HorseKneads

02/13/2023

https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/pemf-january-2020/ Remember to do your research.

Because PEMF devices are aggressively marketed to veterinarians and animal owners, some assessment of the evidence behind them is necessary.

01/18/2023

Horse and human comparison. I love this photo, it helps you understand anatomy.

07/07/2022

Long read, but Informative on magnawave.... Hence my Apprehension about this product.

Horse owners are faced with new claims for products or devices all the time, and I get lots of questions about them, along the lines of, “Should I use this or not?” I thought it might be fun and instructive to look at one of those products and go through my thought processes in hopes […]

05/24/2022

I am always referencing the fascia, good read🙂

Fascia is a living, changing, pliable but tough tissue.

So tough it can withstand 2000 pounds of force per square inch 🤯

The problem with that property of fascia is that fascia can “lock in” compensatory patterns.

When your horse has a problem with the left hind (from stone bruise to abscess, from hock injury to stifle injury or suspensory injury) all 3 of three other legs will compensate, especially their right hind and right front.

The body will lay down additional collagen fibers (fascia) in the compensating legs to create additional support - and additional collagen fibers (fascia) in the injured leg that will minimize range of motion and protect the inured area.

The result of that protective property is a horse with fascial restrictions holding them in an imbalanced compensatory pattern, even after the injury is resolved.

We cannot expect that horse to return to movement with the same freedom as they did previously after the single injury is resolved if we don’t address the fascia.

Their entire tensegrity has been compromised.

Bodywork and fascia blading to release the fascia can be a huge piece of their rehab and make a significant difference in their ultimate outcome.

Tape also plays an important role is rehabbing fascia because it’s an opportunity to leave an extension of our hands on the horse after the session.

Maintaining healthy and pliable fascia with regular massage and tape can make the prehab or rehab process smoother and faster.

New fascia is being produced every 60 seconds by cells called fibroblasts. By taping a horse, the tape is able to affect the fascia for much longer during the production process to create smooth , healthy fascia.

https://www.sozoequinemo.com

02/27/2022

Come middle of May, I will be able to do massage more during the week! 😄 Retiring from my full time job in Orthopaedics to do something I love and am passionate for.. horses

01/08/2022

A good reminder for those athletes!

The thoracic sling is the group of muscles that attaches the front limbs to the rest of the body.

Horses don’t have a skeletal attachment like humans do, their from legs are just suspended by soft tissue! 🦴

The thoracic sling includes:
👉🏻trapezius
👉🏻pectoralis
👉🏻omotransversarius
👉🏻serrated ventralus
👉🏻latissimus dorsi
👉🏻rhomboids
👉🏻subclavius

The thoracic sling has to be strong enough to support the compulsion of the hind end.

If not, there is a breakdown in the transfer of fascial forces and something has to give.

Usually the spine suffers from the imbalance.

So how can you strengthen the thoracic sling?

This is from the book 55 Corrective Exercises for Horses by Jec Aristotle Ballou

“Pole work contributes to straightness and symmetry through his core and mobilizes the spinal joints. The postural adjustments needed for crossing poles recruit the horse’s interconnected abdominal muscle group, thoracic sling, and gluteal chain. Schooling different arrangements of poles helps re-pattern existing habits within each gait, and leads to the creation of new signals from the nervous system.

Cantering over poles tones the thoracic sling, loosens the shoulders as the body rocks between forehand and hindquarters, and lifts the back. It can greatly improve flexion and extension of the back, which allows it to lift and carry the rider better. It is believed to deliver the most mobilization of the lumbosacral joint, which enables the horse to engage his hind limbs.”

12/10/2021

Good read !

The mule may not be so liable to spavin as the horse, but he has ringbone just the same. “The Mule” by Harvey Riley, 1867 One of the fun things about horse medicine is that it has a lot of living history attached to it. Take “ringbone” (please). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, th...

11/28/2021

This is a great article about saddle placement.

Another view of where it looks like to place a saddle for English or Western.

Made this for a client and thought I would share.

No matter if you ride English or Western, the tree of your saddle should always be placed behind the shoulder blade and the tree of the saddle in the back should be either in front of the 18th rib or lined up with it ,but never behind it.

I see so many people that put the saddle to far forward and decrease range of motion in the shoulders and wonder why they have issues up front . Or have it sitting to far back or the saddle is just too long and then its putting to much pressure on the Kidneys and start seeing issues in the backend.

I also hear this... I bring the saddle forward because when I get off the horse or after I have been riding for 5 mins ,the saddle finds its sweet spot.

Then put the saddle in the sweet spot before you even get on the horse ,because thats where the saddle is supposed to be to beginning with.

A lot of people are not taught correctly on this and thats no ones fault, some people just dont know. Even some saddle fitters are not taught this and thats some of the reason why your brand new custom made saddle does not fit your horse correctly when you get it.

Just remember this, there is no true saddle that will fit your horse 100%!!! Its impossible, because your horse changes its shape every month just like we do, when it comes to clothes lol.

You can maintain how your saddle fits and adjust things when its time. Let me ask this question, do you know what to look for besides where and how to place it?

Here is a check list of somethings ( not all) to look for.

1) placement
2) where do the stirrups lay
3) seat balance
4) pressure points of the saddle
5) leather condition and wrinkles
6) pressure points under the saddle
7) is the tree broken, warped
8) how does it sit on your horse when square, not half way squared but squared lol.
9) and if everything looks good above ,what does it do when a rider sits in it
10) and much more

Also, remember NEVER put a saddle pad under the saddle when checking what the saddle looks like on the horse. Only place it under the saddle when its te to ride and check that portion.

- PKS Rehab/ Education Center

11/10/2021

https://www.facebook.com/197207883912/posts/10159298979108913/

Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math provide a clue to explain the two-way ′′ healing ′′ that occurs when we're close to horses. According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain: a magnetometer can measure the energy field of the heart that radiates from 2.4 meters to 3 meters around the human body. While this is certainly significant, perhaps more impressive than the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being (imagine an electromagnetic sphere around the horse) and it can influence straight into our own heart rate.

Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a ′′ coherent ′′ heart rate (heart rate pattern) that explains why we can ′′ feel better ′′ when we're close to them. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern or HRV to be a solid measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy-that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.

A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adapt to stressful situations very efficiently. Many times, we just need to be in the presence of horses to feel a sense of well-being and peace. In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits by interacting with horses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, better social working; and greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy ".

Pintura author: Svatava Hueberová

10/28/2021

This is one way I know I am in a good spot!

09/15/2021

This is great information! The fascia on the horse is a huge deal with keeping them in action!

08/07/2021

I get questions all the time how I feel about all the "gadgets" out there. There's just not enough scientific proof for me to believe it is completely safe. Not saying it doesn't work, just not sure of the long term affects. Just do your research before going with a gadget. My opinion.

You want to believe. You really do. And there are many well-known horsemen, doctors, physicists and PhD's telling you that you should.

07/24/2021

Little bit about my background.
My love for horses started early thanks to my mom. Started showing in 4-H as soon I was old enough.

Went on to trail ride, gaming.

The last 4 years I have been involved in the reining discipline. That has taught me alot about riding.

Work ethic: 24 years in Orthopaedics. 28 years total in Healthcare.

Why massage? The love of horses and the knowledge to know how to help the equine athlete.

Offering hands on massage, microcurrent, red light therapy. sound wave

Hours are limited to nights and weekends, as I still work full time in Orthopaedics.

05/12/2021

Quiz: What is a part of the body - human VS horse, do we have that horses do not?🧐 Shelbie was correct! They do not have a collar bone!