Week of December 24, 2000

These tips are important for any athlete, be you equine, canine, feline, or human!

*Any stretching program should be done in a relaxed atmosphere.

*The body part being stretched should be guided through its own obtainable range of motion, and held at the end range briefly, then slowly returned to its position of origin.

*Do not pull or force a body part while stretching.

*Never use a bouncing or jerking movement during a stretch. Use a slow, gentle, even-paced movement.

*Do not stretch an acutely torn muscle.

*Avoid any movement that twist joints, or places excessive traction or pressure on joints.

*Don't expect to produce full range of motion in the first stretching session. It could take several weeks to achieve this goal.

To learn more about stretching for the equine athlete, please read Mimi Porter's book, The New Equine Sports Therapy. This book can be purchased from our web site.