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 radiographic and most
other 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 Tear> 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. This is why I recommend that
people spend some time cross-training their horses, just as human
athletes are advised.
Why? The Four
Causes
Speed of
Contraction
Strength 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 bodily
abuse. Most injuries due to muscular strain are
cumulative. It is not the last thing
your horse did that caused the problem; but was
already in the making.
"Any muscle that is
not working for the horse, is working
against the horse, actively!" - Jack
Meagher
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 to the
digital flexors and tendons of the fore leg. This creates a
dangerous scenario for the lower limbs. Tight muscles
lead to spasm (knots), which leads to tears in muscle
fibers. Here's where you start to see short choppy
strides, refusals, and resistance in the horse, because it
hurts! The tendons become irritated.
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. If the underlying issue, the spasm,
is not treated and eliminated, the horse will compensate
by passing the problem to other muscle groups.
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!
Recognize These Signs of Muscular Strain in Your
Horse?
Loss of
impulsion
Loss of
suppleness
Reduced range of motion (short-strided, dropping
poles)
Repetitive
head tossing or shaking
Back
soreness & hollowing
Bracing
against or avoiding the bit
Uneven
muscular development (may cause saddle to slip to one
side)
Coordination difficulties
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
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
There
are many reasons for making Equine
Therapy a regular part of your horse's overall
training and health program. Used for Performance Enhancement and
Prevention, ET
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, out in
the pasture, 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
ET Program,
customized to your horse, you can avoid
injury, improve biomechanical function, and enhance
overall performance of your equine athlete!
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