The benefits of resting postures
A lot of horses have a hard time relaxing and finding comfort in their own bodies. By inviting them into a resting posture, we can teach them that it is ok to relax and let go of the tension in their bodies.
Resting postures are postures where one can completely relax and feel comfortable, with no excess tension.
When we talk about horses' postures, we most often talk about it in the sense of the posture they take when working. We focus on what their muscles should be doing and how they should be using their bodies. But we need to remember, there's more to soundness and wellbeing than how the horse orchestrates his musculoskeletal system while working. Relaxation and rest are just as important, and unfortunately, many horses have a hard time with that. A lot of horses can't relax or have trouble finding comfort in their bodies. If they are constantly alert or if they never truly feel comfortable in their bodies, they will have a much harder time staying sound and happy.
This is why the concept of resting postures is a powerful one. A resting posture is a posture where one can feel completely relaxed and comfortable. For us, it can be lying down or sitting comfortably. For horses, a resting posture will most often be one with their head held low, one of their hind legs resting and their legs perpendicular to the ground. You'd be surprised how many horses have a hard time finding this posture (especially the legs perpendicular to the ground part). For many it can be uncomfortable because of tightness in the neck or back, because of pain in their joints, tension in the thoracic sling or imbalances in the hooves. For some it is an issue with anxiety and chronic stress.
Some horses are constantly on guard and have a hard time relaxing. In those cases, inviting them into a resting posture can be very beneficial.
We can help these horses by encouraging them to find positions in which they are comfortable. For example, we can invite them to lower their heads and relax their necks. When you do this, make sure to not ask anything else from them. Simply ask them to relax their neck and enjoy this position. Many horses will start to close their eyes, breathe more deeply and you will see them properly relax. This is a powerful signal to the nervous system, telling it that this is a comfortable and safe position. Do this on a regular basis and the nervous system will learn that relaxing the neck muscles is something that is safe to do. Eventually, the horse will learn not to hold the neck tense all the time, which will increase its range of motion.
You can do the same thing with his legs. Pick up a front leg, wait for the horse to relax, then bring the leg into a slight protraction and wait for the horse to relax his shoulder downwards. This is not a stretch. It's just inviting the horse to relax all the muscles around the scapula. Make sure you are stable and able to truly support the leg, so the horse can really relax. Once again, the horse might respond by closing his eyes and deeply relaxing. Do this on a regular basis and the horse learns that the muscles around the scapula can relax and it is safe for them to do so. Because muscles work optimally when they are able to both activate and relax, learning how to relax will enable better muscle function, which will in turn increase the range of motion. By taking advantage of resting postures and teaching the horse how to relax, we can boost his athletic performance and his confidence.