EQUI-AMI thoughts?

I think you have to really need an equi-band to be honest - if you don't have a problem, this could well create one for you. AH & Skylla consulted professionals and worked together with them and got great results.

The problem is, when a "gadget" is created to fix one problem, everyone is quick to apply it to their situation whether or not there is a problem there in the first place. You've got to know what problem you need help with first and work out whether it's just a case of exercise (lets not forget that normal exercise actually works!) that's needed or a more targeted approach.

Sometimes you look at your horse and think there's a lot needs doing and what can I do, to address it all, quickly. Not many people (me included) think "just needs a bit of time and hard consistent work".
 
The equibands are great, when used incorporated into a specific plan, for a horse that will benefit from it, and by people with the experience to apply it.

It’s not just a case of putting it on and hey presto, problem solved.

OP, if you have found someone who ‘gets’ you & your horse and you see visible improvements when they are involved, then filter your funds in that direction. You need to be consistent and play the long game.
 
If you push your finger nails into this horse tummy does he lift up his back ?
What I see in your clip is a horse horribly down in its back moving like a suspension bridge .
 
That’s unfair GS... anyway horses that aren’t as fit as they could be should really start long and low. The only bit that doesn’t make sense is the head being behind the vertical. You can develop the topline all you want but you still need a good core and you won’t get the right sort of core with any of these gadgets.
 
horses should start working straight with their heads in a natural position some horses won’t be strong enough to stretch fully for a considerable time in those built very uphill it will be years .
We becomes obsessed with the horses front it’s as wrong to force a weak horse down for a whole work session they become sore and tired .
Horses are damaged by being trussed up .
Some will carry that damage forever
 
OP I think it might help you to have to work with an instructor who is really good with horse biomechanics - it's not easy to learn to lunge correctly and even with good DVDs and books it still may need expert eyes.

Where abouts are you based?
 
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Goldenstar said:
If you push your finger nails into this horse tummy does he lift up his back ?
What I see in your clip is a horse horribly down in its back moving like a suspension bridge .
Click to expand...

This has always been the case for this horse, but give the OP Some credit! She has done everything possible to make sure hes not in pain and now shes doing everything possible to educate him and herself. Theres a noticeable improvement in his posture and demeanor. Its nto going to be an overnight fix though. It takes a long time for an older horse to change its way of going and build the strength to maintain it.
 
Does the Pessoa lift the thoracic sling? No, how could it, it doesn't act on it at all? Too many bodyworkers, trainers, saddle fitters are coming out against the Pessoa. Horses Inside Out publications have some good exercises to lift the sling, the good inhand programmes do, and some bodyworkers will be able to give you a plan to help, I was with Jo Spears physio yesterday and it was what she stressed, giving the owner two exercises to do but the level of detail in how to do them correctly was huge. If you get it wrong you do create more problems.

I would imagine that, as with most gadgets, if you know enough to truly use it correctly you probably don't even need an Equiband.
 
I haven’t used it since, I may well sell it on. I did a tiny bit of straightness in hand work yesterday and it is clear that his left hind is where he struggles, he doesn’t step it under as much as the right but this isn’t a surprise with the arthritis.
I think I’m going to scrap the equi Ami and just stick to as much walk work as I can. It’s remarkable how much schooling mainly in walk is changing him.

I took a snap of him this morning with this pink bucket and the other one is about 3 months ago.

The dressage one was end of April, when he was is more work than he is now 😱 he looks so weak :( his hind hips are sunken in. The other one was a couple of weeks ago, l can defo see a change for the better.
Not to bad bearing in mind he has had about 3 months off, and only really been worked for about 5 weeks the change is very promising.
Not the clearest snaps :/

I know it won’t change over night and he has his issues as do I but working on it all slowly and the results speak for them selves.

Would you say his top line is developing? Or not really yet?

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I use the equibands with my two - one has stifle joint issues the other bone spavin. But I use it in conjunction with a specific exercise routine - so walking in hand over poles (flat straight ones and a large circle of poles raised at one end) and walking up and down an incline (my driveway) including walking sideways and backwards up the incline. The horses are loose schooled because lunging is difficult for them & their joints and they both manage reasonably well at this (being voice trained). Despite being a complete sceptic I would say... at this stage... having seen lots of gadgets tried and failed over the years.... that the equibands have actually done something to help my two. Both had badly developed back ends and lots of movement issues e.g. on forehand, dragging hind toes, not tracking up, stumbling, unable to bend etc. The stifle compromised one has gone from shuffling and stumbling in trot to a big expressive 'look at me' trot and from terrible downward transitions (he would stumble/fall) to balanced and smooth. Its still early days but I have to say he's improving well beyond what I expected. The bone spavin one has started to develop toned muscles in his quarters where all he had before was flab. His trot is now much more expressive and from behind (before he used to drag himself along with his front legs/shoulders). His canter transition is now uphill not downhill (huge improvement!). Neither have their heads held in at any point (they're just looseschooled in a headcollar) and yet both are starting to carry their heads/necks nicely and developing muscle here (before = giraffe or nose dragging along the ground). They are schooled like this twice a week and hacked in between (in walk - trotting on roads is a no no!). The bone spavin horse is also schooled by a professional 30 mins twice a week (I have injured my tailbone so can't ride other than in walk at the moment!). He is now learning and comfortably managing half pass and half pirouettes. Not bad for a horse who could barely trot in a straight line this time last year.
 
TotalMadgeness said:
I use the equibands with my two - one has stifle joint issues the other bone spavin. But I use it in conjunction with a specific exercise routine - so walking in hand over poles (flat straight ones and a large circle of poles raised at one end) and walking up and down an incline (my driveway) including walking sideways and backwards up the incline. The horses are loose schooled because lunging is difficult for them & their joints and they both manage reasonably well at this (being voice trained). Despite being a complete sceptic I would say... at this stage... having seen lots of gadgets tried and failed over the years.... that the equibands have actually done something to help my two. Both had badly developed back ends and lots of movement issues e.g. on forehand, dragging hind toes, not tracking up, stumbling, unable to bend etc. The stifle compromised one has gone from shuffling and stumbling in trot to a big expressive 'look at me' trot and from terrible downward transitions (he would stumble/fall) to balanced and smooth. Its still early days but I have to say he's improving well beyond what I expected. The bone spavin one has started to develop toned muscles in his quarters where all he had before was flab. His trot is now much more expressive and from behind (before he used to drag himself along with his front legs/shoulders). His canter transition is now uphill not downhill (huge improvement!). Neither have their heads held in at any point (they're just looseschooled in a headcollar) and yet both are starting to carry their heads/necks nicely and developing muscle here (before = giraffe or nose dragging along the ground). They are schooled like this twice a week and hacked in between (in walk - trotting on roads is a no no!). The bone spavin horse is also schooled by a professional 30 mins twice a week (I have injured my tailbone so can't ride other than in walk at the moment!). He is now learning and comfortably managing half pass and half pirouettes. Not bad for a horse who could barely trot in a straight line this time last year.
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That sounds like a great turn around. how often did you use it? i wonder how much that helped over the other exercises you have been doing. You inspired me to buy one a while back, i tried to save some pennies and got the ebay version. Its crap! the bands just rolled up. only used once :(
 
Honestly, I would just get the right help, someone that can really show you how to do stretches correctly (I've seen a bodyworker posting photos of her customer doing them and the physio I met yesterday would have been horrified at the horse's balance over it's feet etc) and/or do in hand exercises. That's where to spend your money.
 
Horsekaren said:
That sounds like a great turn around. how often did you use it? i wonder how much that helped over the other exercises you have been doing. You inspired me to buy one a while back, i tried to save some pennies and got the ebay version. Its crap! the bands just rolled up. only used once :(
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That's a shame about the ebay version!! I use it twice a week - for about 20 minutes at a time. Anyway as sbloom pointed out you need help from a good physio and I did have lots of help from a physio on the exercise regime as well as correct use of the bands. I do a set of stretches with both horses before using the bands for example.

Edited to say I did a similar routine before introducing the equibands and there wasn't the same effect. I think having the bands around their quarters and abdomen helps work their muscles more efficiently although I couldn't begin to explain why!
 
I'm a bit of a purist too - as far as I can tell, most gadgets are aiming to get "an outline". But it will be a false one, true outline and head position comes from the hind end, and until they can properly step under it won't be correct.
My favourite exercise for people is get on the floor on all fours. Now tuck your head in and you will find you have to weight your arms to do it - that's the effect of gadgets/side reins etc etc. (And like a check chain on a dog, if you are good enough to use one properly you are probably good enough to get what you want without them)
Now bring your knees further under your middle and you will find your head and neck will lift and arch to stop yourself falling onto your nose - THAT's what you want from your horse, and maybe a band round his quarters might convince him to offer it.
But it is achieved through bend and circles so long as they aren't too small for the particular point in training. And eventually half halts etc once you have got enough impulsion by using the bending exercises and proper lunging, but there really aren't any short cuts.
Work on your lunging skills this winter
 
I have been having some lessons with someone who follows Philippe Karl, and it is all to do with getting my short, thick necked and naturally on the forehand Exmoor pony to work correctly. It has all been based on in-hand exercises that have gradually built up over the last few months. When I asked about lunging, I was told that you get better results in hand as you can minutely change what you are doing as soon as it is needed so everything is more precise and effectual. I am starting to see improvements in my pony's body shape and self carriage when he is in the field which is surely the aim. It probably get worse when I am onboard but I am working on that ;)
I call it Pony Pilates.
 
The Equibands are excellent when used appropriately. I was shown how to by the same chiro vet that AH uses. This is wonky mare doing some in hand pole work following her SI joint medication (you can see the shaved area on her back where she was injected).

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They help with proprioception. They can also be used ridden, but I only use them for in hand work as I don’t ride this horse in the arena.

Chiro vet confirms that the eBay rip off equibands are worse than useless, they roll up into a tight string which acts as a bucking strap. Not what you want at all.

This horse has rounded up and muscled up enormously in recent months. The Equibands are a very useful part of her rehab.
 
I like that the equiband doesn't pull the neck in and close the throatlatch.

JillA describes what to look for so well! It's wrong to try and "curl" a horse into an outline - they cannot physically achieve this and if they are - there is a lot wrong and the person trying to do it also has a lot of wrong ideas.

Try visconte simon cocozza, mary wanless, phillipe karl, von neindorf, dr hilary clayton for good resources.
 
HK are you hacking this horse yet?

Because if you want to build up muscle and topline then that is the best way to achieve it. No gadgets required.
 
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