Ainsley Beauchamp Certified Equine Therapist

A TOO COMMON SIGHT....... Could this be creating many of the hock and suspensory issues in your horses??? This is something that I see time and time again. It ...is all too common to the point that people seem to consider it normal. It is COMMON but NOT CORRECT!!! The lumbar-sacral region and hind limb of this grey horse typifies this chronic, unbalanced/strained shape. The images show: 1) a raised (flexed) first few lumbars 2) a dipping (extended) last few lumbars and dropping (ventral) sacrum 3) a decrease in quadriceps and gluteal muscles 4) an increase in tone and size of hamstrings There are a lot of reasons for this shape and we may well discuss it in greater depth another time but it can include: Local issues ie diaphragm tension, hind gut problems, ovarian/castration issues, conformation problems, injuries, repetitive strain from incorrect work etc Distant issues ie poll tension, neck injuries, dental balance etc External issues ie saddle fit, bit and bridle fit, farriery/trimming etc. The main point of this post was to highlight how incorrect balance of the muscles of the hindlimbs put an abnormal strain on the joints further down the limb (including stifles but mainly hocks, fetlocks and coffins). It is important to remember that muscles stop above the hock. Therefore travelling over and attaching to the hock and joints below are tendons from the muscles higher up the leg. So, incorrect balance of hindlimb muscles at the top of the leg can create incorrect/imbalanced strain on these lower joints such as hocks and therefore also including the suspensory apparatus. Just like long puppet strings. So not having a good, balanced, peachy butt will mean that there is not an equal pull on the tendons (puppet strings) and so it creates abnormal limb strain. Over time this will likely lead to joint and soft tissue (ligament and tendon) problems such as arthritis and desmitis. Therefore...should we not be concentrating on balancing the body to reduced abnormal strain rather than operating on a tendon or racing to medicate a joint that could be secondary to an issue elsewhere (ie higher up the leg/pelvis etc)???!!! Food for thought.......

ABOUT THE SESSIONS: Each equine bodywork session includes assessment, structural alignment, massage, acupressure, craniosacral, Masterson techniques, stretching and positional releases and/or Reiki, in what ever combination your horse needs in the moment. The rates are $90 including tax and travel.... Please plan for about an hour for each session. Here are few tips to help your horse get the most out of his/her time: * Please try to be organized, halter handy and/or horse nearby, caught or at least pulled out of the massive back pasture. Then we can spend as much time as possible on bodywork. * If the weather is wet or snowy, and if your horse isn't stalled or blanketed, please arrive a little early to dry him/her off. They just don't enjoy massage when soaking wet! * If possible, please provide a relatively dry place to work, a barn, stall, shelter or under a tree is great. In nicer weather, either in the open or a shady spot if it's hot is appreciated. * Please pass a quick brush over your horse to remove the thickest dirt - it's hard to feel through dried on mud and especially through arena sand if they've been rolling. They don't have to be spotless! Thank you! Hopefully these few tips will help you to prepare; I'll look forward to seeing what I can do to help your horse feel better. <3

A forgotten point in history.

Word of the day: Pandiculation Excellent article

Rigs, running reins, draw reins, bitting devices, chambons, De Gogues, have one commonality. They all depend upon the mechanical power of leverage. The definiti...on of "leverage" in mechanical terms---"the action of a lever, a rigid bar that pivots about one point and that is used to move an object at a second point by a force applied at a third." There is no horse alive that is strong enough to resist the power of applied leverage if it is rigged in such a way as to create overwhelming force. As Archimedes said, "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." Every day, all over the world, wherever humans ride horses, there will be leverage devices, and EVERY SINGLE HUMAN who uses them will have an excuse and a righteous reason why "in this case" the use is justified. Horses heads and necks can be forced into all sorts of shapes, but watch horses run, climb, descend, jump, walk, trot, canter, gallop, and you'll see how their heads and necks are used for balance and stability. Those who have to rely (or choose to rely) on the forces of leverage to train, instead of using the longer and softer methods of persuading horses to yield to a give and take of pressure, will win plenty of ribbons, and that alone will help them justify, in their minds, the use of force---- Crank your own head into some fixed position and go run, jump and climb---See how it feels---

I see a number of horses with previously fractured withers.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE THORACOLUMBAR FASCIA! GETTING ON MY SOAPBOX !! Lets talk about fascia, piloerection and dermatomes! ... All to often I see horses backs that tell a story or rais issues. Learning to look at the texture,and the topography of the equine back is important. PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE WRINKLES, DIVITS, LUMPS AND BUMPS, STRANGE HAIR PATTERNS, STRANGE SWEAT PATCHES AND IMOBILE SKIN YOU MAY HAVE A PROBLEM. DERMATOMES are zones of skin whose sensory input is "assigned," so to speak, to individual spinal nerves. Each nerve root has an associated dermatome, and each dermatome is supplied by many branches of that single nerve root. Dermatomes are a bit like highways through which information about sensations in your skin related to your central nervous system. Sensations such as pressure and temperature, are transmitted to the central nervous system via nerves that converge on single nerve roots. When a spinal nerve root becomes compressed or irritatedoften because it comes into contact with another spinal structurethe result is often seen in the coat of the horse. PILOERECTION - The scientific term for hair standing on end is. It’s a reflex that causes tiny muscles near our hair follicles to contract and raise the hairs. This can be caused by a number of stimuli for example, cold weather will cause the hair of the horse to raise and then fall back, where it will trap warm air close to the skin ,this action creates insulation. Another cause of piloerection is the sympathetic nervous system. This is a series of autonomous reflexes that are activated when danger is sensed and manages a bunch of physical reactions to get ready for action. In addition to quickening the heart rate and activating the sweat glands, the horses body raises our hair in order to look bigger and tougher to a potential threat. Interestingly, this reaction to danger will causes goosebumps from musical stimuli in humans. THE THORACOLUMAR FASCIA is a tough membrane composed of three layers that cover the deep muscles beneath the back, covering the thoracic spine. Muscles are also enclosed within the layers. This fascia tissue crosses the entire back area. This transitional area between the front and back half of the body allows forces to be transferred as needed for athletic and daily movement. Besides enabling movement, the thoracolumbar fascia is also important for stability and sensory roles. Some tasks can take a toll on the fascia, resulting in thoracolumbar fascia back pain or a loss of mobility of this tissue over time. Excessive strain, overuse, repetitive stress or having poor posture when carrying a rider can lead to dysfunction. Besides back pain the horse may develop adhesions and scar tissue that can diminish strength and range of motion. Pain in the back will also cause the horse to alter motion to compensate for the discomfort, leading to pain elsewhere in the body. These symptoms will worsen over time. An important note the thoracolumbar fascia players a role in maintains internal abdominal pressure(IPA) insufficient IAP leads to poor stability and compensatory lumbar and hip compression. The high number of mechanoreceptors found in the thoracolumbar fascia indicates that the fascial connective-tissue system provides an important sensory feedback role for the body. Signs of TLF Dysfunction What are some possible signs of an overworked / compensated Tightness and increased tone in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine. Increased lumbar lordosis with chronic lumbar spine pain / fixations. Sacroiliac joint locking. shoulder and hip pain. Inability to expand the rib cage with diaphragmatic breathing. Hip joint fixation with decreased range of motion. Altered gait patterning. Poor cross chain diagonal movement. Sub-occipital restriction or pain due to the fascial attachment via the "superficial back line" and pull on the nuchal ligament.