Most equestrians have a busy life style. In addition to our equestrian activities, there are plenty of work/life activities that require planning and careful consideration. Between online calendars, dayplanners or blackberries, we have it all covered. We plan our finances, vacations, family reunions, gardening or farming activites and much more. But what about our horses? Besides the regular vet and hoof care visits, do you have a plan or schedule in place to strategically planned activities that will help ensure your horse's wellness and soundness? If you are actively competing, you probably do. But all horses can benefit from a well thought out wellness program. Bodywork, gymnasticizing and 'tack checks' are building blocks for your horse's soundness that are easily incorporated into your routine.

Let's take a look at the different areas, where we can incorporate small changes or routines that make a big difference in maintaining our horse's soundness and ultimately improving performance and start with the three areas that make up the key puzzle pieces to a complete wellness program from a physical and mental fitness perspective:

• Bodywork
• Proper Gymnasticizing
• Tack and Saddle Fit

Above chart helps us connect the dots and visualize how the three key areas that affect a horse's general structural soundness play together. There is much we can do by taking little steps to improve in these three areas.

• Provide regular bodywork to your horses, either by involving a specialist bodyworker for horses and/or learning some basic equine massage techniques yourself.
• Develop and implement a targeted gymnasticizing schedule for your horse, which should incorporate elements that support your horse in general soundness and specific areas pertaining to your horse's activity (trail horse, hunter/jumper, dressage horse, etc.)
• Check tack in regular intervals, don't wait for tack fit issues to surface until investigating tack fit. Prevention is the key. Once your horse shows signs of discomfort or soreness, the problem has already manifested. (See saddle fit basics)

You horse's plan should be reviewed and revised on a regular basis. As he develops, so will his needs for adjustments, especially in the areas of bodywork and gymmansticizing. You may start out with very frequent bodywork and - once deeper, long standing restrictions are resolved - move on to a maintenance schedule in less frequent intervals. Your gymnasticizing plan may change in view of his physcial development or change in activity. You tack may have to be adjusted when your horse develops muscle.

Here an example Horse Wellness schedule:

• 7 year old quarter horse gelding
• ridden by an intermediate beginner rider, trained to first level dressage, but curently used as trail horse and for riding lessons with the owner
• current challenge: horse moves stiffly, especially in the neck, rushes in the trot; currently ridden mostly in the walk and losing condition/muscle tone
• goal: enable suppleness and flexibility as well as stamina and encourage horse's enthusiasm for forward movement without rushing

A Horse Wellness schedule that incorporates bodywork and gymnasticizing elements is not only for horses that actively compete. Every horse benefits from a fitness plan. Keeping your horse relaxed, fit and comfortable supports his soundness and prevents structural damage caused by restrictions or demands put on the horse when it is not fit to fulfil them.

If you'd like guidance and support in creating a taylored Horse Wellness plan for your horse, please email me.

Also see my recommended reading list for further self study.

Enjoy your horse!

Stefanie Reinhold
ctfd. Equine Massage Practitioner (WMSEM)
ctfd. Masterson Method™ Practitioner (MMCP)

*) Please note: Equine massage and bodywork is a non-invasive, gentle wellness modality aimed at enhancing performance in the healthy horse and never replaces proper veterinary care. If in doubt regarding the physical health of your horse please consult your veterinarian.