Is riding a horse welfare issue?

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Pauline

Impact of riding on horse welfare!!

I have found a rare documented study published earlier on this year on the impact of riding on horse welfare.

The impact of work on back pain is well known in humans, but has been largely underestimated in horses. This study inferred that incorrect riding posture may have a strong effect on horse’s posture at work that may also lead to chronic vertebral problems.

The most severely affected horses are those that spend most of the working time with a high or hollow neck position. This could be a consequence of a back problem, OR may be a consequence of poor rider posture. Head and neck position alters the thoracolumbar system, as we know from the Rollkur research. Therefore, repeated undesirable postures can lead to chronic damages of the spine – as in humans.

Horses may express these problems by increase in aggression, changes in behaviour, and evasive techniques such as bucking, bolting, refusing to go forwards.

This study supports the idea that poor riding posture may induce  chronic damage of the equine spine. Therefore, equitation that produces physical or emotional stress must be identified and corrected otherwise therapeutic treatments on the horse may well be in vain.

SO, what does this mean?

Whatever the rider’s action, remember it WILL be affecting the horse’s spine!

Get yourself and your horse checked at the same time.

Posted in Rider Posture | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Rollkur, why not??

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Pauline

I recently conducted a review of the research papers on the effects of training a horse in “Rollkur”, or hyperflexion. There is evidence that working a horse this way is detrimental to his way of going.

When the horse is worked with the head and neck in a hyperflexed position, as in Rollkur, the front portion of the back comes up, BUT there is a corresponding hollowing of the lumbar spine. In effect, this means that the horse will not be able to flex at the lumbar-sacral junction and bring his hind leg underneath him when worked in Rollkur. Surely we are all trying to bring our horse off the forehand by engaging the hind quarters, and encouraging the horse to step underneath himself!!

It is very interesting to note that in the same study, when horses were worked with the head and neck in a traditional long and low position , there was flexion and rounding of the thoracics with out the corresponding hollowing of the lumbar area, therfore allowing the horse to engage his hind limb.

What does this mean in plain English??

DO work your horse long and low

DITCH the draw reins

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Causes of poor performance

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Pauline

We are all aware that issues arising from poorly fitting saddles, girthing issues, spinal problems and muscular problems can exhibit as poor performance. But if your horse seems a little more grumpy these days, do not rule out gastric ulcers.

Due to the way we manage our horses, where access to forage and turnout may be restricted, our horses can start to suffer. Did you know that the horse continually secretes hydrochloric acid into the stomach whether he is eating or not? In the wild the horse would be foraging for about 16 hours a day thereby reducing the effects of acidity in the stomach.

If you notice a change in behaviour in your horse such as reluctance to go forwards, bucking, refusing, reluctance to accept the leg, sesitivity in the girth area, together with a loss of condition, don`t rule out gastric ulcers.

Posted in Musculoskeletal Therapy | Comments Off

Is your riding posture affecting your horse

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Pauline

Achieving great results with your horse is all about balance and harmony. We want our horses to be relaxed and balanced on all four feet. To do this the rider must also be in balance. Horses were not designed to carry riders, they have to learn to balance themselves with a rider on board. They are also prey animals with an in built flight mechanism. When the horse is startled or nervous, the muscles of his top line become extended, and the back becomes hollow, and the head is up looking for danger. To allow the horse to work correctly and engage his hindquarters, the head must be lowered to allow the back muscles to flex, and the hind limbs to come underneath the horse. To do this the horse must therefore be relaxed. We as riders can also transmit tension to the horse especially when we are nervous.  It is therefore vital that we sit in a relaxed and upright position that is central on the horse to allow him to work correctly. Crookedness in the rider will almost certainly transmit to the horse causing reciprocal adaptations in his way of going to compensate for the rider. The rider needs to be sitting on the central part of his seat bones with the pelvis in an upright position. This allows the lower back to work correctly to absorb the movement of the horse. When observed from behind, the rider should also be sitting centrally on the horse with the weight distributed equally on both seat bones.

How do I check if I am riding correctly?

Be very aware of the way you are sitting and standing. Are you loading your weight evenly? For example, do you stand with your weight more to one side than the other, or more on to the front of your feet? Remember you will be riding with your weight distributed in the same way!!

Arrange some lessons with a qualified instructor who will be able to help you correct any problems.

Posted in Blog, Rider Posture | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Musculoskeletal therapy can be a useful maintenance tool for your horse or dog

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Pauline

You know how you feel when you have a fall from your horse. The next day, your whole body aches and your muscles are sore. You start to compensate for the pain straight away. This can lead to shortening of the muscles and muscle spasms. Sometimes we seek the help of a chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist, or sometimes we leave it only to find we have a chronic problem six months later.

Spare a thought for your horse. If he has slipped, fallen, landed awkwardly after a jump, or any number of things that horses are prone to, he too may be feeling sore. Just because there are no clinical signs of lameness, it doesn`t mean that the musculoskeletal structures are functioning correctly. If you are unsure, get a professional to check your horse over – you may be glad you did!

Posted in Blog, Musculoskeletal Therapy | Tagged , , , | Comments Off