The horse is an athlete. Some are more naturally
gifted than others, but the common denominator between
them all, is that the musculoskeletal system, pound for
pound, is their largest bodily component; over 60%! When you buy a horse,
you're buying motion. When a million dollar horse no
longer moves like one, he isn't one! And this is
the system mainly responsible for motion. Yet it
is mostly overlooked, because such soft tissue injuries do not
readily reveal themselves in most diagnostic
testing.
The
Muscle
Generally speaking, a
muscle features:
- a point of origin
(anchor)
- a muscle
belly (power), and
-
a point of insertion
(motion)
The What, When,
Where, & Why of Excessive Muscle Strain
What?
The Destructive
Cycle
Normal progression of muscle
problems =
Trauma or Strain>
leading to
Tightening> creating
Spasm or Muscle Tearing> resulting in the horse's
When? Times of
Vulnerability
The horse's ability
to regulate body temperature is limited. Unlike humans and
dogs with the ability to pant, the horse cannot use its respiratory
system to expel heat. Under normal circumstances, the horse
does have a great sweating ability. However, in humid
conditions, under heavy blankets, this thermo-regulatory system is
compromised and can create real problems for the our equine
friends. So it stands to reason that after a strenuous
workout, during the cooling down period that the equine
musculature is most susceptible to strain and spasm;
times when insufficient oxygen is getting to the muscle
(anoxia). Also, stress and breakdown are most likely to
occur upon movement at the extremes of range of motion, such as
fullest extension of the torso or a limb.
Where? Stress
Points
The greatest point
of stress normally occurs at the muscle's anchor (point of
origin), where it attaches to the bone by tendinous fibers, and is
least flexible. Stress point locations are the same
for all horses. However, different disciplines stress
different muscles. Depending on
whether you train your horse for dressage, track racing,
endurance, competitive trails, driving, English hunter-jumpers,
cross-training, Western reining, roping, barrel running,
cutting, or whatever else-will determine which points are stressed
the most by repetitive movements. For the sake of muscle
balancing, I recommend that people spend time cross-training
their horses, just as human athletes are advised to
do.
Why? The Four
Causes
Speed of
Contraction
Force of
Contraction
Isometric
Contraction
Protective
Splinting
When a
muscle can no longer accommodate what is being demanded of it,
it will tear! The challenge
of training any athlete is finding the balance
between maximum muscle strengthening (hypertrophy), and abuse
through overtraining. Most injuries due to muscular
strain are cumulative. It is not the last
thing your horse did that caused the problem; the
problem was already in the making.
"Any muscle that is not working for the
horse, is working against the horse,
actively!" - Jack Meagher, PT,
LMT
Look
to Horse Holistics if Your Horse Suffers
from....
Loss of
impulsion
Loss of
suppleness
Reduced range of motion (short-strided, dropping
poles)
Repetitive
head tossing or shaking
Back
soreness and hollowing
Bracing
against or avoiding the bit
Uneven
muscular development (may cause saddle to slip to one
side)
Balance
and proprioception
Improper
tracking forward, back, or laterally
Resistance
of lateral flexion and/or backing
Refusing
or resisting leads
Hindlimb
interference
Girthing
problems
Unwilling
or unable to walk up or down inclines
Poor
disposition, eating, or resting habits
"Off" for
no apparent reason
Importance of
Maintaining Good Musculoskeletal
Health
Muscles contract and release. Whereas
contraction is a generated process, release is not. When
muscles tighten and cannot achieve full release, they
remain tense and shortened, or contracted. This puts
strain on the surrounding areas. Tight shoulders pass their
inability to release by increasing pressure on the digital
flexors and extensors of the forelimb. This creates a
dangerous scenario for the lower limbs. The tendons can
become irritated and inflamed.
Tight muscles lead to spasm (knots), which lead
to tears in muscle fibers. Here's where you start to see
short choppy strides, jump refusals, and resistance in the
horse - because it hurts!
Most often, one pain killer or another is
prescribed and administered to alleviate soreness.
But this just addresses the symptom (pain), not the real issue
(muscle fiber adherence that results in spasm), not to mention the
inevitable side effects and loss of efficacy over time due to
tolerance build-up. If the underlying issue (the spasm)
is not treated and eliminated, the horse will compensate
by passing the problem to other muscles and
muscle groups (Law of Recruitment). By covering up minor problems,
we end up creating major ones. It's only
a matter of time before you're headed for a full blown muscle tear
or a permanent problem!
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
There are many
reasons for making Equine Bodywork Therapy a
regular part of your horse's overall training and health
program. Used for Performance Enhancement,
Prevention and Maintenance, it
helps avoid the need for Rehabilitation!
The best protection against
injury there is, is prevention. Most injuries due to muscular
strain can be prevented. The more that
is expected of your horse, the greater the need for
preventive
maintenance.
Not your horse,
you say? Even a buck in just the wrong way is enough
to strain muscles. By the time
you notice a problem with your horse's movement, it's a sign
that muscular dysfunction has already taken
hold. With a consistent bodywork
program, customized to your horse's needs, can help
you avoid injury, improve biomechanical
function, and enhance overall performance of you and your
horse. But we can't help you if you don't contact
us!
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