b'SPORTS MEDICINE CHRISTA LEST-LASSERRE, MATheHorse.com/Sports-MedicineTraining Aid Facts and FictionHow to properly use equipment such as elastic bands,longeing systems, and rein rigsARND BRONKHORST/WWW.ARND.NLTrainers can use devices such as elastic band systems to stimulate muscle activity and core strengthening. I was a training aid to get me going, liter- FACT Good horse training was 8, and I couldnt dive. I thought I understood the technique. But myally, in the right direction. doesnt require any stomach and face hit the water firstThis article isnt about swimming, ofdevicesevery time, and Id come up for aircourse. But the metaphor is relevant.When good training and good riding frustratedand hurting.In the equestrian world training aids coincide with a sound and well-balancedMy dad finally said, You just need tosuch as elastic bands, Pessoa longeinghorse, theres no need for training aids, know what it feels like. If you can recog- systems, and various rein rigscan playsays Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, nize the feel, youll get it.useful and effective roles in correctingFRCVS, former head of Clinical Orthopae-He picked me up and aimed me head- certain mistakes or issues under saddle,dics at the Animal Health Trust Centre for first into the water, my arms stretched outwhether horse-, rider-, or training-based.Equine Studies, in Newmarket, England. dutifully in front of me as Id had themMisuse of these tools, however, canThe aims of these aids are generally to for weeks. This time, those arms brokemake things worse and potentially evenencourage the correct use of the back and the water over my head, and I slid deepdangerous.core abdominal muscles, and if the horse down into the water until my ears wereBefore you dive into using devices,is being worked correctly under saddle, heavy. It was an amazing and totally newconsider two equine biomechanics re- these areas should be getting sufficient sensation. I pushed up to the surface,searchers insight into these trendy piecesactivation, she says. energized with this discovery, and calledof equipment. By separating fact from fic- The biomechanics of training aids are out, I get it! I get it! tion, youll know how to take advantagefairly straightforward: Get the horses From then on I dove correctlyandof their benefits and avoid inappropriatehead and neck down and the hindquar-never again did a belly flop. All Id neededuse.ters engaged for better core muscle 36December 2019The Horse|TheHorse.comSportsMed_Dec.indd 36 11/1/19 1:48 PM'