Back in the Saddle

07/09/2022

Update: Hi everyone! I hope your summer has been good!

There will be a limited amount of saddle fitting appointments available starting from the second half of October.

Going forward I will try to plan a few days every month to book in consultations.
I’m juggling my busy full-time airline schedule and my own 2 horses, so I have very limited time available. That’s not to say that I don’t want to make myself available for fitting consultations, but I do need to be efficient with my time.
Details on how I’ll work this out will follow. 👌

Thank you all for your understanding and looking forward to seeing you and your horses very soon!

09/07/2022

24/06/2022

This is one of my favourite things to do. It’s super easy, and super quick but makes a massive difference.

This is plaque build up on a horses canine. The plaque is mineral deposits that build up over time and it is not removed as these teeth are not used to eat. It has been proposed that the build up is due to saliva running over the lower canines and depositing minerals. Normally eating provides mechanical cleaning of the teeth with the horses dietary roughage but canines are fighting teeth, not eating teeth.

It is my personal experience that these build ups are predominantly (although not exclusively) in horses given natural water rather than mains water. Bore holes, springs, streams or rain water appear to have larger amounts of the minerals. This is only based on my own observations however.

Left in situ, this plaque build up causes localised gingivitis and can lead to gum recession. When it becomes as large as this one, it pushes into the tongue and can affect the bit placement too.

Interesting facts
- Usually only male horses have canines.
- Although in some rare cases we can see tiny ones in mares too. These mares have a historic reputation for being difficult to deal with.
- Canines and wolf teeth are not the same thing. Wolf teeth are further back, closer to the molars.
- Canines are like ice bergs, what you see on the surface is only a fraction of their full size.
- When the bit is in the correct position, the canines do not affect the bit. Make sure your bit isn’t too low and touching the canines.
- Rough handling of the bit when being put in and taken out can chip the canine teeth and cause pain. Often resulting in the horse showing avoidance behaviour during bitting or unbridling. Always take care that the bit doesn’t hook over the canines upon removal, especially if the horse throws its head up.
- The canines don’t have baby teeth predecessors. This means they must cut through the gum to erupt, this can be very uncomfortable and can also result in avoidance behaviour when bitting.
- The canines erupt between 5-5.5 year of age although they don’t often stick to the textbooks. Be understanding if your horse suddenly becomes a little bridle shy around this time. A bit of bongela over the erupting teeth can help.

06/06/2022

A little more on bit fitting as I also find many bits that don’t fit during my saddle fitting consultations.

It also becomes even more clear that equine professionals should work together so the best choice can be made for the particular horse.
You can’t fit any piece of tack properly unless you understand the anatomy and biomechanics of the part of the animal that you’re trying to fit..

A bit that fits is essential for horse welfare and good communication with the ridden, driven or led horses. The bit causes pressure on the sensitive structures of the horse mouth. The aim of this study was to investigate variation in oral dimensions related to bit fit in adult horses and ponies and...

20/05/2022

Are Ground Poles Really Effective?? 💈🐎

STUDY DEMONSTRATES EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUND & RAISED POLES IN TRAINING & REHAB

Walking over poles is a commonly employed training and rehabilitation tool- but how effective are they really? Researchers set out to understand the effect of ground poles on equine locomotion, particularly joint range of motion.

A recent study assessed the effect of ground poles and raised poles on limb kinematics and poll, wither, and pelvic range of motion at the walk. Researchers hypothesized that walking over poles would increase joint range of motion but have no effect on poll, wither and pelvic range of motion compared to no poles.

41 horses were walked in-hand over no poles, ground poles and raised poles in a crossover design. Limb kinematics were determined via motion capture (240Hz). Poll, wither, and other aspects of range of motion range of motion were determined by inertial motion units.

The study determined that walking over both ground poles and raised poles increased limb-joint range of motion and increased poll range of motion, through increased swing flexion, compared to no poles.

In summary, walking poles appear to be effective at increasing joint range of motion via an increase in mid swing flexion, without vertical excursion of the trunk, compared to normal locomotion.

Given that this is a key early rehabilitation and training goal for many horses it supports the use of poles for these purposes.

Reference: V.A. Walker, C.A. Tranquillle, R. MacKechnie-Guire, J Spear, R. Newton, R.C. Murray,
Effect of ground and raised poles on kinematics of the walk,
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 2022.

01/05/2022

26/04/2022

Probably quite surpising how much our saddles, bridles, pads, boots and helmets weigh!

Who would be interested in weighing their equipment?

And before you go on a crash-diet.. Keep in mind that a light and unbalanced rider is likely to be worse for the horse than a heavier and balanced rider.

23/04/2022

Announcement! 🔈
To keep things more organised I have decided to merge my with this page 🧡 so all my future Equi Cords 📿 updates can be found here 🔥
I am in the process of making a few things here & there when my schedule allows, so stay tuned!

09/03/2022

Rider Leans > Horse Compensates > Rider leans more > Horse compensates more > Rider leans and twists more > Horse compensates more and the cycle continues.

OR...

Horse compensates for twisting saddle > Rider leans > Horse compensates for leaning rider > Rider leans and twists more and so on.

Imbalance and gait symmetry, regardless of source, causes a domino effects between horse and rider that cannot be corrected by either if the interface (the saddle) between the isn't corrected. You cannot have a rider who is balanced if the saddle isn't, nor can you have a rider who rides evenly - such as posting without moving diagonally, or leaning if the saddle isn't sitting straight on the horse. Just as a horse cannot move in a straight line if the saddle continually shifts to one side, the same goes for a saddle that crunches down on the withers preventing the horse from ever lifting the shoulders.

In order to break the cycle, you need to determine where the issue is coming from through a dynamic assessment. The rider and horse are observed in both directions, at all 3 gaits, to identify irregular movement patterns of the saddle, as well as leaning or overloading from the rider. These observations are them compared to the dust pattern left by the saddle and the static fit assessment completed prior to the ride.

Without the ridden component, a saddle fitter only has half the picture of what is actually going on, and what adjustments in the tree, flocking and billets are required.

It's the same as buying shoes without actually trying them on and walking around to test fit and comfort.

25/02/2022

*** HALF PADS ***

**CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS BLOG SERIES**

**WE MUST NOT FORGET HALF PAD FIT!**

There are a number of reasons why riders may choose to use a half pad; to improve saddle fit, help rebalance the saddle, provide increased comfort to the horse, and in some cases the half pad may be a fashion accessory. Previous blogs have discussed the effect that a half pad can have on saddle pressures when trotting and cantering in a straight line. In brief, we have demonstrated that the addition of a wool or medical grade closed cell foam half pad, was useful in reducing saddle pressures beneath the caudal region of the saddle, whilst not increasing saddle pressures in the cranial region. In contrast, gel half pads were found to increase pressures in the cranial region, and did not offer any pressure reducing benefits in the caudal region (1). Other groups have quantified different half pads whilst the horse is trotting on a treadmill (2,3). Although there are multiple half pads available with limited research, dynamic (ridden) studies are underway quantifying the effects that a half pad has on saddle pressure distribution and equine locomotion. It is important to check that the addition of any half pad does not alter the fit or balance of the saddle, and consequently cause areas of high pressure, therefore it is essential before using a half pad, that its use is discussed with a qualified saddle fitter.

Although half pad use should be discussed with a saddle fitter, it is also essential that riders are aware of basic half pad fit when riding.

Half pad size: The half pad must be the correct size, so that the half pad fits the saddle, sometimes a half pad can be too small for the saddle, which means that the back edge of the half pad will create a ridge beneath the caudal part of the saddle panel, which will cause an area of focal pressure - see image and the red arrow indicating the edge of the half pad.

Half pad fit: Sometimes, even correct sized half pads are fitted incorrectly, meaning that the back edge of the half pad is positioned underneath the caudal region of the saddle, it is essential that when tacking up, that the saddle fits on the half pad and both the front and back portion of the half pad are visible.

Half pad material health: half pad material is essential, half pads such as a medical grade closed cell foam are durable and maintain their pressure reducing properties during locomotion. In contrast, half pads derived from open cell foam, or a well used wool half pad can become hard and lumpy, which could reduce the effectiveness of the half pad in reducing saddle pressures, and or could cause an increase in localised saddle pressure due to material degradation.

In summary, it is important to discuss half pad use and fit with a qualified saddle fitter. In addition, it is important that the half pad is fitted correctly, and its material does not degrade over time.

Please like / follow our page for more blogs and please share to raise awareness 😃

Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Centaur Biomechanics
www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk



1. MacKechnie-Guire R, Fisher M, Pfau T. Effect of a Half Pad on Pressure Distribution in Sitting Trot and Canter Beneath a Saddle Fitted to Industry Guidelines. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2020.
2. Kotschwar AB, Baltacis A, Peham C. The influence of different saddle pads on force and pressure changes beneath saddles with excessively wide trees. Vet J. 2010;184(3):322-5.
3. Kotschwar AB, Baltacis A, Peham C. The effects of different saddle pads on forces and pressure distribution beneath a fitting saddle. Equine Vet J. 2010;42(2):114-8.

21/01/2022

Stark reminders of how your saddle rack will quickly destroy your saddle..

Have a good look at these images!

These saddle racks are not fit for use.
The amount of saddles I come accross that have irreversible damage from sitting on these type of racks, is staggering. Even if the racks were covered with some form of ‘cushioning’ this still happened over time.

I always recommend a simple post. That way the saddle will not be damaged in any way.

08/01/2022

False Frame, Back Development & Saddle Fit

We all want our horses to go around with the beautiful arch in the neck that we see in top level dressage, however the manner that a lot of riders try to achieve this is actually extremely damaging.

See-sawing on the reins, tight nosebands, tight flash, leverage bits, tie downs, martingales, side reins, draw reins - you name it.

To the untrained eye, any horse with their head down and neck arched is perceived as "in frame" or incorrectly labelled as "round".

But take a moment to look a bit closer and really understand what you're seeing. The side by side gives an idea of what areas to look at - also, to note, a horse in self carriage and correct frame will not have the hard, tense appearance of the one in the photo.

Firstly, just behind the poll you see the flat of the neck where it should be rounded. The line of the neck should not have flat areas, points or dips in a properly muscled horse. This is followed by the circle indicating a high point/corner in the neck.

Next is behind the jaw, showing tension, wrinkling of the skin and the protrusion of muscle that is being squeeze from the head being held in this position.

Following that is the overdevelopment of the lower neck muscles - when viewed from above the neck on these horses is thick towards the shoulder and narrows before the head. A properly developed horse, when viewed from above, has a neck that has a triangular shape which gradually gets wider towards the shoulder.

The yellow indicates the limited field of vision caused by the red line showing how far behind the vertical the head is being pulled, and resistance which is attempting to be silenced via tight flash and noseband.
A horse ridden in this manner will never develop the back, so what does that mean for saddle fit? If your saddle never needs to be adjusted regardless of how much you ride, it may actually be the riding style that is the issue.

24/12/2021

Happy holidays! 🐴 Wishing everyone many happy hours spent in fitting saddles 🐎

17/12/2021

😍 ErrePlus ‘Connect’ Dressage saddle 😍

Today I had the pleasure to try an ErrePlus saddle on my own horse.
It didn’t disappoint! I guess my Christmas list just got longer 🤣

An overview of some of the main ErrePlus features:
•Adjustable tree
•Adjustable flocking
•Adjustable flap projection
•Wide spine canal
•Available in mono and double flap
•Close contact feeling
•Soft seat, narrow twist
•Also works well for horses with prominent withers and a high spine

All ErrePlus saddles are well-designed, extremely adjustable and customisable.
Get in touch for more information!

08/12/2021

🤍 Spinal Asymmetry & Saddle Fit 🤍

This horse is stood square in both photos and the green photo is taken after approx. 1 hour of treatment. Definitely not the finished product, but a step in the right direction!

This horse had previously been ridden in a saddle that was completely asymmetrical in both flocking and how the saddle has been made. With a very intuitive owner, she felt she wasn’t sitting straight or evenly and went with her gut that something wasn’t quite right.

On observation, we had increased loading of the thoracic sling muscles particularly to the left as she was struggling to maintain correct postural core engagement due to ribcage and spinal rotation. The right scapula felt suctioned onto the side of her body, and there was a negative pain reaction to a shoulder lift mobilisation. The right scapula was positioned more cranially and dorsally. The left tuber coxae was located more cranially and ventrally than the right, with lumbar paraspinal hypertonicity that decreased the distance between the tuber coxae and last rib. This horse found it very difficult to maintain a square position and straight head carriage, which was seen through the dynamic assessment with a right hip drop and limited forelimb range of motion.

In cases like these, the treatment is multi-faceted and contains some of the following:
▪️ INDIBA Radiofrequency - deep muscle relaxation at a cellular and biochemical level, “dismantling” of fibrotic tissue, tissue repair, pain relief, decreased inflammation, improved psychological acceptance of release.
▪️Massage and Myofascial release - resetting tonicity, improving muscle extensibility, mobilising fascia and relieving restrictions to improve symmetry and function.
▪️Mobilisations (spinal, rib, scapula, pelvic) - improve symmetry, joint ROM
▪️Passive stretches - re-educating stretch receptors to increase joint and muscle ROM
▪️Postural re-education exercise prescription - conducted in-hand, involving lateral movements, rein back and pole work to reinforce suppleness and symmetry principles.

08/12/2021

Schleese saddle giveaway! Enter to win on 🤩

07/12/2021

Battling asymmetry on a daily basis

⭐️ SPINAL AND PELVIC ASYMMETRY ⭐️

When we put a saddle on our horses backs, when we ride them, when we add a roller, saddle pad, girth, breastplate… this is what is underneath us.

Now imagine a saddle too narrow/wide, a girth too far forward, asymmetrical flocking, rider laterality, a bunched up saddle pad… and there is oh so much that can go wrong. Even with a healthy horse!

Here is a basic diagram outlining some common spinal column and pelvic asymmetries that I came across last week mainly in response to poor saddle fit or rider asymmetry.

Each one of these changes to the MSK system are not mutually exclusive; they are all interconnected and have a profound effect on performance and wellbeing. To improve symmetry, straightness and correct movement a multifaceted approach to treatment is effective for the long term. Implementing joint mobilisations, stretches, myofascial and muscle release techniques in addition to postural re-education exercises on the ground will enable return to optimum performance and prevent tissue damage/injury.

Would anyone be interested to see before and afters of these real life case studies I treated last week? 🌟

06/12/2021

Spot-Flocking at the barn.

I recently adjusted this saddle in width as the young horse it belongs to, had changed shape.

This saddle gets checked every 3 months and this time it just needed some flocking adjustments to perfect the fit.

Did you know?

* Horses lose muscle mass 4x faster than gaining it
* The fit of your saddle can change rapidly due to muscle gain/loss
* It’s recommended to get your saddle checked by a professional regularly
* Many saddles have limited to no adjustability and this poses many significant challenges for the horse/rider/saddle fitter
* Ignoring signals of poor saddle fit can cause the horse a lot of pain and sometimes irreparable damage