02/27/2023
Wanted to share this! Good information and why I take the time building up my horses!
The significance of the sacroiliac joint (and the risk of prematurely training collection).
The sacroiliac joint is the intersection of sacrum, (section of the spine that underlies the croup), and the ilium (the largest of the bones that make up the pelvis). The sacrum is made up of five vertebrae, which only fully solidify around the age of 5 in a horse, and only then is it able to fully load bear. This small joint is extremely sensitive. It is kept together only by ligaments – there is no directly connected muscular structure in this area.
In terms of its function, the sacroiliac joint is the connection of the hindquarters to the rest of the body, and plays a major role in enabling the use of the power and strength created by the hindquarters.
So, the sacroiliac joint is highly sensitive, but at the same time must be very mobile to transfer the strength and power generated by the hindquarter to the back and the forehand.
Why this mechanism may block....
Blockages and problems in the sacroiliac joint can be created by trauma (e.g. a fall), overstraining, or wrong training. This can significantly affect the structural integrity of the joint, which will show itself through deficiently pronounced muscles, in particular in the hindquarters.
‘Dents’ in the side of the hindquarters as well as a sharp, steeply ascending/descending croup are signs that the muscles are underdeveloped, and should not be ignored or viewed as the horse having an “athletic shape”.
In riding horses these signs tend to point toward a way of riding that is heavy on the forehand. In young horses it often points to a lack of exercise.
As previously mentioned, the sacroiliac joint is responsible for the transfer of power and therefore also plays a huge role in the horse’s ability to collect.
What are the symptoms of a blockage in the sacroiliac joint?
Some signs there may be a blockage in the sacroiliac joint include:
- Less ‘go’ / less of a ‘push’ forward
- Shortened stride
- Problems in maintaining rhythm in the stride, up to the point where we would consider the horse lame
- Spinal problems
- The horse cannot collect
- Problems when walking backwards
- Problems in the canter
In many cases these blockages result in a tilted sacroiliac joint, which disturbs the entire mechanics and movement of the horse - e.g. being higher on one side than on the other or a hunters bump. Because of this one-sided change in the positioning of the pelvis, the thigh bone is also moved into an unnatural position, which forces the entire hindquarter into a wrong and unnatural position. This has to be corrected by the rest of the body, which means other areas are working in ways they are not supposed to, thus overloading these areas.
If you suspect your horse may have problems in the sacroiliac joint, you should consult a knowledgeable vet or equine therapist with expertise in this area. They will be able to help you get rid of these blockages, and get the joint back to working how it should. With any blockages in the sacroiliac joint, you must pay careful attention to the muscles surrounding the joint (i.e. the muscles through the hindquarters, particularly on the sides and around the croup). These muscle groups will also require care and possible physio therapy to repair damage and tension created by the blockage in the joint. Otherwise, any work your therapist has done to repair the blockage in the sacroiliac joint will be quickly undone.
It should be noted that tension and or damage in the muscle groups around the sacroiliac joint can in itself create blockages in the joint, for example when the pull on the joint is uneven (one side is strongly favoured).
Preventing problems
You can prevent problems to the sensitive structure of the sacroiliac joint through responsible riding, targeting the correct building of muscles in the hindquarters, with special attention to the muscles in the inner pelvis region.
A well pronounced and functional hind, in terms of its ability to collect and its load bearing capacity, will always look round through the steady build-up of muscle – you should never see ‘dents’ or anything that ‘sticks out’ or looks ‘bony’.
The importance of working the horse in a way that considers the integrity of its anatomical structure cannot be stressed enough. Further, muscles must be built up evenly, to counter the natural favouring of one side and evenness and straightness throughout the body. An uneven horse will not only overstrain its entire body, but the hindquarters load bearing abilities will also be diminished.
A healthy, strong, and well-built muscular system can prevent many problems within the skeletal system, particularly in joints like the sacroiliac.
www.sonovetequinetherapy.com.au
