Proprio (proprioceptors) are the nerve signals that the body sends to the brain, to tell how the body should move, to be in a correct position.
However, if these proprioceptors do not give the brain the correct signal, problems arise. When the horse has the opportunity to move freely in different terrains, it has the opportunity to stretch and bend the body, this also applies to the spine. With this movement of the horse's entire body, you not only affect the muscles, tendons, skeleton, etc., but also the nerve signals to the brain, which leads to a stimulation of the brain, which causes the brain cells to develop.
When the horse moves its legs and hooves on different surfaces and terrain, it helps to develop proprio. This means that the brain is informed about how it should behave in order to avoid damage and remain "safe". By building and maintaining the proprio, you help prevent injuries and crookedness. This is done by exposing the body to different terrain, whether natural or homemade.
Finally, don't be afraid to ride/walk your horse in a ditch, up or down a hill, over a fallen tree or stick, etc*. This only helps to strengthen the proprio. You strengthen and train the proprio by allowing the horse to perform different movements on different surfaces. Thereby, the brain gets to know the body better.
This can be done on different surfaces, for example from hard to soft, walking over something uneven (such as gravel, stones), moving in hilly terrain, ditches, walking over logs, standing or walking over a mattress or onto and over a pallet*, yes it is only the imagination that sets the limits 😉
After a treatment, where we have corrected a crookedness in the horses body, we often mention proprio, as it is important for the brain to reprogram the nerve signals that tell how the body should react based on the "new" way of moving. For example, when correcting the thoracic sling, we loosen the shoulders at the same time, which affects the nerve signals in the forelegs, as the horse has changed posture. Here it is the proprio signals that need to be reprogrammed via proprio training by exposing the horse to different terrain and surface work.
However, you must always take the horse's limitations or dysfunctions if any, into consideration and also pay attention to which proprio exercises that are relevant.
