Equine Massage
LESSON SEVEN
PART TWO
I.
AREA BETWEEN LAST RIB AND POINT OF HIP (COXAL TUBER)
A
Coloring Atlas – plates 16 and 17
This
one small area has a number of muscles attachments
that are very important for the forward/backward swing of the hind legs,
correct bending, lateral movements in the hind legs and canter departs.
The ones that you will be affecting the most with your massage are:
1. The muscle portion of the Tensor fascia latae
2. Iliacus (under the Tensor fascia latae)
3. External oblique
4. Internal oblique
5. Transverse abdominis
Improper
balance and tightness in this area can prevent the hindquarters from working
correctly. Often, what appears to be a problem with the working of the
hind legs is actually tightness in this area (or in
the loins).
Techniques
The
best techniques will be direct pressure with thumb and finger
tips, cross-fiber friction with thumb or braced fingers, and compression
with a stiff rubber curry comb. This whole area is very important, be
sure to work all around the edge of the point of the hip, the area between the
point of hip and the last rib and along the “ropy” edge of the Iliocostalis.
Again, adjust your pressure to the tightness or soreness of the area.
J.
AREA BEHIND THE SHOULDER
1.
A Coloring Atlas – plates 16, 17, 21
2.
Diagrams from lesson 2
This
area contains two very important forehand muscles – the thoracic Serratus and
the muscle portion of the Latissimus dorsi.
•
THORACIC SERRATUS
The
entire Serratus muscle, thoracic and cervical portions (in conjunction with the
pectoral muscles of the chest) is active in lifting the forehand and arching
the horse’s neck. This muscle is composed of thirteen long slender
“fingers” that converge into a muscle mass on the inside of the shoulder blade,
at the top, just under the Rhomboid attachment. These muscle “fingers”
attach to the lowest four neck vertebrae (cervical 4, 5, 6, and 7) and the
first nine ribs. In our massage we can access all four of the cervical
Serratus and those attaching to ribs 6 through 9. Those attaching to the
first five ribs are under the shoulder blade and not accessible, but your
massage of the others, because of their common origin, will have a positive effect
on these as well.
When
this muscle is working correctly, the contraction of its thoracic “fingers helps lift the front portion of the rib cage and, along with
the abdominals, is a very important component in the process of lifting the
horse’s back.
If
the Serratus is not contracting properly, the lower portion of the chest and
neck sink downward and you’ll see a horse that is “on
the forehand” and very possibly “down in the back” and “ewe-necked”.
Soreness
in the thoracic Serratus is a common cause of girthing problems.
The
cervical portion of the Serratus lifts the downward curved section of the neck
vertebrae (lower neck). There will be more about the cervical Serratus in
Section O—other neck muscles.
•
LATISSIMUS DORSI
The
other important muscle in this area is the belly portion of the Latissimus
dorsi. This is a broad, flat, thin muscle. Remember from lesson 2
that the portion that attaches to the vertebrae of the back is fascia
(connective tissue) and the portion that attaches to the humerus in the lower
shoulder is a tendon. The belly of this muscle over-lays
a portion of the thoracic serratus.
This
muscle is an extensor; its job is to stretch, allowing and supporting the
forward swing of the front leg; then it contracts as the leg swings back.
Any tightness, soreness, spasms, trigger points or adhesions in this
muscle will interfere with the full swing of a front
leg.
Techniques
Massage
done over the area behind the shoulder will loosen and rebalance both the
thoracic Serratus and the belly of the Latissimus dorsi.
Notice
that the muscle fibers of these two muscles go in different directions.
As you massage, when you’re going with the fibers of one, you’ll be going
across the fibers of the other; so almost any direction in your massage will be
beneficial.
Start
with broad strokes of back and forth friction and deep
effleurage over the entire area. Circular motions and compression are
also very effective.
You
can usually use a good amount of pressure here unless the area is very sore.
Tools like a small stiff curry comb or Grooma
work well, but the area is too “fleshy” for muscles combing to be a good
choice.
Soreness
in this area can come from over-extension of the front legs (extended trots,
jumping), but also from poor saddle fit and girthing procedures.
K.
WITHERS
A
Coloring Atlas – plate 17
The
area over the withers has attachments for two important muscles. One is
the Trapezius of the superficial layer, which I’ll talk about with the shoulder
area. The other muscle, under the Trapezius, is the Rhomboid. The
Rhomboid covers the withers and also stretches up the
crest line of the neck to the poll.
The
Rhomboid has two essential functions. First, it attaches the top of the
shoulder blade to the withers. The shoulder blade hangs suspended from
the withers by this muscle, making it the pivot point for the swing of the
shoulder blade.
Its
other function, in conjunction with deep ligaments, is to support the neck
along the crest line and facilitate its stretch. Massaging the neck
portion of the Rhomboid will be part of the section dealing with the neck.
At
the withers, the Rhomboid is a short, strong muscle; its origin attaches
directly to the bones of the withers (the spinous processes or ribs 2 – 6).
Its insertion is to the top of shoulder blade, on the inside surface.
Common
reasons for soreness in the withers are a saddle that does not fit correctly or
one that has been placed too far forward over the withers. A saddles that is so wide or ill-fitting that it touches and
puts pressure on the wither bones can lame a horse, sometimes permanently.
The presence of white hairs on the withers often indicates that there has
been, or is, a saddle problem.
Techniques
The
muscle fibers run straight from the withers to the shoulder blade. You
can use techniques that go with or across the muscle fibers. Working
across the fibers will separate them, going with the fibers helps them stretch.
Friction
works very well in this small area, but compression and muscle combing are also
appropriate. Depending on whether this muscle is tight or sore, you can
use either your finger tips or curry comb.
One
technique that I like involves reaching over the withers and pulling toward me
with finger tips. This would be using a
combination of finger tip
compression and rocking.
Another
effective rocking technique for the withers has you placing one hand on the
side of the neck just in front of the withers, the other hand reaches over the
withers, hooking fingers into the wither bones. Now, push against the
neck and pull the withers toward you. Set up a rocking motion by
alternating the push and pull.
These
rocking techniques also loosen other muscles in the forehand and base of the
neck and will help in balancing the forehand.
L.
BELLY LINE
If you have “An Atlas of Animal Anatomy for Artist” by Ellenberger, Dittrick
and Baum, there is a very good diagram showing a view of the belly/chest of the
horse.
This
section deals with massaging the entire underline of the horse, but I have
divided it into chest muscles and abdominal muscles.
(L – 1) Chest muscles – behind, between and in front of the
forelegs
(L – 2) Groin and abdominal muscles
The
major muscles of the belly line, both pectorals and abdominals, are
flexors—their job is to contract.
• L – 1
THE CHEST MUSCLES (pectorals)
Three of the horse’s four pectorals are in
this area (the fourth is in front of the shoulder blade). These pectorals
are flexors that support the rib cage from the bottom
and both stabilize and allow movement of the front legs. Frequently these
muscles, as well as the abdominals, are tight in an extended state and do not
contract properly.
When these pectorals are in that extended
state, without good capacity for contraction, they allow the rib cage to settle
downward, preventing them from doing their part in elevating the forehand for
collection. Your job will be to loosen these muscles so that they can
contract and extend correctly.
The three pectorals all have their origin
along the edge of the breast bone (sternum) and all
three attach at different places on the humerus. You will find different
names for these pectorals in various anatomy books. For my purpose of
describing them for you and to simplify and avoid confusion, I will talk about
them in relationship to the forelegs. You can choose which of the
anatomical names you wish to use for them. (I am describing these muscles
just on one side of the horse, but you understand that they occur on both
sides.)
There is a pectoral behind the forelegs, one
between the forelegs and one in front of the forelegs.
Massage
Techniques
A.
Pectoral behind the forelegs – this is a fairly long
muscle that starts in the area near the elbow and runs back along the belly
line to the end of the rib cage. The muscles fibers also run in this
direction.
1. First,
with finger tips, use deep pressure where this muscle
attaches to the breast bone (sternum).
2. Next,
with your hand or rubber curry, use deep effleurage or broad (rather than finger tip) friction over the
entire surface of the muscle, going with and across the fibers.
3. If the muscle is very tight,
do some muscle combing with one of the tools.
B.
Pectoral between the forelegs – this is a short, broad muscle that
goes from the inside of the humerus to the breast bone.
If it is tight, its attachment on the inside of the elbow can inhibit the
forward swing of the humerus. You will want to pay attention to releasing
tension at this point.
1. Use finger tip deep pressure where
this muscles attaches to the breast bone.
2. Do friction on the
inside of the elbow, up along the inside of the humerus and across the muscle
between the humerus and breast bone.
3. This muscle also goes
down into the foreleg, attaching to the radius.
C.
Pectoral in front of the forelegs – looking at the horse from the
front you’ll see it as a “fleshy” muscle—what we think of as the chest muscle.
1. Use deep finger tip pressure along the breast bone attachment.
You will be able to feel the front point of the breast
bone—work from that point down to the front legs.
2. Do friction where this
muscle attaches to the humerus.
3. Do
kneading in the fleshy part of the muscles.
Once
these muscles have been loosened by massage, there are some finger pressure
techniques that I use to confirm that the muscles can now contract properly and
lift the forehand. These techniques also allow the horse to become aware
of new possibilities in the way its muscles can work.
Techniques
for Raising the Chest.
The
following maneuvers will raise the horse’s back behind the withers (under the
saddle). You will be working on the pectoral behind the front legs.
1. Stand facing the horse’s side. Starting where the muscle
attaches at the end of the rib cage, put your fingers into
the muscle a few inches away from the breast bone.
Use your thumb or braced fingers to push up into the muscle, then push
forward, going toward the front of the horse. Your pressure needs to be
up as well as forward. You want to feel like you’re actually
pushing the back up; and you want to see the back rise, even if only a
small amount—but you would like to see it rise a lot. If the horse’s back
doesn’t give some lift, do more massage work on these pectorals, especially
muscle combing, and try again.
2. Now, go to the other side of the horse and reach just across the mid-line of
the belly (your fingers will be on the side you have been working on).
Push up into the muscle with your finger tips
and then pull toward you. Repeat this, moving your fingers forward along
the edge of the breast bone from mid-belly to the
front legs. Again, you want to feel and see the area behind the withers
(under the saddle) rise.
3.
Repeat this on the other side.
Technique
for Raising the Withers.
For
this maneuver you will be working on the pectoral between the front legs.
It requires that you use both hands. When it is combined with the
techniques for raising the horse’s back behind the withers, the entire forehand
will elevate.
1. Place one hand at
the back edge of this muscle, put the other at the front of the muscle.
2. Using thumb pressure, one hand is
going to slide into the pectoral, coming from the back; the other will slide
between the legs, coming from the front.
3. Press upward into
the muscle and then push your thumbs toward each other.
4. Your thumbs should
meet between the front legs with upward pushing pressure.
5. Push up with both thumbs.
This upward pressure should cause the horse to lift its withers.
You should feel and see the withers rise.
6. Repeat on the other side.
These
chest muscles can be extremely tight on many horses. If these techniques
do not lift the forehand, go back and do more massage work on the muscles.
• L – 2
GROIN AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
I
have left describing massage in the groin and belly muscles until now because
of safety considerations. Many equine massage routines do not deal with
this area at all, but doing so is very important for bringing all of the parts of the horse together into a working whole.
It cannot be ignored. But it is important for you to know how to
work in this area safely.
When
a horse feels a touch in the belly, kicking at that touch is a common reaction;
be prepared for that. Some horses will just pick up a foot, some will
kick up toward their belly, some will kick out at you. With horses that
you do not know, it is safer to let the horse get accustomed to pressure on its
belly line by first working in the chest area (as well as on the adductors)
before going to the abdominals and groin. But once the horse is
comfortable with pressure in this area, you can do either chest or abdominals
first, depending upon what seems appropriate for the horse’s problem.
Whether you work on this area in a first massage is really a judgment
call based on a horse’s degree of soreness, where the major problem is and the
sensitivity level of the horse. If they’re defensive about this area at
first, they will usually let you work there in your second session.
We
are dealing with three major muscles in this area – the Internal oblique, the
Rectus abdominis and the lower edge of the External oblique.
A Coloring Atlas – plates 16 and 17.
•
Internal oblique
The
Internal oblique goes from the point of the hip down to the center of the belly
line in the area we call the groin. It is triangular in
shape and acts as a “sling”, supporting the intestines.
• Rectus
abdominis
The
Rectus abdominis is a strong flexor and is important for the support of the
horse’s back. I have not seen an equine anatomy book that has a good
diagram of the Rectus abdominis; they all show just the abdominal fascia that
covers the entire abdominal area, with a cut-away showing the Internal oblique.
Diagrams of the human Rectus abdominis will give a good picture of what
this muscle also looks like on the horse.
It’s
composed of two long muscles on either side of the center line of the belly.
They run the length of the belly from attachments on the rib cage to the
front of the pubic bone. In massaging the Rectus abdominis you will be
working through the abdominal fascia. The only portion of the Rectus
abdominis we cannot access easily is that which is under the sheath or teats.
When
the Rectus abdominis is working correctly, the contractions lift the horse’s
back and pull the pelvic bone down. This allows the hind legs to swing
forward under the body, giving them more thrust and power.
• The
External oblique
This
is a very thin muscle that covers the sides of the horse’s rib cage. Its
lower edge connects to the abdominal fascia. Tightness along the lower
edge of this muscle inhibits the movement of the rib cage and the expansion of
the lungs. This edge is the tight line we see in horses that have heaves.
Techniques
The
skin in the abdominal area is sensitive, the only place were
tools would be appropriate would be along the lower edge of the External
oblique.
I
have two positions I use when standing next to a horse to do
massage in the groin. One is to stand close, next to the hind leg, either
facing the horse or facing somewhat forward. I will have one forearm (the
right if I’m working on the left side) lying on the horse’s side just above the
stifle. In this way I can exert downward pressure on the stifle if the
horse tries to lift the leg or kick. Sometimes I will stand forward of
the stifle, facing the horse’s belly, so that I can bring a hand into the
forward portion of the belly and work backward. You’re more exposed to a
kick from a hind leg when you’re in this position so it’s best to wait to use
this approach until the horse is comfortable with belly line work.
Work in
the Groin (Internal oblique)
1. You will have already done work around the stifle when
you worked on the quadriceps, so start by touching the outside of the stifle,
then slide your hand to the inside of the stifle, allowing the back of your
hand to touch the abdomen. This is the horse’s introduction to your touch.
The muscle under the fascia here is the Internal oblique. You will
use your finger tips, the
heel of your hand or the back of your fist in your work.
2. Using with finger
tips, you will first do connective tissue massage on the fascia.
Start near the stifle and move up the groin with a gliding pressure,
moving toward the pubic bone area. Remember—this is the techniques where you want to feel like you’re moving
toothpaste around in a tube. Repeat until you feel the area soften a
little.
3. Now, working in the same area, use more pressure in order to affect the muscle under the fascia. You
can use the heel of your hand, the fist or heavier finger pressure. When
the horse responds to this pressure, you will feel the area lift slightly.
4. Next, using the same gliding pressure, start next to the
stifle and work forward toward the rib cage and downward toward the belly line.
You can now use heavier pressure—use as much as the horse allows. I
will stand either with my shoulder against the stifle and work toward the rib
cage, or sometimes I find it easier to stand more toward the shoulder, facing
to the rear, and work from the rib cage toward the stifle. The choice
will really depend on how the horse responds to what you’re doing.
Work on
the External oblique
1. Work along the lower edge of this muscle using deep
effleurage, compression and broad stroke friction. Start at the point of
the hip and work toward the elbow. You can use heavy pressure along this
line and a stiff curry comb works well.
Work on
the Rectus abdominis
1. Do connective tissue massage first, using finger tip pressure along the
length of the muscle from its rib attachments to the sheath or teats. In
a male horse, you can usually work along the sides of the sheath. A mare
might allow you to do some pressure work between the teats.
2. Next, you will use heavier, upward pressure that will
affect the muscle, using your thumbs, fingers or fist.
3. The last thing that you will do in this area is ask the
horse to lift its back behind the saddle. (Your work on the pectorals
lifted the back under the saddle.) You’ll use the same technique as you
did for lifting the chest and withers. Stand on one side of the horse,
reach across the center line of the belly and, with finger
tips, push up into the muscle and pull toward you. You can use one
or both hands to do this. Do this in a number of
places along the belly line. Rocking the torso at the same time can help
the lift.
M.
SHOULDER
A
Coloring Atlas – plates 16 and 17
There are
five important muscles in the shoulder area.
1. Supraspinatus
2. Infraspinatus
3. Deltoids
4. Triceps
5. the fourth pectoral
1. SUPRASPINATUS and 2. INFRASPINATUS
These
muscles lie on the surface of the shoulder blade, one on either side of the
spine of the shoulder blade and are covered by the Trapezius and the Deltoid.
These are long muscles that are almost totally attached to the shoulder
blade. Their insertion is to the head of the humerus, which is just a
short distance away. This means that there is only a small portion of
these muscles that has the capacity for good contraction and extension.
Their major job is to support and stabilize the shoulder joint as it
opens and closes. They are subject to both stress points and trigger
points.
Techniques
It
is easy to work on these muscles through the Trapezius and Deltoid. There
are a number of massage techniques that work well
here. Because there is bone behind them, you can separate the muscle
fibers by pushing the muscles against the bone. Compression and deep
effleurage are good techniques for doing this. Friction and muscle
combing are also effective techniques for this area. Work primarily up
and down these muscles, rather than across—go with the muscle fibers. You
can use your hands or tools. Use deep static pressure on any small areas
of intense soreness such as trigger and stress points.
2. DELTOID
The
Deltoid is part of the superficial layer and over-lays the Infraspinatus.
It is also involved with stabilizing and controlling the opening and
closing of the shoulder joint. Its fibers run in the same direction as
the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus
Techniques
All of the massage that you do for the Supraspinatus and
Infraspinatus will also be affecting the Deltoid.
4. TRICEPS
The
Triceps is an extensor muscle. It stretches as
the muscles in the chest (flexors) pull the humerus forward. Its
contraction returns the humerus to its normal anatomical position.
Techniques
The
Triceps is a large, fleshy muscle that will respond well to compression
(especially “compress and glide”) and kneading. You can go across the
fibers and with the fibers. You may find small, sore spots (chunky peanut
butter) in the muscle. If so, use deep, static pressure as for stress and
trigger points.
5. 4th PECTORAL
I
discussed three of the pectoral muscles under Section L (Chest Muscles). This
fourth pectoral lies just in front of the shoulder blade and runs in the same
direction as the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus. This is a very strong
muscle whose contraction is important in opening the shoulder joint and pulling
the bottom of the shoulder blade forward. Its origin is on the breast bone (sternum) along with the other three pectorals.
It wraps around the shoulder joint and inserts on the top portion of the
shoulder blade. In horses that are tight in their shoulders and lower
neck, it will feel like a tight, hard “rope” in front of the shoulder blade.
Techniques
This
is not an easy muscle to massage effectively. The massage that you do on
the portion in front of the shoulder will be preparation for getting this
muscle to release, but you won’t really see result until you release tension in
the chest and lower neck. On the portion in front of the shoulder blade
do compression and friction, going across as well as with the fibers. The
massage that you do along the breast bone (sternum)
for the other pectorals will also loosen this part of this 4th
pectoral.
N.
RHOMBOIDS—NECK SECTION
A
Coloring Atlas – plate 17
As
the horse’s neck arcs out into space, it needs strong support muscles and
ligaments to keep it from being dragged down by the weight of the head.
The Rhomboid is one of the muscles that do this
job.
The
part of the Rhomboid muscle across the withers not only forms the attachment
for the top of the shoulder blade, but also forms the attachment for its neck
portion as it stretches all the way up the crest line.
The
Rhomboid connection to the shoulder blades as well as to the crest line of the
neck explains why tight, restricted shoulder movement and stiffness in the
crest line seem to go together. Riders often find that if they can get the shoulders moving, the neck will loosen and stretch; or,
if they can get the neck to stretch, the shoulders will swing better.
Techniques
The
neck portion of the Rhomboid is an easy muscle to massage. It is part of
the second muscle layer, but the superficial muscle that covers it, the
Trapezius, is quite thin.
You
can massage across or with the fibers. Friction across the fibers will be
very effective in the portion closest to the withers. When going up the
crest line, massage with the fibers, using deep effleurage, “compress and
glide” or broad stroke, back and forth, friction. A stiff rubber curry is
very effective on this muscle.
Horses
usually enjoy this crest line work and you’ll see them
stretch their necks as you go up the muscle.
You
may find sore or hard spots as you go. These could be trigger
points, scar tissue or adhesions—often from fights or play with other horses.
Deep cross-fiber friction is the best technique for scar tissue and adhesions; static pressure for trigger points.
This
muscle is an extensor and it should stretch fully from
its anchor at the withers, but on some horses you may see a dip just in front
of the withers. This dip indicates a tightness in the muscle (and the
ligaments underneath) at that point that prevents the complete outward arc and
stretch of the neck. This dip can vary from a slight curve to a deep,
sharp dip. The deeper the dip, the more significant is the constriction.
After
a general loosening of the entire Rhomboid, you can use deep friction with
thumb and fingers and muscle combing to do specific work on this constriction.
After this deep work that separates the muscle fibers, you can finish
with some rocking. But you need to know that the massage work is only
part of the solution to this problem. These muscles and ligament are incredibly strong and do not change easily.
Lifting the chest and back and teaching the horse to move forward from
behind is the only way to get this area to truly stretch, and this takes time.
Usually, it will take six months to a year before you will see this area fill in. You will need to be able to explain this to
your client.
TRAPEZIUS
I
have not discussed massage for the Trapezius because it is a thin muscle whose primary
job is to hold the shoulder blade against the rib cage. Problems that
affect the swing of the shoulder blade are almost always going to be in the
deeper level. If there is some restriction in the Trapezius, it will
usually get worked out as you massage the deeper muscles. This is true
for the thoracic (rib cage) portion of the Trapezius (the part under the
saddle) as well as the cervical (neck) portion.
O.
OTHER NECK MUSCLES
A
Coloring Atlas – plates 16 and 17
The
three muscles in the rest of the neck (not crest line muscles) on which I
concentrate my massage are:
1. Brachiocephalicus
2. Cervical Serratus
3. Splenius
These
are large muscles with important functions and they
are readily accessible for massage.
There
are many other muscles in the neck that are important for its correct
functioning, but most are deep and not accessible for direct massage. As
the massage loosens and rebalances the ones we can access, it will also have a
positive effect on the deeper ones.
1. BRACHIOCEPHALECUS
All
through this course I have stressed the many similarities between horse and human
anatomy and suggested that you try placing and moving your own body in the same
way as a horse in order to experience some of the
stresses and tensions the horse’s body may be feeling. But I cannot find
any muscle in the human body that corresponds to the Brachiocephalicus.
This
is a long, fairly wide muscle that has its origin at
the poll, just behind the ear. It goes down the neck vertebrae, passes
over the shoulder joint and inserts on the humerus, about mid-way between the
elbow and the shoulder joint. To hold it in place over this distance, it
has attachments on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th neck
vertebrae and on the shoulder blade.
This
muscle is a flexor; when it contracts, it pulls the shoulder and head closer
together and arches the neck. A horse standing or just moving in natural posture does not give you a good chance to see this
muscle at work. Horses that are “working through their backs” will show
this muscle contracting as the top line of the neck stretches. Two ways
to see this muscle working to its maximum are to watch horses jumping large
fences (particularly in the take-off phase) and in high collection.
The
crest line muscles are the extensor companions to the Brachiocephalicus.
If they are tight and do not lengthen well, it will interfere with the
correct working of the Brachiocephalicus. This
muscle also works in concert with the Serratus to elevate the chest.
Techniques
This
is a broad muscle that is readily accessible to massage from its origin to its
insertion. You can use any number of techniques on it. The best
would be those that push into the muscle and then move up the neck from the
shoulder to the poll. Some of these could be:
1. deep effleurage up the entire neck, separating muscle fibers by pushing the
muscle against the neck vertebrae
2. regular compression and compression of the “press and
glide” type
3. back and forth friction, working up and down the muscle,
going across the fibers as well as with the fibers
A
stiff curry comb or Grooma type tool works very well
on this muscle, especially when separating muscle fibers by pressing the muscle
against the bones of the neck.
You
may feel tight spots in this muscle as you work over the lower neck vertebrae.
This is rarely a problem in the Brachiocephalicus,
but rather it is usually in the cervical attachments of the Serratus.
If
a horse reacts to your work on this muscle with acute sensitivity and pain there is a good possibility that the neck vertebrae are
out of alignment and a chiropractor needs to look at the horse. Loosening
the neck muscles may sometimes correct minor misalignments, but if the
sensitivity persist suggest that the owner call a
chiropractor.
There
is important work to be done at the poll attachments of the Brachiocephalicus,
but I’ll discus this with
the massage work on the head, jaw and poll.
CERVICAL
SERRATUS MUSCLES
A Coloring Atlas – plate 17
The
cervical portion of the Serratus attaches to the lower four neck vertebrae (C
4, 5, 6 and 7) and is a very important part of the complex of muscles that lift
the forehand and extend and arch the neck. It does its part by
contracting and lifting the curve in the lower neck vertebrae. With most
muscles, correct function is usually inhibited by the muscle being overly
contracted and too tight. This is not the case with the Serratus.
When the Serratus “fingers” are not working correctly, they lack tone and
do not contract to lift the lower neck vertebrae and the rib cage. If you
see hollow areas in the lower neck, just in front of the shoulders, you will
know that this muscle is slack and lacks tone; it is not engaging and doing its
job.
This
muscle is also very important for lateral flexion and bending in the lower
neck.
Review
section J (Area Behind the Shoulder) for a more complete description of this
muscle and its function.
SPLENIUS
The
Splenius is a broad muscle whose origin is at the withers. It fans out to
fill the space on the side of the neck above the cervical Serratus. It
attaches to the poll at the occipital bone (behind the ears), to the Atlas (1st
vertebrae) and to the 3rd, 4th and 5th
vertebrae. It is important for both lateral and longitudinal flexion of
the upper portion of the neck and the head. I will discuss its function
in more detail in the section on the head, but the general massage work that
you do for the neck will loosen the bulk of this muscle.
Techniques
There
are three types of massage that you’ll do on the sides of the neck in the space
between the vertebrae and the crest line.
1. You will do general massage for the entire area. This
will cover the Splenius in the upper portion as well as the Serratus in the
lower part. You will be affecting many other muscles, but these two are
large, close to the surface and are major support muscles. You’ll use
deep effleurage, circular or back and forth friction, compression, compress and
glide and perhaps some muscle combing. You can do all of these with your
hands or with tools
I usually start at the base of the neck and work upward
toward the head. This general work will loosen the muscles and prepare
them for both longitudinal and lateral flexion. This approach would have
you working across the fibers of both the Serratus and Splenius.
2. The second type of massage you’ll
do will be to release constrictions and possible adhesions where the Serratus
and Splenius attach to the neck vertebrae. This will be particularly
important for the Serratus attachments. You’ll use direct thumb and
finger cross-fiber friction and deep, static thumb and finger pressure along
the top edge of the neck vertebrae where these muscles attach. You may
need to use a lot of pressure against the vertebrae.
3. The third is a group of techniques
you’ll use for lateral flexion in the base of the neck. These techniques
will be various types of Positional Release and Rocking. Review these techniques from lesson 6. Do the
Positional Release first and finish with the Rocking.
Positional Release
A
horse with tight Serratus muscles usually has the lower part of its neck braced
on both sides. You’ll see this as “lumps” on the sides of the neck where
the Serratus attach to the vertebrae. The two
Positional Release techniques that I’ll describe will release this tension.
Positional Release and Rocking should be done after the other neck
massage work.
Positional
Release #1 – This form of Positional Release is shown in photos in lesson
6. The horse will need the freedom to bring its neck around toward its
side, so it will need to be untied. As my example, I’ll describe
Positional Release on the left side.
Face
the left side of the horse’s neck. With your left hand on the halter, put
your right hand (fingers or fist) along the top edge of these lower neck
vertebrae (C-4, 5 and 6; you can’t reach 7). Push the neck away from you
as you bring the horse’s head around toward you. You will need to hold
the horse’s head in place as you push the neck away.
Be
prepared to have to use a lot of pressure in pushing the neck away. Use
some deep pushing pressure with thumb or fist and some short stroke friction to
get this portion of the neck to yield.
The
aim is to release the tension where the Serratus attach
to the vertebrae. You’ll be pushing the neck away from you, out to the
right, causing the right side to stretch around to the left. When this
stretch occurs, the head will come around toward the horse’s left shoulder or
ribs without you having to hold it there. This releases the tightness on both sides. The left side (because of
the massage work) has gained the capacity to contract and the right side
lengthens. Repeat on the other side. Try to get the horse to hold
this position for 5-10 seconds.
Sometimes
the horse will start circling, just go with it and keep the pressure on.
The circling helps the release.
Positional
Release #2 – This is essentially the opposite of Positional Release #1 in
that the horse will bend its neck away from you. I did not show photos of
this in lesson 6.
For
this, again (as my example) you’ll stand on the left side of the horse, facing
the left shoulder. You are going to reach under the neck with one of your
hands; you can use either hand to do this, whichever is most comfortable for
you. If you reach under the neck with your right hand, your left hand
will be on the horse’s halter, but instead of pulling the head toward you it
will be there to encourage the head to go to the right as the neck begins to
bend to the right. If you use your left hand to reach under, use your
right hand to stabilize the withers and keep the horse from moving.
Now,
with the one hand, reach under the neck and “dig in”
with you fingers on the upper edge of C-4, 5 and 6.
Pull toward you; you’ll probably have to use a lot of pressure. The
horse should arch its neck around to the right, bringing its nose around to its
shoulder or ribs. Try to get the horse to hold the position for 5-10
seconds. Occasionally, the horse will stretch the
neck down to the right, rather than around. It’s not quite as good a
stretch, but it may be the best the horse can give. Do this exercise from
both sides.
This
technique requires a lot of finger strength, but there are a couple of reasons
for doing it. First, because the horse’s neck is bending away from you,
it will be able to stretch around in a long smooth arc without your body being
in the way.
Second,
since the neck vertebrae have only muscles and ligaments (no bones) for
support, it is very easy for the vertebrae to be pulled out of alignment.
This misalignment usually requires a chiropractic adjustment; but
occasionally the misalignment may only be slight and caused by an uneven
tension between muscles that hold the vertebrae in place. This particular technique will sometimes release that tension and
you will feel and hear the vertebrae settle back into place. It’s not
something you are trying to do—we DO NOT do chiropractic adjustments—but it
does happen sometimes. So, if you hear this “pop”, don’t worry that
you’ve done something wrong. Usually the horse
will tell you it was a good thing by chewing and giving a big sigh. If
the misalignment is in the vertebrae themselves, not caused by muscle
imbalances, this technique will not correct it.
Rocking
Rocking
is a technique that can be used effectively to break up tension and bracing
between the different parts of the horse’s body and can be used at any time
during a massage. Because the neck is “hanging out in space”, rocking can
be quite effective at loosening neck tension. It is particularly
effective at loosening the joint between the last neck vertebra and the first
vertebra of the rib cage. It also makes a nice finishing touch at the end
of a massage. Below are two different forms of rocking that I use often
on the neck.
Rocking
#1 – Stand near the head of the horse, facing the neck. Place a hand on
either side of the lower neck where you see the neck braced; usually this will
be where the neck joins the shoulder or over the “lumps” of the 3rd and 4th
vertebrae. Push the neck back and forth with your hands, setting up a
nice smooth rhythm that gets the whole neck rocking.
Rocking
#2 – This form of rocking moves the base of the neck in relationship to the
shoulder portion of the rib cage. It’s meant to loosen the junction
between the last neck vertebra (C-7) and the first thoracic, or rib, vertebra
(T-1). Restriction at this joint does not allow independent movement
between the neck and rib cage and inhibits bending and lateral flexion of the
neck.
My
example is from the left side of the horse, but because this sometimes works
better from one side than the other, do it from both sides. Stand on the
left side of the horse, facing the shoulder. Hold the underside of the neck,
somewhere in the lower half, with your left hand. Lay your right forearm
diagonally across the left side of the horse’s rib cage, grasping the withers
with your right hand. You want to set up a rocking motion between the
lower neck and the withers by pushing and pulling between these two points.
If the withers don’t move, use your forearm to move the rib cage.
Occasionally, with very stiff horses, I’ve used elbow pressure in the
space between the ribs to get the rocking started.