Pilates for Horses - Find out more....
Ever since my journey as an Equine Massage Practitioner began, Horses Inside Out has been has been my go to resource for anything regarding equine anatomy or biomechanics. Gillian’s books were on my reading list when I was studying for my exams. And, once qualified, one of my favourite client recommendations has always been one of Gillian’s first releases, Pilates and Stretching. A ring bound book showing 26 very useful exercises that make the basis of the exercises I still prescribe to my clients now. Gillian actually released this book in September 2009 - and it has remained one of the best resources available for horse owners & professionals in this type of exercise therapy.
When I found out that Gillian was creating a brand new, updated version of this book I couldn’t wait to see what it was going to be like. And I have to say, what she has released is beyond my expectations.
Not only is there a new bigger and even better book, but there are also even more exercises, 74 in total!
Along with a video to accompany each of the exercises that you can access from your Horses Inside Out account on your phone (or other device) to help ensure you understand the exercise and are performing it correctly.
When I saw there were 74 exercises, I did wonder if this would be a little overwhelming for horse owners, I mean, how do you choose which are the best ones to do with your horse? You can’t possibly be doing 74 exercises with your horse on a regular basis, on top of what you usually do with them, can you?
Fear not, Gillian had the inspired idea to create an ‘exercise selector’ that can be accessed online to help prescribe the best exercises for your particular horse depending on areas you would like to supple or strengthen or for rehab from a particular injury or condition (with the go ahead of your horse’s musculoskeletal professional or vet of course).
For example, my own horse Eric has sticky stifles. I went to the exercise selector, and looked down the list to find ‘Rehabilitation and Management for Horses with Weak, Sticky or Locking Stifles’ which instantly gave me the recommended exercises and their numbers in the book & video library. Now I can easily reference the book and videos so that I can learn how to perform the exercises correctly and add them to Eric’s routine. How easy is that!
Okay great, so now I know what exercises I can do with Eric to help him with is stifle issues. But how do I know if they are helping or going well? What is the best way to monitor his progress and also stay motivated to do them? Well, Gillian has this covered too! She has also created a Pilates Exercise Planner. I think this is absolutely genius. It’s a lovely little book that is easy to carry around or keep at the yard and helps you track your progress over 12 weeks. After which you can then just purchase another planner and continue if you want to. And if you have a yard full of horses, how cool would it be if every horse had their own planner so you could track their progress, not only for yourself but also for your visiting therapist and also owners.
I really want to talk a little more about the planner as I think this little book is what brings the whole incredible package together.
The planner gives you places to include information about your horse, who is in their healthcare team, space for appointment keeping, help in assessing their posture and their movement as well as inspiration quotes and suggestions in how you can improve your horse’s lifestyle and exercise routine. As well as place to think about and record your goals and aims with your horse.
Following this there is an index of where in the Pilates book and videos to find exercises you would like to do with your horse, and then 12 weeks’ worth of pages to record the exercises you have chosen to do with your horse and how you think they are getting on with them. Finally a space to re-assess your horse at the end of the 12 weeks and see their progress.
I think this is going to help so many horse owners stay on track with helping their horses to improve in their chosen areas. I will certainly be recommending that my clients purchase the Complete Pilates For Horses Programme where possible, and that each horse has their own planner so we can track their progress between sessions and so that the client has a physical record of what they have achieved. When you see your horse every day it can be so easy not to recognise the changes they are making. Keeping a record like this can be very motivational!
Thank you to Gillian Higgins and Horses Inside Out for the years of work it has taken to create this absolutely incredible catalogue of exercises both in the book and videos. And not only that but then coming up with such thoughtful ways of helping us all navigate these resources and record our horse’s progress.
This is a game changer for horse owners and Equine Musculoskeletal practitioners alike.
Jess