It is important to us, as riders to understand why the saddle should fit a
certain way and by having some basic equine anatomy knowledge will help you to
understand why the saddle must fit correctly for your horse to perform pain
free and at its full potential.
Your saddle sits primarily on two different muscle groups.
Under the front of your saddle there is the trapezius muscle that extends
all the way up into the neck. A tight saddle at the front will cause pinched
muscles, a tight neck and a tight back. Horses that are trying to pull their
shoulders down and away from a pinching saddle may often have atrophy (wasting
away) in this area.
What happens when you squeeze your horse either side of the withers? In a
lot of horses the back will tense and/or twitch, the head will come up, the
back will dip, the tail swishes and the muscle. We don’t want this happening
while we are riding.
The second part to look at is where the panels of the saddle lie over the
horses back. The equine back comprises of many complex and interwoven
muscles, strung layer upon layer, but the major muscle that supports the mid to
back of the saddle is the longissimus dorsi & costarum muscles. The
longissimus dorsi & costarum run down either side of the spine and attaches
at the front of the pelvis through to the base of the neck.
Ideally, the saddle should distribute pressure evenly over the back, but all
to often we see saddles ‘bridging’, which means there is pressure or contact in
the front and the back of the saddle but no contact in the middle. Bridging of
the saddle causes the longissimus dorsi to tense, the back will then drop and
the head will come up which causes the horse to become stiff and disengaged.
It is also important to remember about the supraspinous ligaments that run
down each side of the horses back. These ligaments connect the pelvis to the
poll of the horse. As the horse moves forward, the pelvis follows the motion of
movement of the diagonal legs, which therefore will cause the ligaments to move
back and forth along the spine with the horses movement. Is it vital then, that
the panels of the saddle are far enough apart (chanel width) to allow these
ligaments room to move with the diagonal motion. If this is not the case, it
will cause poll stress and shortness of stride, plus a sore back!
Did you know that most horses shoulders are not muscled the same? Most
horses (for no known reason) have more muscle mass on their left shoulders. So
consider what happens when we put an even saddle on an uneven horse. Your
saddle will start to shift, slide, slip and pinch! The common signs that your
saddle is either shifting, sliding, slipping or pinching include;
* You constantly having to stand in one stirrup to shift yourself back to
the middle
* When your horse prefers one lead over the other
* When your horse bucks going one direction
The scapular moves under your saddle with every step the horse takes. The scapular
has many muscle attachments to it. These muscles are thin and can easily be
bruised with pressure from above. Any damage could be crucial as our horses
shoulders need a complete range of motion to jump, do extended trot etc.
In order for our horses to perform at their best for whatever discipline we
do, its imperative that we make special considerations for their comfort so
they are free to do their jobs. Make sure that you get your saddle fitted
regularly, especially as your horse changes shape, and also make sure you have
a good supportive pad underneath.
Thanks to Jessica Blackwell of Equestricare for this informative article.
How do you sit on your horse? Are you able to move well with the horse and stay on even when things get challenging? Or do you bounce around on your horse, end up with a sore back and neck and have trouble staying on?
To get the best out of our horses, we need to be the best we can be first. If we are un-balanced in the saddle and have a poor posture, not only can riding be uncomfortable and hard on our own bodies, but the horse is un-able to perform at its best.
It can also be difficult for us stay on the horse if it should make any un-expected moves.
Naturally, if you are into sports like dressage, good posture is critical for nice performance of the horse and to get you maximum scores.
Good posture and core strength are not only important for riding, but also for your general health and attitude. If you tend to slouch, have round shoulders and your head posture is forward, you will have weakness in various muscles and find it difficult to "move with the horse".
If your posture is good and straight, you will be able to be stable on the horse, move with the horse, not bounce around and help the horse keep its balance and freedom movement, while enabling light or lose reins and far better performance overall.
To get more insight into issues caused by poor posture and balance and tools to develop if you chose to, click on this LINK .
People have different opinions about when to start a horse and how hard they should work it. There are mis-conceptions about closing up of growth plates (parts of their bones that are joined by cartilage until they have fully grown and been replaced by hard bone) and generally the horse's physical maturity.
Many horses are started too young and on the race track many are injured and have to be destroyed because the are worked too hard too young.
Horses have many growth plates and the last of them don't close until the horse is around 6 years old, regardless of breed.
Different bones join at different ages of the horse and one of the more troublesome ones - a weak point - is the hocks, which join at around 3 - 3 1/2 years.
The last of the plates to fuse are in the vertebrae, each of which have several growth plates and they join as late as 5 1/2 to 8 years old on tall, long necked horses. Out of those, the vertebrae at the base of the neck are the very last, so care needs to be taken when teaching a young horse to tie up or pulling their head around hard, or damage can be done.
The subject of skeletal maturation is significant and large and I recommend that if you have young horses, please go ahead and download this extremely informativedocument by Deb Bennett Ph.D. HERE
In the western world today, obesity is becoming common place among people. Horses – and some breeds are more prone than others – suffer similar problems due to over feeding, feeding things that are un-naturally rich for the horses when compared to what they would be living on under natural conditions and lack of exercise. One of the most obvious and common outcomes is "Equine Metabolic Syndrome", which can also manifest as laminitis and founder. This can be a serious and crippling issue in some breeds.
We love our horses and want their best. Sometimes we do what we may think is “take good care” of the horses but are in fact doing them a great dis-service. We think of horses in “Human” terms, but they are not human and they have different needs. As any other aspect of a horse’s life, we should look at how they would live in the wild and make some attempt to give them some of that. When we interfere with nature in a major way, we more often than not do major damage in the process. The following page explains EMS in some detail: http://www.livestocktrail.uiuc.edu/horsenet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=10118
If we listen to our horses - really listen, we may just hear what they are trying to tell us...
There are many reasons why a horse may mis-behave. All too often we blame the horse or just don’t know how to look for underlying reasons. We may think the horse is having a bad day. That's just an easy way out. Some horses are dis-respectful and assert themselves as the leader, which is quite natural if the handler allows it. However, there are a myriad of physical problems, that can make a horse mis-behave, buck, bolt or rear.
The saddle may not fit the horse, there may be something prickly under the saddle pad or girth (do you always check and wipe down your pad and brush the saddle and girth area of the horse?), teeth may need attention, feet could be sore, the back could be sore and many other issues....
There is a great article by John O’Leary of Horse Problems Australia, that touches on some of the problems that they come across on a daily basis. I highly recommend you have a read, as it could open your eyes to things you may not have thought about...
The most important thing a horse needs to know is how to stop. It’s one thing getting him to go, but if you can’t stop him, you’re in big trouble.
Like any other move you teach your horse to do, the stop should be as soft as possible. This can take a bit of work, especially in off-the-track race horses, who generally know little more than to go forward in a straight line at top speed.
The fundamentals to achieving a good stop are of course Pressure and Release with crisp timing as described in an earlier article and also the One Rein Stop (also in an earlier post). To be able to do a good One Rein Stop, the horse must first be able to flex – have some good lateral flexion and a lateral mouth. Once the horse has that, you can then start working on improving a controlled and relaxed stop, which will incorporate a back-up. If you can get your horse to stop as softly as the horse in the following video by Clint Depew, you will be proud....
Do you have a horse that is ear-shy, doesn’t like parts of its body being touched or fights you when it’s worming time?
The simple technique of “Advance and Retreat” can fix many of these issues fairly quickly and easily.
A horse will get used to or tolerate most things if they are introduced at a rate that the horse can cope with. That can vary depending on the horse’s nature, but more so on the possibility of any past abuse or rough handling by handlers who lack savvy. The racing game seems to have a lot of these types and unfortunately turns out an endless stream of horses with all kinds of issues, one or more of which you may possibly have ended up with.
To overcome some of a horse’s “touchy” areas and getting him to accept your touch - keeping yourself in a position of safety - start on a spot that the horse is comfortable at. If for example the horse is ear shy, put your hand on the neck and rub it slowly towards the ear. When you get to a point where the horse becomes un-comfortable, retreat your hand away, then slowly advance toward the spot again. You should be able get closer and closer until eventually the horse accepts your touch. You do need to be gentle, as rough handling is probably what caused the issue in the first place. At the same time, remember that you are the Alpha, so don’t put up with any unruly behaviour.
The same goes for worming (if you are using worming paste in a syringe) - First use your hand, starting from a place on the head or neck where the horse is comfortable, keep advancing and retreating and when you finally get to the mouth, gently slide a finger (or a small stick that you've been holding in that hand) into the side of the mouth between the front and back teeth. The horse will probably start “mouthing” when you have your finger in there. You can put some honey or molasses on your finger(or stick) to make it more appealing. When the horse is comfortable with that, you can start with a wormer.
You should get to a stage where you can touch every part of the horse safely and comfortably with the horse accepting it calmly. Again, your safety and that of the horse are most important, so use common sense and observe and “feel” the horse. Ensure you do this in a safe environment and position yourself so that you are out of harm’s way or can get out easily.
If the horse gets excited and the head comes up high, get yourself and the horse relaxed and his head down before carrying on.
Again, for the experienced horsemen and women this is basic stuff, but we sometimes do need reminding of things. I so often watch people struggle with issues such as these and get angry with their horse, which is a real shame, as these problems can usually be fixed very easily if you know how.
What is the primary method of control of direction, and speed of your horse? Unless your horse is very advanced and well trained, and in combination with leg pressure and seat the primary and certainly the back-up control is the reins.
It doesn’t matter if you ride in a halter, bitless bridle or with a bit, you are probably at least partly asking for the speed and direction of travel with your reins.
Hopefully your horse will have a very soft mouth and rein pressure only needs to be slight. Having a good mouth on a horse is extremely important and should things get a bit exciting, a one rein stop can save you and your horse.
The one rein stop is your emergency brake. If your horse wants to rear, bolt, buck, or shy you can gain control with a one rein stop. Have a look at this video by John O’Leary, arguably one of Australia’s better horsemen and expert at dealing with problems in horses......
A lot of people shoe their horses and they actually don’t even know why – often just because it is a done thing and everyone is doing it.
This is a controversial subject and here is some of what I have found. Some of this is an extract of an article by Joe Camp, who researched the subject of hooves.
Personally, I have never had shoes on any of my horses, I ride them over rocky terrain and have not had a horse go lame, other than all of 2 stone bruises. Here is an excerpt from a horse magazine and it makes a load of sense:
Did you know that a horse’s hoof is supposed to flex with every step taken? And that simple act of flexing is just about the most important thing a horse can do for good health and long life? The flexing provides shock absorption for the joints, tendons and ligaments in the leg and shoulder; acts as a circulatory pump for hundreds of blood vessels in the hoof mechanism; and helps the heart get that blood flowing back up the leg.
Without flexing, the hoof mechanism will not have good circulation and will not be healthy. And the heart will have to work harder to get the blood back up the legs. Without flexing, there will be no shock absorption.
And with a metal shoe nailed to the hoof, no flexing can occur.
Makes a whole lot of sense to me and when you see a hoof working in action, such as in this video clip you will understand it even more:
Have a look at this thermograph, which actually shows - in a real-life horse - what happens to circulation when a metal shoe is nailed on. On this horse 3 hooves are natural and the off front is wearing a metal shoe. Circulation on the shod foot and leg is severly restricted.
If you want to look into this further, you can look at the results of Jaime Jackson's study of more than one thousand wild mustang hooves. All barefoot hooves, of course. All very much alike, healthy and as hard as steel. The original The Wild Horse Trim which now means to replicate the trim the horse would be giving itself if he or she were in the wild. Remember, the horse has survived for something like 54 million years, and being a flight animal - a prey animal, his feet are the most important part of that survival
There is a thought that the foot has been bred right off the horse, that the so called "domestic" horse no longer has the same foot as the horse in the wild. Nothing could be further from the truth. Actual science tells us that it would take a minimum of 5000 years to breed change into the base genetics of any species, including the horse. "Domestic" horses retain the ability of return to the feral state and be completely healthy. In other words, you do not really have a "domestic" horse. Genetically speaking, you have a wild horse in captivity. All horses on this earth are genetically the same.
"If all that's true, why does my horse appear to feel better with shoes on his feet?"
An answer that came back from the experts was: Have you ever crossed your legs for such a long time that your foot goes to sleep? It's because you have cut off the blood circulation to your foot. Essentially that's what's happening when a metal shoe is nailed onto a horses foot. The hoof no longer flexes. Which means a substantial loss of blood circulation in the hoof. This means the nerve endings go to sleep. And the ill health the hoof is suffering from lack of circulation is no longer felt by the horse. In other words, the "ouch" never reaches the brain.
That's also why some horses are tender for a time after shoes are taken off. The hoof that has been unhealthy because of shoes now has blood circulation once again, and he can feel.
It takes approximately eight months for most horses to grow a brand new hoof, from hairline to the ground. So with proper and consistent trimming, that's the maximum time it might take to have terrific feet unless there are serious lameness issues, imbalances, or the like, in which case it could take longer. But most of the time, during the transition, the use of hoof boots allows the horse to be ridden with no pain while still allowing the hoof to flex and heal and grow as it was intended.
Emile Carre, a past president of the American Farriers Association was quoted as saying "The (horse's) foot was designed to be unshod, Anything that you add to the foot, like a horseshoe that is nailed on, is going to interfere with the foot's natural process. Most horseshoes have six to eight nails, possibly one to three clips, all of which constrict the foot's ability to expand and contract. Add pads, packing, any number of alternatives to the shoe, and you create a gait alteration. It all interferes with the natural process of the mechanism."
Walt Taylor, also of the American Farriers Association, was quoted in an article in the American Farriers Journal (November, 2000) saying that 90% of the domestic horses in the world (that's 122 million horses) have some degree of lameness and are still being used.
So the nailed-on metal shoe, in effect, becomes camouflage for what is actually happening within the hoof mechanism. The lack of circulation which dampens the feelings in the nerve endings hides the illness and pain the horse is actually experiencing.
Less than 5% of horses in the wild have any kind of lameness, and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick (who has studied wild horses most of his adult life) says that virtually every case of lameness he's seen in the wild is related to arthritic shoulder joints, not hoof problems.
Something to think about.
As for my horses – they get a wild horse trim and I have never had a complaint from any of them. Keep it natural....
This is a great video of Monty Roberts doing join up and then a saddle and rider on an un-broken horse.
Join-up is a technique that any-one who works with horses will benefit from and if used before a major training session or when evaluating an un-familiar horse, this can make for a whole different relationship with the horse, safer handling and a better outcome.
