Roping
Headers load the front end on the turn; heelers sit down hard on the hocks.
Read more → By Discipline
Dressage
Collection asks the hind end to carry and the back to swing, every ride. Dressage horses rarely break down fast; they get tight slowly. The job is keeping them loose.
Back and topline
The back is where dressage shows up first. A Back on Track saddle pad liner under a fitted saddle, the Redlight Back Pad after collected work, and a few minutes with the HorseWell Massager along the topline are our standard. A mesh sheet in the stall keeps the big muscles warm between rides.
Hocks, stifles and the hind end
Sitting in collection loads the hocks and stifles. Padded hock boots overnight and Redlight hock wraps for a targeted session cover the joint; the Redlight Versa is the piece that reaches the stifle and hamstring area.
Poll, neck and the inside
Contact and flexion live in the poll and the TMJ. The XLR8 Redline Poll/Neck Wrap is cordless and built for exactly that area; the Velocity Hood covers the neck and poll in the trailer and the stall. On the inside, CEP Equi Mag for the horse that holds tension and Revamp for recovery are where our dressage customers start. CEP is ordered by phone.
CEP supplements are ordered by phone so we can match the program to your horse: 720-504-5536. See the full CEP line.
Questions we get a lot
What helps a dressage horse that gets tight through the back?
Saddle fit and a vet or bodyworker check come first. For daily maintenance, ceramic fabric under the saddle, a red light session on the back after work, and gentle massage along the topline are what we use. Introduce each gradually.
Is there a recovery product for the poll and TMJ?
Yes. The XLR8 Redline Poll/Neck Wrap delivers red and near-infrared light to the poll and TMJ area and is cordless, so there is nothing around the horse's head but the wrap. Use as directed.
Are these products allowed at recognized dressage shows?
Rules on therapeutic wear and supplements vary by federation and change over time. Check your current rule book and ask the technical delegate if in doubt.
Talk to a rider. Text or call 720-504-5536 with your horse's age, workload and what you are seeing. We will tell you what we would use and what is on the shelf.
This page is general horsemanship from our own barn plus the manufacturers' product information. It is not veterinary advice. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Work with your veterinarian and check your association's rules on gear and supplements.
More disciplines
Other sports we haul for
Reining
Sliding stops, spins and rollbacks put the whole program on the hocks and stifles.
Read more →Cutting
Two and a half minutes of sitting down, sweeping and stopping on a cow is as hard as any work a horse does.
Read more →Ranch & Rodeo
The horse that sorts pairs Tuesday, hauls Friday and runs in a jackpot Saturday does not get a specialist's recovery plan.
Read more →Trail & Endurance
Miles do not hit like a sliding stop, but they add up in the tendons, the back and the gut.
Read more →Hunter / Jumper
Landing off a fence loads the front legs; pushing off loads the hocks.
Read more →