LESSON
As
part of taking a history and evaluating a horse, there are outside factors you
need to take into account. I call them
“outside factors” because they are not part of the horse’s inherent physical
make-up or movement. These are things
very important to a horse’s comfort and soundness, and are totally under the
control of the handler. They are: 1.
saddle fit, 2. hoofs, 3. teeth, 4. over-training.
One
of these outside factors is very often the cause of the horse’s problems.
SADDLE FITTING CONSIDERATIONS
Though
there has been an increased awareness of the importance of correct saddle fit,
poor saddle fit and poor riding are the two most common reasons for a horse’s
sore back. (See
HorseCoursesOnline Bits, Saddle Fitting and Hoof Balance.)
When
evaluating saddle fit as a possible source of the horse’s sore back, view the
saddle on the horse without saddle pads.
English type saddles have the padding built in, so pads aren’t
necessary; a saddlecloth (or light show pad) is used basically to keep the
underside of the saddle clean and sweat free.
If the rider is using padding to make the saddle fit, then the saddle
does not fit correctly.
Western
saddles do not have underside padding, so a saddle pad and saddle blanket are
the accepted standard, but I still want to see the western saddle in place
without pads.
Once
you’ve seen the saddle in place without padding, ask the rider to saddle the
horse exactly as they would if they were about to go for a ride. Notice the saddle placement. The tree of the saddle should sit behind the
shoulder, never on it.
Too
many saddles are placed too far forward, often resting on the withers and
interfering with shoulder movement, making the shoulders sore.
The
two sides of the saddle must be shaped symmetrically, without a twist or curve
to one side. To check this, using a
level surface, stand the saddle on its pommel and sight from the center back to
center front. A correctly made, balanced
saddle will be the same size and shape on both sides…you will be surprised how
many saddles are not.
The
saddle must sit level on the horse’s back. Check to be sure the saddle is not tilted
forward or backward. If it tilts forward
with the pommel too close to the horse’s withers, then it is too wide. Padding can help correct this problem. If the saddle sits uphill in front, the
saddle is too narrow. Many riders try to
move the saddle back well behind the withers, or try to level the saddle by
putting a pad under the cantle…this causes even more pressure and pinching at
the front of the saddle. The only true
solution for a saddle too narrow is the purchase of a correctly fitting saddle.
The
front of the saddle must fit the shape of the horse’s shoulders behind the
shoulder blade. Whether the horse has
hollows on each side of the withers, or a smooth back, the saddle must
accommodate the form of the horse.
Western saddles have two special problems to be considered: leather
extension in front of the pommel that can press into the shoulder blade, and
screws at the front of the saddle that attach the seat to the tree. These screws, if not set deep enough, become
a hard lump against the side of the withers.
Correct padding can solve this problem.
Because
western saddles do not have built-in padding, the choice of padding and its use
becomes extremely important.
There
must be enough clearance for the horse’s withers. The saddle must sit level and behind the
withers and still not press on the withers.
Horse with high withers make saddle fitting very difficult; often a
“cut-back” pommel will solve the problem.
If
you are concerned about pressure on the withers, have the rider sit in the
saddle to be sure the rider’s weight doesn’t push the saddle down on the
withers.
The
saddle must not put pressure on the spinal vertebrae. The saddle must rest on the muscles on each
side of the vertebrae. To check the
width of the vertebrae, put your thumb and forefinger on top of the backbone -
about where the rider would sit, and then spread your fingers until you feel
only muscle—measure that distance. (I measure that distance by seeing how many
of my fingers on my other hand I can put into the space.) Check the distance against the space between
the panels of the saddle.
Adding
padding will not correct the problems created by a saddle that rests on the
vertebrae.
This
problem is not so common with western saddles which often have a channel built
into them. In addition, many western
horses have more muscling along the back to protect the vertebrae. There are also western saddle pads with a
channel down the middle to protect the backbone.
The
saddle must make continuous contact with the horse’s long back muscles—no
bridging. A saddle is said to “bridge”
if it makes contact with the horse’s back only at the front and rear, but has a
gap somewhere in the middle. Bridging
causes excessive pressure on the withers and loins and interferes with
movement.
Slide
your hand under the middle of the saddle to check for even contact.
Some
type of foam padding can help with this problem, but often a different style or
shape of saddle is needed.
The
shape of the panels on the underside of the saddle must conform to the shape of
the horse’s back and be free of lumps and irregularities. If there are hollows on each side of the
spine, then the panels need to be rounded to fill in. If the back is well developed, then the
panels need to be flatter. Rounded panels on a well-developed back make the
saddle unstable.
Check
flat panels to be sure the entire surface of the panel is in contact with the
horse’s back. If only the other edge is
in contact, it concentrates pressure and can make the back very sore. This can
be seen by sighting from the back of the saddle.
The
length of the saddle must be appropriate for the length of the horse’s
back. A saddle that is too long, most
commonly seen in western saddles with square skirts,
can actually put pressure on the hips and across the loins, which may inhibit
hind leg movement. Use enough padding to
lift the saddle off the loin.
A
person needing a big saddle and riding a short backed horse can cause severe
back soreness. The only correction for
this problem is finding a horse that is big enough to accommodate the rider.
The
padding used must protect the horse’s back without
changing the fit between saddle and horse.
Watch
the rider saddle the horse and notice if the rider pulls the padding or
saddlecloth up into the pommel so that there is no “tightness” across the
withers.
Some
English pads are short and if pulled too far forward the binding of the pad can
rest under the back of the saddle. If
this is the case, the rider’s weight can put pressure on the binding that will
cause a sore back.
Too
much padding creates a very dangerous situation as it lifts the saddle off the
horse, making the saddle and rider unstable.
Such a situation is very uncomfortable for the horse, especially if the
saddle rocks side to side.
There
are going to be times when you will have to tell the horse owner to purchase a
new saddle that fits the horse correctly.
Seldom does a horse owner like to hear this. Sometimes it is the only way to solve sore
back problems; it is always the best way.
FEET
Sore or poorly balanced feed can be a
major cause of body soreness. The
discomfort caused by sore feet can negate any good you will be able to do with
massage.
Any
body soreness caused by sore feet cannot be relieved except on a very
short-term basis. You must resolve the
feet problems first.
You
will get hundreds of different opinions about trimming and shoeing a
horse. But even with all the
differences, there will be some consistencies.
REMEMBER
THE ANATOMY! Plate 27 of Horse Anatomy:
A Coloring Atlas gives a good illustration of correct alignment of the bones in
the feet. Also, you may wish to enroll
in the on-line course “Bits, Saddle Fitting and Hoof Balance".
When
a horse is standing squarely, the three bones of the pastern and hoof (long
pastern, short pastern, coffin bone) should be in alignment with no lateral or
vertical shifts of direction.
To
make a visual examination, start by looking at the foot from the side. The line of the hoof at the front should be
straight and smooth; any dips or ridges could indicate problems. The key questions to ask yourself
are: does the hoof angle support the correct alignment of the three bones? Does the heel angle match the front of the
hoof and also support the correct alignment?
Are the heels the same length on the inside and outside?
Some
disciplines call for the trimming and shoeing to leave the feet long, while
others call for a short foot. In all
cases, the bones should remain in correct alignment. Too long a toe or under-run heels will cause
shifts in the alignment of the bones; this must be corrected.
The
cause of such problems can be too long a period between trimming and/or shoeing, or simply the work is being done
incorrectly. Allowing the feet to get too long between trimmings can also cause
problems with the horse’s longitudinal balance that are caused by the constant
shifts back and forth between the feet being long and short.
To keep the angles of the feet consistent, it is best to have the horse
shod or trimmed every 30 days; a health horse will grow 3/8 inch of hoof every
30 days and that amount of growth, if not rebalanced, can cause problems with
the hoof.
Next look at the hoof from the front. Sight down the cannon bone and allow your
imaginary line to bisect the cannon bone and the hoof. The question you should be asking yourself:
"Is the hoof equal on both sides of the bisecting line?" If the medial/lateral balance is not correct,
the horse will have problems. Also
notice if the hoof turns in or out. It
is possible the hoof has been incorrectly trimmed, but if the “turn” is due to
bone structure, don’t try to have the “turn” corrected.
Compare
the left feet to the right feet. The
length of feet should be the same, although they are seldom perfectly
matched. If one foot is larger than the
other…it could be a trimming or shoeing problem, but it is most likely a
physical problem that has caused the horse to compensate by using one foot more
than the other to support weight.
There
is always the question of one leg being shorter than the other; this, I’ve
found, is rather rare. To measure the
length of leg, I like to use the small bone that sticks out at the side of the
knee as my starting point. I measure
from this bone to the ground. Of course,
the feet must be the same length in order for this length of leg measurement to
be of value. If the distance from knee
to ground is different, most likely the feet are not even and need to be
adjusted. You will frequently find this
is the case with a “club-footed” horse.
In most cases, the leg with the clubfoot is shorter, and the clubfoot is
growing downward at a steeper angle to even the lengths. (There are a number of theories about
clubfeet—for in depth information see the course,
Bits, Saddle Fitting and Hoof Balance.)
Work with a good horse-shoer when dealing with a club-footed horse.
Some
people measure leg length by measuring from the horse’s elbow or point of the
shoulder to the ground. I don’t agree with measuring from these points as it is
fairly common for the horse’s rib cage to tilt, causing the difference in
distances. In lesson two we examined the
anatomy of the shoulder blades and leg attachment; reexamine that lesson and
you can visualize how the rib cage tilt could change the distance measurements.
While
imbalances in the hoofs can cause tensions in the muscle structure, the reverse
is also true. Imbalances in the horse’s
body can cause abnormal hoof wear.
With
most horses, the shoer must make constant minor adjustments to keep the horse’s
feet balanced. If you look at the
horse’s feet and feel there is a problem, don’t automatically assume it is poor
trimming or shoeing; it
could be a muscle problem that is causing uneven weight and wear patterns in
the feet. If the horse has not been shod
within 30 days, wear patterns may be evident and it may be a good idea to
shorten the interval between trimming and shoeing. If the horse was “recently” shod, then I am
concerned the trimming or shoeing was not appropriate for the horse. In that
case I explain to the owner what it is about the feet that is
bothering me and ask the owner to get the opinion of another trimmer or shoer.
TEETH
There can be problems in the horse’s
mouth which will affect the horse’s body and our ability to be of help with
massage.
When
the owner is telling you about the horse’s problems, focus on the mouth if
there is mention of head tossing, head or ear shyness or problems with the
horse accepting the bit. Many mouth
problems are the result of poor riding, but many others involve the teeth. If the horse has not had his teeth attended
to within the last year, start with having a veterinarian who is certified in equine dentistry examine the mouth before you begin massage work.
Mouth
pain, or the fear of pain, can cause a horse to tighten his entire body and
undo any benefits that may have been derived from massage. Fix the mouth pain first.
If
the horse is younger than 5, then the mouth problems may be the result of
“teething.” Young horses shed their baby
teeth beginning at two years of age and develop their permanent teeth up to age
5 and sometimes beyond. Teeth that are
falling out, or teeth that are coming in and cutting
through the gums can cause a good deal of mouth discomfort.
Older
horses that have not had consistent dental care can have very sharp points and
hooks on their molars. Sharp edges along
the jaw line on the outside of the lower teeth and the inside of the upper
teeth can cut the tongue or cheeks. The discomfort
can create tension and soreness in the head and neck. Massage can help relieve
tensions created by problems in the mouth, but it is really pointless to do so
until after the mouth is pain free.
Teeth
can be floated—filed smooth—by the hand use of a “float”, or by the use of a
power float. There are some strong
opinions about these approaches to dental care; whichever you prefer, be sure that the person doing the
work is well trained and competent.
You are going to meet many highly
motivated horse owners. Competitive
riders are among this group. These types
of horse owners push themselves toward higher levels of performance, and often
they push their horses—sometimes too hard.
Over-training
is “too much, too soon.” It is a common
mistake and is a major cause of breakdowns and injury. It can also be the cause of progressively
poorer performance, which generally results in the rider/trainer increasing the
horse’s work rather than decreasing it.
Deteriorating performance is a good indicator of over-training. Some of the other signs are lethargy,
attitude changes, weight loss and colic.
Trying
to express your concerns to the “aggressive trainer/rider” can be
difficult. I find it is often better not
to mention over-training, but to suggest a regular schedule for “maintenance
massage.”
There
are many physiological effects of over-training. Training or conditioning is the result of the
body adapting to stress. Effective
stress will be regular enough and strong enough to stimulate the adaptation of
muscles and internal body systems to the amount of work. But if the work is too strenuous and too
often, a breakdown will occur…it is excessive, uninterrupted stress that plays
havoc with the body.
When
muscles are worked in new or unaccustomed ways—different movement, longer
distances, longer work sessions, great demands for high performance—micro-tears
occur in the muscles. As these
micro-tears heal, they strengthen the muscles by creating scar tissue within
the muscle fibers. If the micro-tears
are given time to heal, everything is fine.
If
the muscles are not given time to heal before new micro-tears are added, a
multiplying effect occurs and eventually you have a breakdown.
Micro-tears
need at least 48 hours to recover and repair themselves. Rest is the vehicle that allows recovery and
repair.
Rest
doesn’t mean the horse has to stand in his stall; it means the damaged tissue
doesn’t have to repeat the work that caused the micro-tears…the muscles are given relief from intense, repetitive movement.
There
are many ways to deal with over-training…the most obvious is to work the horse
every other day. More practical is the
alternating of tasks and types of training.
Working in multiple disciplines is a good way to avoid
over-training…trail ride one day, lunge one day, work in a collected frame one
day, then give a day of rest. On
the fifth day use a completely different way of stressing muscles…such as
lengthening and shortening strides or working over ground poles. Such exercises are good for every horse, no
matter what his special discipline.
10
To complete
this lesson I want to describe how a muscle injury in one part of the body can
begin to affect movement in other areas.
When a horse has
suffered a muscle injury we know that using massage can significantly reduce
the time needed to return the horse to full performance capacity. I want to give you an approximate time line
for the process in order that you have some idea of the scope of the problem
and the number of massage sessions that may be necessary.
Knowing when to
start the massage is very important. If
the problem is simply sore muscles from over use or poor use of the body,
massage can, and should, begin as soon as the problem is noticed.
The types of
injuries that I am going to focus on here are bruised, pulled, wrenched or torn
muscles (without open wounds) which are most likely the result of falls, kicks,
bites collisions, bad saddle fit or chronic imbalances in the feet. Open wounds that require veterinary care will
increase the time factor.
With the use of
massage simple muscle injuries of the type listed above have a very good chance
of complete recovery, but it they are left unattended they can evolve into more
complicated problems. Some could even
become serious enough to eventually require veterinary care.
The more time
that passes after an injury, the more the tightness and soreness in the muscles
will increase interference with the horse’s movement and performance.
The sooner
massage is started, the better – but that is only true to a point! When an area is injured, small veins and
capillaries can be damaged or torn and blood will leak into the surrounding
muscle tissue, causing bruising. The
immediate response should be to drive the blood supply deeper into the body and
away from the injured area. Applying ice
or cold water are effective methods for slowing bruising at an injury
site. Applying cold to an acute injury
is always a good rule.
Until the
initial swelling, heat, inflammation and acute soreness have subsided,
nothing should be done that increases the blood supply and circulation to an
injured area. Heat, liniments and
massage are not appropriate at that time.
Simple trauma
caused by a blow or fall with no tearing of muscles will take about two weeks
for healing to occur.
Injuries that
involve pulled or torn muscles will need four to six weeks to heal before any
kind of massage and rehabilitation can begin.
Tendon injuries
usually take about six weeks to heal, and ligaments can take up to six
months. Tendon and ligament injuries
will normally be under veterinary care and no massage should be done until the
veterinarian signals that these have healed.
If an injury is
of a severe enough nature that a horse will have to be stalled or inactive for
an extended period of time and massage is not appropriate for the injured area,
massage could still be useful. Light
massage to other areas of the body where compensations could develop could help
keep those compensations to a minimum.
Once the acute
symptoms of an injury have had time to subside, heat and pressure are
appropriate methods for correcting the resulting muscle problems. Heat from external sources such as hot water,
hot packs or liniment can be used, but the best heat is body heat that will be
built up as a response to the pressure and friction of massage. This type of heat will separate stuck
together muscle fibers and increase circulation to the areas better than
anything else.
Residual effects
of injuries to muscles can include small knots of tightened muscle fibers
(trigger points) or scar tissue within the body of a muscle, or the entire
muscle may be contracted in spasms.
There could be coagulated blood
trapped within the muscle fibers (bruising) or lymph, a sticky fluid whose
circulation throughout the body is dependent upon the contractions of working
muscles, can pool in an injured area, sticking the muscle fibers together.
Newly healed injuries
that receive body work and massage in a timely manner have the best opportunity
to return to full function, but massage can also be of great value when dealing
with old injuries and long-standing movement problems. Even problems from injuries that are years
old can show remarkable improvements and often full recovery. Massage can give these horses the best
opportunity to return to full function; however, working through all of the
compensations and distorted movement patterns of old injuries may take
considerable time – but it can be done.
If muscles
remain tight and sore for too long after an injury, habitual use patterns and
“muscle memory” will be affected, causing the body to look for alternate ways
of achieving the desired movement. For
example, a horse with an injury that affects the hip joint muscles that
normally bring a hind leg straight forward may begin to swing this leg out and
around in a circular motion instead.
If left
untreated, alternate movement patterns will begin to affect and change the way
other parts of the body work. In the
example above, the alternate movement pattern of one hind leg will eventually
affect and change the way other parts of the horse’s body work.
When this
happens, massage will need to be done on these other parts of the body as well
and it may take several additional sessions to identify and follow these
distortions throughout the body and correct them if proper movement is to be
restored.
The longer
abnormal patterns remain in place the more they will begin to feel normal to
the horse. Even with massage to loosen
and re-balance the muscles, once an incorrect movement “feels right” to the
body, the body will want to stay in that movement pattern. When this happens the horse will also need
special exercises in addition to the massage in order to re-establish correct
movement patterns.
If an injury is
severe and not treated, the resulting imbalances and altered movement patterns
can pull the skeleton out of alignment.
If this happens, the horse may very possibly need chiropractic work as
well as massage.
Injuries can
cause stress to joints that can eventually damage the joints and diminish the
chances for a complete recover; however, many joint problems do not actually
involve damage to the structure of a joint – rather, they start as a
constriction of the joint capsule by the tightening of the muscles that
surround and cross the joint. This type
of constriction is often referred to as “arthritis”. I do not agree with the use of that term for
muscle constriction around a joint.
What I would
call true arthritis involves changes in the structural make-up of the bones
that form the joint. As long as there
have been no changes in the articulating surfaces of the bones, such as spurs,
calcium deposits or fusion, and the cartilage and joint fluid are intact, I
don’t believe the joint suffers from arthritis.
If there is a loss of mobility and discomfort caused by muscular
constrictions, I think of it as a pre-arthritic condition that can be
reversed. If massage starts soon enough,
the loosening of the constriction can free the joint and restore mobility and
comfort. Left untreated, stress on a
joint can eventually damage the joint and diminish chances for a complete recovery.
In Summary:
1. If
a horse’s problem is old chronic soreness, massage can start as soon as you
evaluate the horse.
2. If
an injury is new and the muscles are still inflamed and acutely sore, wait at
least two weeks – longer if there were muscle tears.
3. Muscle
injuries that are less than six months old are relatively easy to resolve.
4. After
six months, there can be compensations and changes in movement patterns that
require more time and, very possibly, special exercises to correct.
5. Tight
muscles can bring about possible chiropractic problems.
6. Tight
muscles can cause constrictions around joints, impairing mobility and causing
discomfort.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Find and read at least
two articles on saddle fit. Discuss the
important points of these articles, adding any personal remarks you may deem
appropriate. If you have taken or are
enrolled in the on-line course “Bits, Saddle Fitting and Hoof Balance”, you may
use this as one of your articles.
2. Examine five saddles,
western and English:
a. Look at them off the
horse, checking for defects in the saddle.
b. Ask the owner to show
his/her placement of the saddle on the horse and explain this placement. Ask them to discuss the padding they use and
why.
c. Photograph the saddles
on the horses, without padding, and discuss the fit. A photo from the side will be sufficient
unless there is a problem that cannot be seen from this view. In that case, include additional photos that
show the problem.
d. Show photos of the
saddles with padding and discuss the fit.
Write reports on these saddles.
3. Make arrangements with a
farrier to watch four horses being trimmed or shod. Ask the farrier to explain what he/she is
doing and why. Discuss the pertinent
aspects of what you learned. If you’ve
taken the course “Bits, Saddle Fitting and Hoof Balance” you may discuss the
information it contains to satisfy this part of the assignment.
4. Examine the feet of five
horses. Ask the owners about the
problems their horses have. Discuss
these in your reports.
5. Show photos of the front
feet of these five horses, side and front views, and discuss their lateral and
longitudinal balance and any other pertinent aspects of these feet that you
think are important. If you feel that
there are problems in the hind feet, photograph and discuss these as well.
6. Ask ten horse owners
about the dental care their horses receive.
Write a report on each horse.
Send a report, with pictures, to: eleanorblazer@horsecoursesonline.com
The original instructor, Betty
Lindquist, retired