Post 1. Dynamic Remedial Exercises

Lunging and Long reining

Lunging

Lunging is a training and exercise technique used in the equine industry in which a horse will be attached to a singular lunge line and moved in a circular or oval shape around the handler. The handler controls the horses speed, direction and gait from the centre of the circle using voice commands. Lunging can be used to increase fitness, balance, support rehabilitation.

Benefits:

-          Can be adaptable: size and shape of circles or can do oval lunging to start with to reduce limb stress and overexertion. Can also implement a range of gaits and transitions/speed play

-          Enables exercise without rider weight

-          Ensures balanced movement with impulsion and rhythm

-          Enhances balance, coordination, proprioception and lateral flexibility

-          Recruits adductor and abductor muscle to maintain stability

-          Induces greater flexion, extension and lateral movement of the back: increases epaxial and hypaxial muscle recruitment, which increases trunk stability and promotes muscle development

-          Moving on a circular path increases greater asymmetry of the back within each stride: must do same exercise on each rein

-          Can implement training aids to encourage contact, but discrepancies in efficacy may reduce applicable effects

-          Increased intensity compared to long reining during to circles increased requirement for balance, coordination and fitness is better during later stages of rehab to progress the patient and develop muscle growth and strength

Increased protraction: outer limb has to protract further

Long reining

Long reining is a training and exercise technique used in the equine industry in which two long lines are used, attached to a bit on a horses bridle. The horse is commonly worked from behind or slightly to the side. The handler controls the horses speed, direction, gait and contact from the two long lines, allowing the horse to move in straight lines and circles.

Benefits:

-          Enables exercise without rider weight

-          Offers better control over head, neck shoulder and hindlimb alignment

-          Allows combination of straight line and lateral work

-          Very adaptable: can progress to double lunging, allows range of surfaces, offering tactile stimulation, range of exercises can be conducted during- such as pole work, transitions, shallow loops, serpentines, figure of eights, circles

-          Utilisation of a range of lateral work enhances limb loading: promotes even weight distribution and dynamic weight shifting across limbs, increases lateral flexion, limb protraction, increases abductor and adductor muscles. Must make sure to do even reps on each rein

-          Proprioceptive re-education

-          Encourages contact: increased core engagement, and true propulsion

-          Greater control than lunging

-          Slow and controlled during early stages of rehab