AFTER A SESSION

Your horse will likely be feeling active and frisky.

Immediately after the session lunge him at the walk, trot and canter ten times in each direction to integrate the structural changes into his body. This allows the work to penetrate deeper into his body. If he wants to kick up his heels, let him. If he wants to roll, encourage him to do that, too. He’s exploring how his body moves in different ways and this is good.

If possible, it’s a good idea to turn him out and let him run, turn, twist and roll. Your horse will have a good time exploring his new flexibility. This play is an important part of the session because it helps your horse know what he is now capable of doing.  Horses are not sore from the bodywork after a session but once in a while a horse might overdo the exploration of his new flexibility. If he’s still racing, running and rolling after half an hour, you might want to bring him in for the night. Most horses have common sense about what they can do, but every once in a while, a horse feels so good he wants to jump over the moon. If soreness is a concern to you, monitor his field play that day.

Don’t ride for the rest of the day after a session so your horse can move without your weight and directions. Do half the normal workout the following day so he can move around and integrate the neuromuscular changes. This helps him learn on his own what is different in his body and how to use himself better.