Balance pads for horses: Relieve tension & improve balance

Greater balance, body awareness, coordination and composure – simply by standing. This is what can be accomplished using balance pads with horses. Read on to find out how.

Having been used in human therapy for a long time, balance pads have also been making their way into the equestrian world for some time now. Balance pads are essentially foam balance cushions, available in square or oval shapes. Prices vary depending on firmness and manufacturer, but they are all similarly effective.

Balance pads: Sensible horse training whilst standing

The balance pads create an unstable surface on which the horse must constantly balance itself. It is similar to walking on different surfaces, which is essential for a horse’s sure-footedness. The instability of the ground stimulates the horse’s proprioceptive system, which is responsible for depth perception as well as body awareness and spatial awareness.

Proprioceptors are distributed throughout the body – in the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments – and are nerve cells that transmit information about body position and movement to the brain and nervous system. When the horse walks or stands on surfaces of varying softness and hardness, it has to keep finding its balance, thereby stimulating these receptors. As a result, the horse develops better body awareness, including of those parts of its body that tend to remain in the background of its consciousness, such as its hindquarters. With improved body awareness, the horse is also able to use its body more consciously and coordinate it better.

If progress is not being made in the horse’s riding training and it does not actively bring its hindquarters under its centre of gravity, balance pads can be a useful addition to the training regime. Standing on balance pads can encourage active hindquarters with improved impulsion and a rounded back.

In addition to the hindquarters, training with balance pads primarily targets the deep muscles along the spine. These muscles cannot be engaged directly. Instead, they react reflexively, meaning they respond when needed and not when one consciously tries to tense them. A prime example is a lunge, during which the horse instinctively engages the deep muscles to prevent itself from falling.

If the instability of the balance pads throws the horse off balance, it must engage and release these deep muscles. Untrained horses therefore sway heavily from side to side the first few times they stand on balance pads.

This unconscious tensing and relaxing of the muscles can also help to relieve (mild) muscular tension. Severe blockages must, of course, be treated by an equine therapist using massage and specialist techniques. Nevertheless, the horse can relieve minor tension itself using balance pads. Horse owners then observe how their horse visibly relaxes and yawns, chews and licks in a liberating manner.

All these benefits associated with the use of balance pads in horse training are also advantageous for training under saddle: young horses learn to balance themselves better, riding horses become more supple and stable at the same time, are properly aligned and build muscle correctly. They gain sure-footedness for both lateral movements and hacking and are mentally more balanced.

Training programme with balance pads

1. Start slowly

Do not underestimate the intensity of balance training for horses. Especially when the horse is not yet familiar with it, less is more! An untrained horse in particular will sway heavily from side to side on the balance pads at first. It is important that the horse is warmed up with a few laps of walking before stepping onto the pads.

If the horse is not yet familiar with balance pads, start with a single pad. Stroke down the horse’s leg and lift it up. Then place it carefully onto the pad. Some horses are still unsure and will only place the toe of the hoof on the pad. Be patient and give the horse time to get used to the new sensation. Sooner or later, it will place the entire hoof on the pad and put its weight on it. Bear in mind that even a single pad engages the horse’s entire body. Watch your horse closely for any signs of discomfort. If it absolutely refuses to stand on the pad, there may be deeper underlying issues that need to be addressed by a professional.

2. Let the horse train itself

Yes, that’s right: the horse trains itself. The horse will quickly realise that standing on a balance pad can be relaxing and not only tiring. Let it stand on the pad for as long as it wants to. For ?beginner horses‘, this might only be a few seconds. That’s fine. They need to get to know their own bodies. Furthermore, increased body awareness can be overwhelming at first. So it’s better to let your horse do less rather than too much, and end the session when the horse itself wants to call it a day.

By the way: Giving the horse the freedom to choose can strengthen the bond between you. It’s similar to clicker training for cooperative care.

3. Gradually increase the duration

The horse should have understood the principle and benefits of the balance pads for itself. It has got used to the new sensation under its hooves. Now it is time to add more pads. Gradually add one pad at a time until all four hooves are standing on a balance pad.

Over time, the horse will also increase the duration on the balance pad of its own accord. Always observe the horse’s facial expression to see how relaxed or tense it is. If it is not doing this voluntarily due to physical exertion but has no other complaints, you can encourage it repeatedly and praise it lavishly when it stands on them.

4. Balance pads: Take it to the next level

Try out different set-ups: for example, place both front hooves on pads whilst the hind hooves remain on the ground, or vice versa. Or place the lateral or diagonal pair of legs on pads.

Once the horse is standing steadily, you can also start lifting one hoof whilst it is standing on the pads. Or use a treat to guide its head into different head-and-neck positions, forcing it to rebalance itself.

Each configuration has a different effect on the horse’s body and mind. This provides even more intensive training for body awareness and balance.

Once the horse is familiar with food rewards and clicker training and is standing steadily on the balance pads, you can also teach it to crunch (lift the chest) or perform rocking movements to engage the core muscles even further.

Conclusion: Balance pads are more than just a fad

Balance pads offer so many benefits for your horse that they are far more than just a fad. They can be used in many different ways and add variety to groundwork. They can provide a welcome change in the training plan as an ?active rest day‘, making them ideal for all horses.

Balance pads are also a valuable aid following injuries or after/during prolonged box rest. Particularly during box rest, proprioceptors can become dormant due to a lack of stimulation. With the help of balance pads, body awareness can be maintained in older, young and sick horses. However, check with your vet beforehand to ensure that balance training is appropriate for your horse during its box rest.

We recommend scheduling balance training with pads no more than 1-2 times a week, as it is very strenuous for the horse. Be sure to take regular walking breaks in between.