This formation is great for encouraging lots of changes of bend, perfect for engaging the abdominal and spinal musculature. You can simply use the formation as you ride serpentines or figures of 8 to help engage these muscles. The different distances between poles will also be great for improving proprioception - your horse will really have to think about where their hooves are at all times!
Warm up-
1. Simply walk around the edge of the poles, getting your horse to walk as close as they will to the poles. Each time the poles change direction, you'll need to change the bend. Staying close to the poles at the corner ends of the cracker will also encourage hindlimb engagement (blue line) as your horse needs to flex the inside hindlimb to negotiate the poles.
2. Walk a small circle where the three poles meet. This not only encourages spinal flexion, it also increases limb joint flexion as your horse will have to flex each limb in quick succession to negotiate each of the poles.
3. Still in walk, use the length of the cracker to mirror the shallow serpentine over poles exercise. This time it's a bit harder because of the changes in angle. Try to encourage the leg closest to the pole to be the one which crosses it first each time- great for engaging the thoracic sling.
Walk or Trot
Once you have warmed up, you can begin using the poles for trot as well as walk.
4. This is an extension to the exercise above as it also helps to engage the thoracic sling and open up the pectoral muscles. Rather then fully being on the diagonal, encourage your horse to step laterally with the leading (inside leg) to cross each pole.
5. Loop through the cracker, encouraging the inside bend for spinal flexion and muscle engagement.
6. This is a slightly more challenging version of the above, as your horse will have to complete a full loop and change the rein.
7. Straightness! Practice your centre lines by aiming for the middle of each pole.
Happy Riding!
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