Misconceptions about carrot stretches
Carrot stretches, or dynamic mobilization exercises, are something most horse owners are at least vaguely familiar with. Perhaps a bodyworker showed them to you at some stage, or maybe you read about it in a how-to article, or maybe you did them without knowing when you were in your trick training phase, teaching your horse how to bow. In any case, most people are aware that carrot stretches are exercises where you guide the horse's head and neck to different positions using a treat, inviting them to take their spine through a varied range of motion. They can have enormous benefits when done correctly, but can also be less than great if not executed properly. Here are some very common misconceptions about carrot stretches.
Carrot stretches or dynamic mobilization exercises are very beneficial when done correctly, but can be detrimental when not executed properly.
They are not exactly stretches. The term carrot stretches is great, because everyone knows what that implies, but the more appropriate wording is dynamic mobilization exercises. That's because these exercises are so much more than stretches. Sure, there is some stretching involved, but their greatest benefit is not stretching, it's strengthening. In principle they are very similar to crunches in humans. Lying on the ground, we activate our core musculature to bring our spine into flexion. In a similar way, the horse has to actively use his core musculature to flex his spine his spine.
The range of motion is not as important as you think. Because people think of them as stretches, they think that the more they can »stretch« their horse, the better. This often results in pushing the horse to overdo the exercise, swinging his head and neck around, which can potentially be detrimental. There is absolutely no need to strive for as big a range of motion as we can. Some horses are more flexible, others are less so, so how far the horse can go to reach the treat will be very individual. More important than the range of motion is the slow and deliberate execution. Guiding the horse to slowly change the position of his spine and to hold the end position for a couple of seconds is where the real benefit lies.
They should be done before exercise, not after. Because they are more of a strengthening exercise than a stretch, carrot stretches are a great way to warm up the horse before work and bring the core musculature online. They will have a bigger benefit if done before the muscles are tired and could potentially contribute to injury prevention by slowly warming up the tissues around the spine. Taking the time to do three repetitions of each carrot stretch before a ride will contribute to the development of the small stabilizing muscles around the spine, which will protect your horse's back from back pain and tension.
They are more than just a rehabilitation tool. While they are most often recommended for horses recovering from an injury or back problems, they are great for healthy horses too. In fact, if every healthy horse did them, there would probably be way less injured horses walking around. Carrot stretches are a great way to start to develop the young horse's core, which is essential to his ability to carry a rider. Most horses will benefit from implementing some kind of dynamic mobilization routine, but the specifics might vary from horse to horse. There are some horses out there that should not be doing these, so when if doubt, always consult your veterinarian. If you would like to tap into the benefits of building a strong core for your horse, ask a professional to show you which exercises are appropriate for your specific horse.