Equine Anatomy: Pressure Points

Equine Anatomy: Pressure Points

Every horse has points on its body that, when touched, can cause it to perform a predictable movement. Touching, rubbing, or lightly pinching certain areas helps calm a nervous horse by triggering the release of endorphins. Some areas are more sensitive, so pushing them may cause the horse to move away from the pressure on that area of ​​his body. Touching other areas tells her in her own language that you are a friend, companion, pasture comrade.

The pressure on the back of the head lowers the horse’s head down. The pressure to snore lowers her head to the vertical.

Scratching the area between the eyes calms the horse.

Scratching the withers and the area in the middle of the croup, pinching the withers calms the horse, contributing to the release of endorphins.

Dressage riders can use the knee behind the horse’s shoulder blade.

The leg and heel, acting in these areas, move the horse’s hindquarters, his front, or the whole horse to the side.

The pressure on the back of the thigh forces the horse to retract the hindquarters.

The pressure on the back causes the horse to stop. When you give the stop command, your butt puts pressure on that area.

If your horse has already been trained, you should experiment and find out the exact placement of some of these points, as their placement varies slightly from horse to horse.

If you find that your horse hasn’t retracted his hindquarters when you put pressure on his hip, try moving your fingers and pressing on different parts of the muscle here and there, moving from the starting point until you find one that the horse is responding to.

If you install the “activation buttons” yourself, then as a result you will know for sure where they are. Your horse’s body will thus become a well-understood mechanism for you in all respects.

Transfer Valeria Smirnova (a source).