Why I Love Carrot Stretches for the Horse
Carrot stretches are obviously a great way to limber up a horse before and after a ride.
While those of us who have hit “middle age” may empathize with our horses and feel that
our horses may be more comfortable with daily stretching, there are some other reasons
to do carrot stretches that are not so obvious. Stretching benefits chiropractic (bone and
joint) and neurologic health as well.
First lets go through basic carrot stretches. Stretches include reaching for a carrot
between the legs at the chest, the knees, behind the fetlock, and on both sides to the
shoulder, girth, point of the hip, and as close to the hock as can be achieved. Some
people also add a carrot stretch to the fetlock on the hind legs as well. Remember carrot
stretches are like doing toe touches - so don’t strain too much! Just as we can’t touch our
toes without a lot of repeated daily effort, horses too can’t reach their hip or hock easily
in a prolonged stretch without repeated daily stretching first.
Some people feel the horse needs to bite the carrot, while others prefer to cut up a carrot
into smaller parts to make sure they have enough carrot to get through a full set of
stretches. However you choose, the objective is to have the horse’s head follow your
hand with the carrot so that the horse moves to specific positions.
I also like scratching beside the tail on both sides because it encourages the horse to lift
the lumbar area behind the saddle. Sometimes a horse will volunteer a big stretch when
you do this – which is a good thing. Scratching on one side of the tail and then the other
helps the horse to stretch one side and then the other.
From a chiropractic perspective, the bending downward and then bending sideways to get
a carrot ensures that the spine has the opportunity to move up, down and sideways.
Combined with “tail scratches” your horse can achieve good spinal movement before a
ride. In a sense, it also reminds the horse of the correct back movement we seek when
riding. Additionally, the joint movement helps older horses that may have some arthritis
move more comfortably. After all, joint motion also staves off the fixation that can occur
as arthritis progresses.
Stretching works at a deeper level as well. As the horse stretches the nerves and muscles
“recalibrate” and remind the brain how long they are (or aren’t). This “reminder” can, in
turn, help to prevent soft tissue damage. Also, balance is tuned up as they shift their
weight to reach the carrot. The whole process enhances their awareness of where the foot
and leg are in space and with that we can get a more precise performance.
Research has shown that carrot stretches improve spinal musculature as well. Dr. Hilary
Clayton did a study on carrot stretches and found that when performed several times a
day, the muscles that surround the spine actually increase in size. Understandably, most
people cannot run to their barn to do carrot stretches several times a day. However, by
doing carrot stretches before and after a ride you’ll also improve your horse’s spinal
muscles over time.
Our riding demands balance, fine tuned movement, as well as strength from our equine
partners. Improve your horse with carrot stretches before and after your ride. It is a great
way to augment your training regimen.