DAN: "What are the benefits slash risks of carrot
stretching with your horse?
How often should you do it to make
a difference and common mistakes to avoid?"
You're a carrot stretcher aren't you?
You do a lot of this?
DR LYDIA GRAY: I do, yeah.
DAN: OK, yes.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yep, but, but--
I have the book.
This is the carrot stretching book.
But I am not going to answer this myself.
I went to the author of the book.
And I said--
DAN: Oh!
[LAUGHS]
DR LYDIA GRAY: We got a question on this.
DAN: Good to know people.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yeah, could you write me an answer?
So her name is Hilary Clayton.
She's a vet.
She's a professor and McPhail Dressage Chair Emerita.
You've heard of emeritus?
Well, when you're a female emeritus, you're an emerita.
Michigan State University, College of Vet Med--
and here's what she says.
"Carrot stretches are exercises in which
the horse is trained to stand in place while following
the movements of bait," so they're baited stretches.
And usually, it's a small piece of carrot, cut lengthwise.
There's a picture in the book-- and we'll show it-- where--
because you don't want them to bite you.
DAN: Nope, nope.
DR LYDIA GRAY: So she makes a little device
where you have the carrot out here, and there's a protection.
And it might be a plastic--
it's a plastic lid cover, so your hand's protected.
DAN: Oh, that's smart!
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yeah, yeah.
"The bait is moved to a position that either the rounds
the horse's neck or bends it sideways,"
so longitudinal or lateral flexion.
"In these stretch positions, the horse
has to use many muscle groups in his limbs
and back to maintain his balance."
So it's core-strengthening.
DAN: Like, even neck stretches?
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yep, this is how you strengthen.
We call them carrot stretches, but they're
really core-strengtheners.
DAN: Interesting!
DR LYDIA GRAY: "Several research studies
have shown that the small muscles that
stabilize the joints between the vertebrae
protect against development of spinal arthritis
are activated and strengthened by performing
carrot stretches several times a week,
ideally just before riding."
DAN: So is it by like, you're moving their head that
forces them to engage their core so
that they don't lose balance?
Interesting.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yeah, "carrot stretches
are not appropriate for horses with impaired balance due,
for example, to neurologic disease" because they
could fall over.
So if you have a horse with a condition, speak to your vet
first before starting it.
Like, when you do an exercise tape video,
it says talk to your physician before starting this program?
DAN: Yeah.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yep, like that.
DAN: [LAUGHS] Same thing.
DR LYDIA GRAY: "There aren't really any risks associated
with doing carrot stretches, but I
recommend having the horse standing
on a soft, nonslippery surface in case something spooks them."
DAN: Yeah, this is fair.
DR LYDIA GRAY: So not a wet wash stall.
"You should watch how your horse's back shape changes.
If he hollows his back during the exercises,
don't use that particular exercise"
because it's not doing-- it's not helping.
He's not doing the right thing.
DAN: Yeah, he's not engaging his core.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yeah, and then a final word about carrot
stretches-- "they do indeed have a beneficial effect
by stretching the horse's neck and back.
But they're even more valuable for the muscle strengthening
effects."
DAN: That is fantastic.
I never realized about the core engagement for it.
I thought it was just to open up the neck and maybe
a little bit of shoulders.
DR LYDIA GRAY: One of the exercises in the book--
she has them broken out.
One of them is you use the tail to pull your horse--
his hind end to the side 10 times.
Well, think about it.
That's not stretching so much as strengthening his hind legs.
DAN: Because you're creating some resistance for him.
DR LYDIA GRAY: Yeah, so it's pretty cool stuff.
DAN: I wish all I had to do is turn my neck
to engage-- get a core workout.
[LAUGHS] Make my life easier.
That's fantastic.
That is great information.
That was so nice of her to reach out and provide a [AUDIO OUT]..
DR LYDIA GRAY: Well, I knew that she feels very strongly
about this, and she would take the opportunity
to talk about something she loves, yeah.
DAN: Well, thank you for doing that for us.
Get some pro tips right there.
[LAUGHS]