocating without her rider.

I was riding Maia more like Joy in March when she lured me into stretching at the start of the ride. My leg still hasn't recovered #NeverAgain

We've gone back to walking with "long enough" and arms forward for a walking warmup. Then I give her short stretches at the walk and trot throughout the ride. Maia doesn't carry the any of the top line tension her grandma (Joy) had, nor does she tighten her jaw like Anzia. So, any moments of stretch are merely to confirm self carriage and to change collection. The latter is a real source of frustration some days.

[Flight]

I 'stretch' pretty much like Chisamba described. As a reward, as a test, as a reset (especially for Ding being half friesian and wanting to put his neck too high).
I don't tend to stretch for very long, a few strides, a circle or two, a short side, or probably as deep/low as what I've seen others do.

I do frequent walk breaks on the buckle too for mine.

[Kyra's Mom]

With Kyra it is a session by session thing...it depends. I love to warm her up long and low. BUT, she has to swing through and meet the connection. Lots of times she leans and is way on the forehand so stretching gets relegated to cool down. I haven't really worked on a lot of stretching at trot because we haven't been doing much trot or canter. I occasionally allow some stretch at canter but often, that is not super successful and she loses her self-carriage.
Yeah, I have been able to ride the last 3 times I have been to the barn and have gotten more trot and canter in so will remember to incorporate more stretching.

I have been working a lot on taking up the rein at walk and having her walk up to the contact for 1/4-1/2 lap then allowing the stretch. Today, I finally got some good walk stretch but it was a lot calmer in the arena. They have been doing major road construction with traffic detoured by the arena which is only about 10 feet from the road. I think all that traffic whizzing by has affected me more than her but it certainly doesn't help focus and relaxation.

I think proper stretching is wonderful for them but it has to be forward, through and connected to help the horse as far as I am concerned.

Susan

[Chisamba]

https://www.facebook.com/189275818633/p ... 870123634/

[tlkidding]

With my upper level horse, I do a stretchy walk for 8-10 minutes at the beginning and then move into lateral work and then trot and canter in a 3rd level sort of frame.

All of our breaks are on a long rein, and if he's especially tight or spooky, it'll be more of an extended/stretchy walk into some contact instead of a free walk. Whenever we are working at the limit of his training or strength, it's 2-3 minutes of work and then walking and and letting the frame out again.

I also do one ride a week of just stretching in all 3 gaits for about 25 minutes - making sure a horse will keep stretching throughout easy transitions is a good test of your throughness.

[Moutaineer]

I probably don't do enough of this, so this has been a good reminder to incorporate more into my rides as I start to trust Potters more on a longer rein...

[Chisamba]

https://www.facebook.com/189275818633/posts/10158429870123634/

if anyone watched both videos what do you think of the progression.

I think once the reenacting had improved I will be able to add a bit more collection help the moves sparkle lol

[Ryeissa]

I just watched one video, didn't see two, but the work was really nice! thanks for sharing

[Chisamba]

first video: https://www.facebook.com/189275818633/v ... 427515570/

second video:

https://www.facebook.com/189275818633/p ... 870123634/

I watch them side by side and see some improvements and some not. I was just curious about opinions

[StraightForward]

Thanks for sharing - Saiph has developed a lot and seems to have much more range of stretching to carrying postures compared to the first video.

[Ryeissa]

I liked them both, but I prefer the first one due to the lift in the chest. Thanks for clarifying the links! Sorry if I was being dumb

[Chisamba]

I agree with both, on the positive she is moving more freely forward, stretching more freely. but she is also more downhill, and I did not show enough collection in the second.