What I found most helpful: I’ve been working on reactions to the lightest of touch and release to engender responses both in training and for health issues. For me it’s wonderful to find that I’m traveling in the right direction. It’s pushed me further down the road to understanding more about the use of relaxation techniques and its connection with the nervous system. At first glance, it looks rudimentary, but actually it has an amazing impact on the whole horse and there’s a lot happening under the surface both with the superficial & deep muscles as well as aiding the physiological balance of the whole body.
What I Experienced: I worked on a mare who was extremely heavy and stiff in hind, particularly the left hind. She had very positive responses particularly to massaging the poll area especially with the the head down. She was tighter with the head up. When I got to the back she lifted her hind leg and directed my hand to the abdominal obliques, as I felt my way backwards I found the semitendinosus, semimembranosus & gracilis muscles very tight. After working on the hind end junction she seemed a lot happier and I was able to get some great releases as she dropped her pelvis. She stayed with her legs both forward and inwards as well as crossing over in the backwards position for some time before returning to normal stance.