True connection

Hi, everyone.
We have all hard a great deal about connection as it pertains to training your horse.  I’d like to get you thinking about your horse as a beautifully engineered marvel of design, and the true connection in your horse’s body, from nose to tail, from head to hoof.  

Here’s a brief overview:  your horse’s HEAD is connected to his FEET, from JAW muscles (such as the omohyoidius inside the jaw), which connect to  muscles of the NECK (the cephalic muscles, for example), which connect to the muscles of the CHEST (some of which make up the bicep complex), which connect to the FOREARM (the carpi muscles), which connect to the HOOF (via the flexor and extensor muscles and tendons).  

Think about it: head to neck to chest to forearm to hoof.  None of these parts operates independently.  What does this mean? Any tension or imbalance or strain in one part, will of necessity have an adverse effect on the rest of the system.  A strain in one area means compensation in another area.  Restriction of movement in any  area is going to lead to problems, some obvious, some subtle.  

The best thing you can do for your horse?  Allow him to carry himself freely and in a relaxed way.  A tense horse is not using his muscles to their full advantage.  Look at your horse when he is moving, and pay attention to how he feels when you ride him.  Do his strides feel even or choppy?  Do his hooves make the same sound when each hoof makes contact with the ground?  How does he carry himself?  If you’re not sure what you’re seeing, ask someone you trust to help you.  Asking questions doesn’t mean a lack of wisdom, it means that you know enough to know that you need to learn more.  

Our horse’s bodies are truly wonderful.